Photo Credit: The Seattle Times

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”In the past two years, the need has been immense for every cause area: from food security to homelessness —education to mental health. Meanwhile, the threat of the virus has prevented volunteerism from returning to its pre-pandemic highs. This year, we can change that.

This year, within our country and our communities, we have witnessed immense social challenges and incredible acts of kindness. Building kind, inclusive, and thriving communities is an intentional process that any individual can contribute to in a meaningful way. As you plan for the new year and make community-building resolutions, this list of our Top Blogs of 2021 can help inspire you.

Many of us are looking for safer ways to give some kindness to others this holiday season as we see the increasing need to support our communities and the rise of the Omicron variant. Giving to others in any form — from cards to meals to a sympathetic ear — shows people they’re cared for. Here are 10 simple ways to be a force for kindness.

This is a guest post from GivingTuesday.

The 10th annual GivingTuesday celebration takes place on November 30 this year. People all over the world will come together to give their time, voice, kindness, power, skills, expertise, and resources. GivingTuesday is the perfect opportunity to complement your organization’s year-end efforts by using the day to engage your volunteers.

This week is World Kindness Week, and there are so many kind deeds you can do to uplift your communities and in the process also uplift your spirits. Here are 4 ways you can give back.

It’s the end of October, and we’re getting really close to the holiday season. You may have already started planning your holiday parties for your organization, for your friends and family, or both. In the spirit of giving this holiday season, there’s never been a better time to uplift your communities. Here are 3 simple ways you can incorporate giving back into your holiday parties this year that can be done in-person or virtually.

Climate change impacts us all. The fires, drought, and floods that we are seeing across the country are all being driven by the warming of our planet. The scientific community is attributing the increasing temperatures globally to these disastrous events all over the world with increasingly negative implications on the economy and society, such as the loss of billions of working hours because of excessive heat. In fact, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spanning from 1970-2019, these types of disasters have gone up 5 times during this 50 year span, in which climate change is one of the contributing factors. 

It’s time to take action. You can make a difference with small steps. This week is Climate Action Week, 9/20-9/25. We're so excited to be partnering with California Volunteers, Office of the Governor — the team leading the way nationally around mobilizing volunteers in the state with Climate Action Corps. Each of us has the power to drive change. Here are 7 simple things you can do to combat climate change wherever you live.

As part of Climate Action Week from 9/20-9/25, we’re excited to be partnering with California Volunteers, Office of the Governor — the team leading the mobilization of volunteers across the state and setting a tone for state-led climate volunteer corps nationally. 

This 20th Anniversary of 9/11 is a time to pause and remember those who lost their lives in the 2001 tragedy, and to honor their memories by coming together to do good as a nation. From volunteering, supporting charities through donations of goods or cash, and simply by being kind to others, there are many ways to get involved.

Some students across the U.S. have started school, while others have yet to start school. And this may be the first time they are doing in-person learning. Back to school brings up so many emotions of excitement and new experiences, and now with the pandemic, some children and parents may be feeling additional anxieties beyond the back to school year jitters of the past. Whether you are a student, parent, grandparent, neighbor, co-worker, or friend and wherever you are during this transition, sending some kindness to others will help you uplift your community and yourself in the process. Here are 9 things you can do to be kind to yourself and others during this time.