Making A Difference In The World

Making A Difference In The World

Many times in life, we are presented with opportunities to help others such as donating to a charity. However, sometimes we cannot always help financially but just because we do not have the money to be able to support a good cause or someone in need, it doesn’t mean we can’t still help them. There are many common everyday things we can do to make a difference in the world including praying, listening to someone vent about their problems and offering advice on how to solve them, helping someone carry their groceries to their car, opening the door for someone, giving someone a positive compliment etc. By doing these simple acts of kindness, we are making a difference in someone’s life even if only for a brief moment.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with doing more than that if you want to.  You can donate canned goods and non-perishable food items to a local food pantry or you can donate gently used clothing to a homeless shelter or thrift shop. Any act of kindness that makes you happy and helps make a positive difference in the lives of others in any way is a beautiful and wonderful thing.

Perhaps there is a specific cause that tugs on your heart that you would love to get involved in, whether donating financially or donating your time towards by volunteering. There are many charities and non-profit organizations out there that may interest you. Here is a list of some you may be interested in getting involved with.

Military:

Patriot Pin Up- www.patriotpinup.org

Wounded Warrior Project- www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Hire Heroes USA- www.hireheroesusa.org

Cancer Research & Awareness:

Susan G. Komen- www.komen.org

I Have Wings- www.ihavewings.org

St. Jude- www.stjude.org

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society- www.lls.org

The Dragonfly Foundation- www.dragonfly.org

Bloodwise- bloodwise.org.uk

Pink Ribbon Girls- pinkribbongirls.org

Connor’s Cure- www.wweconnorscure.com

Living Beyond Breast Cancer- www.lbbc.org

Bright Pink- www.brightpink.org

American Cancer Society- www.cancer.org

Lump to Laughter- www.lumptolaughter.org

Ride Cincinnati- www.ridecincinnati.org

V Foundation For Cancer Research- www.jimmyv.org

Warriors In Pink- www.warriorsinpink.ford.com

Avon 39- www.avon39.org

Children’s:

Make A Wish- www.wish.org

Toys For Tots- www.toysfortots.org

Kids Wish Network- www.kidswishnetwork.org

4-H- www.4-h.org

Operation Christmas Child- https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child

Ronald McDonald House Charities- www.rmhc.org

Children’s Miracle Network- www.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org

Wigs For Kids- www.wigsforkids.org

Dreams Take Flight- www.dreamstakeflight.ca

First Book- www.firstbook.org

Books For Africa- www.booksforafrica.org

Girls Make Games- www.girlsmakegames.com

VH1 Save The Music Foundation- www.vh1savethemusic.org

Girls Who Code- www.girlswhocode.com

KaBOOM!- www.kaboom.org

Invisible Girl Project- www.invisiblegirlproject.org

Red Nose Day- www.rednoseday.org

Boy Scouts Of America- www.scouting.org

Girl Scouts Of America- www.girlscouts.org

Kiwanis International- www.kiwanis.org

Unicef- www.unicef.org

Big Brothers/Big Sisters- www.bbbs.org

Boys & Girls Clubs Of America- www.bgca.com

Operation Smile- www.operationsmile.org

Locks Of Love- www.locksoflove.org

One Way Farm- www.onewayfarm.org

Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption- www.davethomasfoundation.org

World Hunger:

World Vision 30 Hour Famine- www.30hourfamine.org

Feeding America- www.feedingamerica.org

No Kid Hungry- www.nokidhungry.org

Feed The Children- www.feedthechildren.org

Great American Milk Drive- www.milklife.com

Animals:

Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue- www.shihtzu-rescue.com

PAWS Chicago- www.pawschicago.org

The Jane Goodall Institute- www.janegoodall.org

ASPCA- www.aspca.org

The Humane Society- www.humanesociety.org

Animal Friends Humane Society- www.animalfriendshs.org

PetSmart Charities- www.petsmartcharities.org

Bunny World Foundation- www.bunnyworldfoundation.org

World Wildlife Fund- www.worldwildlife.org

PETA- www.peta.org

Bullying:

Stomp Out Bullying- www.stompoutbullying.org

Think Kindness- www.thinkkindness.org

 Other Charities:

Nothing But Nets- www.nothingbutnets.net

Little Giraffe Foundation- www.littlegiraffefoundation.org

Salvation Army- www.salvationarmyusa.org

Society of St. Vincent de Paul- www.svdpcincinnati.org

Goodwill Industries- www.goodwill.org

Peace Corp- www.peacecorps.gov

Dean Thomas Moinet Foundation-  www.dtmfoundation.org

Blue Sky Project- www.bspfilms.org

The Red Cross- www.redcross.org

Lupus Foundation Of America- www.lupus.org

Matthew 25: Ministries-  www.m25m.org

Special Olympics- www.specialolympics.org

American Heart Association- www.heart.org

ALS Association- www.alsa.org

Concussion Legacy Foundation- www.concussionfoundation.org

WaterAid- www.wateraidamerica.org

March Of Dimes- www.marchofdimes.org

Rainn- www.rainn.org

One Billion Rising- www.onebillionrising.org

House Of Ruth- www.houseofruth.org

VDay- www.vday.org

Habitat For Humanity- www.habitat.org

The Luke Commission- www.lukecommission.org

Operation Cinderella- www.operation-cinderella.org

Operation Prom- www.operationprom.org

Princess Grace Foundation-USA- www.pgfusa.org

While this is just a few of very many charities and non-profit organizations out there, I hope it gives you a better idea or head start on how you want to help others in the world, whether through donating, volunteering or other contributions and services. Remember, that anything you can do to make a difference, whether small or big, is important and valued. The very thing you do to help may be the thing that lifts someone up, brings a smile to their face, brings warmth to their heart and gives them a light of hope.