How to Help Others

There are countless ways you can assist people in your community, whether it’s by helping with household chores for family members or volunteering at a local shelter for the homeless. Even small gestures can brighten someone’s day!

Ask how you can be of assistance. Talk to your family members or friends and ask what they need help with, then offer your support. By stepping in before they ask, you're showing that you care.

• Make sure to follow through on what they ask of you. Simply asking isn’t enough to truly help them.
• Get into the habit of asking your family and friends what they need help with. Soon, helping others will become second nature.

Listen. Often, what people need most is simply someone who will listen kindly and without judgment. When someone opens up to you about their life or a challenge they’re facing, it’s not just about spilling their emotions or sharing their thoughts and stories. It’s an important act of trust.

• Practice active listening. When someone is speaking, focus fully on their words. Make eye contact and clear your mind of distractions. If your thoughts wander, the other person will notice, and it will feel like you’re not really listening.
• Avoid making judgments while listening. This will not only end the conversation but may also make the person feel that they can’t trust you with their thoughts.

Offer to help with tasks or chores. When someone is overwhelmed or stressed with household tasks or work, they can often get caught up in difficulties. Pay attention if your friends or family seem busy or under stress, and set aside time to help with chores or small tasks.

• Do something like preparing a meal and delivering it to their house during a particularly busy or stressful time. This takes the worry out of them having to cook for themselves. It’s especially helpful for families grieving a loss or individuals with serious health issues.
• Offer to babysit or take care of your friend’s children so they can have some well-needed rest.

Send a letter or a small gift to let friends and family know you’re thinking of them. There are times when people can feel isolated from their friends and family, and lonely. Let a friend or family member know you’re thinking of them and that they are important to you. It doesn’t have to be something grand or a special gesture, a small act is enough.

• Write an email or letter expressing why you appreciate the recipient. This could be a memory or a funny or silly thing you did together. If they’ve recently lost someone or have been ill, tell them why they matter to you.
• Take care with small, thoughtful actions. You could prepare a homemade dish or pick up something small they might love. If they enjoy knitting, gift them a ball of yarn in their favorite color.

Volunteer. Volunteering is a wonderful way to help those in need within your community. Look for opportunities to spend time helping at a homeless shelter or a free meal program in your area. Not only does this assist others, but it also provides you with a fresh perspective on your own life.

• Work at a shelter for abused women, helping women and children get back on their feet.
• Consider tutoring homeless children in your community, enabling them to continue their education and catch up on lessons despite their family’s financial difficulties.
• Volunteer with those who are nearing the end of their lives, offering a compassionate ear as they share their stories during their final days. You’ll gain invaluable insights into the struggles and joys of life that you may one day encounter.

Donate to those in need. You can contribute anything from money to charity organizations, to items such as clothes for local food banks or shelters. If you don't have money to donate, consider giving away things you no longer use, as long as they’re in good condition.

• Donate non-perishable foods such as sealed spice packs or canned goods.
• Give toys to shelters. Many children staying there have no toys to play with.

Gift your own presents. Instead of receiving many gifts for birthdays or holidays (like Christmas), you can tell your friends and family to make donations to charity or to areas severely impacted by natural disasters.

• You could even set up a charity fund where friends and family can contribute. For example, create a fund to help underprivileged children go to college.

Stop to help. If you see someone struggling to carry their grocery bags on the street, or someone who needs a bit of change for a bus fare, offer to help by carrying their items or giving them some money. You usually won't lose much by helping someone out.

• Remember, they might not always need assistance. If someone says, "No, thank you." or "I can manage on my own," offer to help one more time. If they continue to decline, you can move on.

Play FreeRice. This is a simple website where you answer questions to donate rice to those in need. The platform operates through the World Food Programme of the United Nations. Each time you answer a question, you contribute ten grains of rice. There are various categories of questions available, including vocabulary and geography.

Edit articles for Mytour. Mytour is constantly looking for talented writers and editors.

Use click-to-donate websites like GreaterGood. When using these platforms, make sure you are donating to credible charities. For example, one of the causes on this site supports Autism Speaks, which is often considered a charity that does more harm than good. However, other causes listed are completely legitimate charities.

Install the Tab for a Cause extension. This extension creates a customizable dashboard with a small ad that appears every time you open a new tab. The revenue from these ads is then distributed to charities based on user votes (each new tab is a vote).

Listen to others' problems. This act shows that you genuinely care about the person and are trying to understand the root cause of the challenges they are facing.