The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of our lives in a way that none of us could have ever expected, affecting some people more than others. Although this may have left you feeling helpless, there are many things you can do to give back to the community.
Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the main ways that you can help the community around you. In 2015, there were 1.27 million registered volunteers in Hong Kong, with 43.5% of them being aged between 13-25; in 2016, 24.2 million hours in total were volunteered by citizens. There is a wide variety of organisations that allow you to volunteer for them, enabling you to pick an activity that you are interested in. Not only does it help you connect with your district, it also helps boost your social skills and allows you to broaden your worldview through interacting with people from all walks of life.
There are a number of volunteering opportunities available in Hong Kong to people of all ages. If you don’t have a specific idea of where you want to volunteer, organisations such as HandsOn Hong Kong provide a huge number of programs that range from soap recycling to teaching tennis classes. HandsOn Hong Kong also works with a number of other organisations and allows you to see which volunteering opportunities are taking place at what time. Some more organisations in Hong Kong include Sai Kung Stray Friends (a volunteer group that rescues sick and injured dogs) and Feeding Hong Kong (an organisation centered around reducing food waste and feeding charities)
Donating
If you don’t have the time to volunteer, you can donate to different charities and non-profit organisations to help them make a difference. Types of donation range from money to toiletries, depending on the organisation. Although donating to charities might not seem like making a big change, every single dollar counts as this can fund a child’s development or a family’s meal. Additionally, choosing to donate allows you to sponsor any charity regardless of where you are, subsequently enabling you to create an impact on any cause, unrestricted to local options, including those which you are extremely passionate about.
There is a variety of organisations and charities you can donate to, with objectives ranging from health to environmental to animal - so make sure to pick one which you feel a genuine affinity towards!
When choosing an organisation to donate to, you have to be careful and ensure that it is legitimate. The main way to do this is by thoroughly checking what the establishment stands for. One giveaway which hints towards a charity being fake is if it asks you to pay using gift cards or cash.
Giving Publicity
A final way that you can give back to the community is by giving shout-outs to local businesses, restaurants and charities around you on social media. No matter how many followers you have, promoting these organisations can give them more business and even encourage others to volunteer. Every repost counts!
Sources:
Writer: Anvita Verma
Editor: Kristen Wong
Thumbnail: Holly Liu
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