The new year has arrived, and if you’re like many Americans, you’ve got some resolutions written down for the year.
Many resolutions about things to try, do, achieve, better, etc, and there are ways to work in a core strategy of generosity into many of them.
Below are five tips for incorporating generosity into your New Year’s resolutions!
Organize your belongings
Take stock of your things and keep only what you need. Consider donating your surplus to Thriftworks, a social enterprise run by the Urban League that employs individuals looking to gain skills for retail and customer service jobs.
Spend more time with your family
One great way to spend time with each other is to read (Check out our 10 Books About Generosity PDF). Or try these 10 activities that help teach your kids about generosity and kindness (Check out our 10 Ways to Raise Kids Who Give PDF).
Launch a new enterprise
If you’ve been sitting on a business idea, now might be the time to act! Consider donating a portion of your proceeds to charity on certain holidays that are meaningful to you. Here are a few coming up:
- January: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
- February: World Cancer Day
- March: International Women’s Day
Eat healthier
Healthy meals start with healthy ingredients. As you shop for your own meal prep, why not help someone else with their meals too? The Catholic Charities needs volunteers to help seniors do grocery shopping for homebound seniors with no primary caregivers: http://www.ccannj.com/food_shopping.php
Foster new community
Whether you’re new in town or have been in Jersey since you were born, there’s always room for more relationships and connections. Meet like-minded people of all ages when you volunteer with one of our agencies, who are always in need of someone with an extra hand and a big heart —
- Nutley: https://www.nutleyfamily.org/volunteers/
- Jewish Family Services: https://www.jfsmetrowest.org/volunteer/#1479806556007-006d1f33-e555
- Family Connections: https://www.familyconnectionsnj.org/support-us/volunteer/
- Children’s Aid: https://cafsnj.org/volunteer/
- Catholic Charities: http://www.ccannj.com/donate-now.php
- Youth Consultation Service: https://www.ycs.org/index.php/individual/
- Urban League of Essex County: https://ulec.org/volunteer/
Have more ideas? Let us know in the comments below!