Why did we list 67 things? Nelson Mandela, who was an activist and president of South Africa, spent his life to making the world a better place. He dedicated 67 years fighting for social justice. In honour of this, Mandela Day promotes and encourages to do good for 67 minutes.
But anyway, what does it mean to “do good”? How can we easily help others? To help you get ideas, we’ve gathered in this article 67 ideas to do good! We divided them into categories so that you can choose what to do according to your interests and skills. Read how you can help others and start helping in a way that suits you!
67 easy ways to help
Housework
- Mow the lawn for someone who can’t (e.g., the elderly)
- Do groceries for someone who can’t move around (e.g., busy parents, sick people)
- Help clean the house, barn, or yard
- Help someone make food
- Offer help fixing small things (doors, curtains, lamps)
- Offer help moving in or out
- Help to paint the door, wall, barn, and furniture that need a fresh coat of paint
- Help out farms
- Help your neighbours take care of their plants when they are away on holiday
- Help with gardening; pluck out weeds, rake the yard
- Help your neighbour clean their carpets - it takes some muscles to move them!
Donation
- Donate unused clothes
- Donate blood
- Donate unused books
- Give away unneeded furniture, tools
- Donate your hair
- Donate to associations through mileage or points programs
- Give away unneeded plants
Help children
- Read stories at a children’s home
- Play with children at children’s homes
- Help with homework at children’s homes
- Teach art to children
- Teach sports and do sports together
- Teach children games you used to play as a child (traditional outdoor/indoor games)
Be with the elderly
- Be a conversation partner at the elderly’s home
- Play board games at the elderly’s home
- Help the elderly to write letters and emails to friends and relatives
- Go play an instrument or sing at an elderly home
- Teach English at the elderly home
- Play billiards or chess with the elderly
Use your skills
- Teach how to use the internet/ laptop
- Help others transform a Word document into a PDF, fill out electronic documents
- Offer to make a flyer or poster
- Offer to proofread essays, reports, and websites
- Offer advice for CV and cover letters
- Teach a language
- Offer to take a new profile picture for a CV or social media profile. family photos and portraits
- Offer entertainment skills at association events
- Teach music to those who cannot afford lessons
- Organize a painting/ poem/ knitting group - do something and support each other’s learning
- Teach others something you are good at; recycling, fixing clothes, tips for salespersons, etc.
- Give feedback to others on their websites, blog posts, initiatives
Offer company
- Invite someone for a walk & talk
- Invite someone to talk over coffee
- Share your experience to empower those looking for a job
- Ask if someone needs a hobby buddy
- Offer company to single parents (listening ears, company for walk, coffee)
- Offer company to people who feel isolated
- Give peer support (single-parenthood, loneliness, mental health problems, widowhood)
Take care of your community
- Ask neighbours if they need help taking care of their pets
- Offer to lend something people might not own (sewing machine, lawn mower, drill, etc.)
- Offer over-made food to neighbours - prevent food waste!
- Help packing food at local food bank events
- Give a lift to someone going in the same direction
- Offer help to newly moved in international students (especially administrative matters)
- Help new residents get to know their neighbourhood by taking them for a walk around town
- Help pick up trash in your neighbourhood and nearby roads and parks (and invite a friend!)
- Help local entrepreneurs by mentioning them or giving them a shoutout on social media
- Go collect berries and mushrooms together and cook something for the whole neighbourhood
- Gather feedback from neighbours on how to improve the surroundings and take it to the city
- Drop a postcard with a poem or quote in your neighbour’s postbox to wish a nice day
- Remove graffiti - especially at bus stops!
Others
- Ask if some events need extra hands
- Ask if tourist info spots need extra help
- Spread posts that raise awareness for causes
- Answer surveys conducted by students
- Inspire others to do good! Share this list with your friends 😍
So yes, it’s actually not that difficult to help others! You don’t need to be a millionaire to help others. Some help might need skills, but most of the time there’s no need for specific skills. If you’re interested to help but nervous to do it alone, bring your family or friend with you. Also, remember that you can always help a family member and friend too.
Commu is here for you to make helping easier. Download our app on App Store and Google Play and start posting or browsing notices around your area!