Jul 19

Jul 19 Banding Together- 10 Ways to Give Back in Dallas ft. Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company

Lauren Mulenos

Dallas

Nike Gym Crew neck Sweatshirt | One Teaspoon Bandits Shorts | Nike Air Max 90 Tennis Shoes | Essie Master Plan Nail Polish

What comes to mind when you hear the words "community service"? Penance? Something necessary for honor clubs? What bad kids have to do? When was the last time you've done something to give back to your community?

Here in Dallas, we have seen our fair share of heart break as of late. During crisis, it is more visible what you can do to help; however, what about after the hubbub dies down and life goes back to "normal"? Ultimately we will always be reminded of the recent events, but it is up to us to keep the "giving back" mindset going! Make it a goal to help your community as much as possible. It's kind of like you are what you eat...except you're not devouring your town ;) You get out of your city what you put into it!

Community Service projects have always been a part of my life. From mission trips as a kid, to running clothes drives as a teenager, all the way to events with my sorority, in college, helping people is one of my favorite things to do. When you help your city, you are helping your neighbors and loved ones, so hop to it!

The easiest way way to "give back" in my book, is to pick up trash...that's what I'm doing in my photos! And no, I'm not just posing with that trash can for fun;) It may sound weird, but I have fond memories of picking up trash. It's something my dad used to make my family do once a month. We'd walk around the neighborhood/main road and pick up flotsam and jetsam. So, not only is doing work for your community beneficial in a physical way, but in an emotional way as well!

So, here are some easy ideas to implement in your routine, to help your community. I'm a girl on the go, so the easier, the better! These are all things that anyone can spare a couple seconds to do.

1) Whenever you see trash, pick it up and throw it away. You don't even have to set out a specific time to do that alone - just do it as you are living your life!

2) Pay it forward. Whether it's buying someone's drink in line, in front of you, or handing a homeless man a hamburger, just do it.

3) Tip. The service industry is tough and so many of those people can affect their customers' days. Think of how many lives you could affect by turning their day around!

4) Give grace in unexpected times. Just be nice! Cut people some slack. A little similar to number 3, but extends it to more people ;)

5) Clean out your closet and donate to a charitable cause. People need your clothes, believe it or not. There are alternatives to trying to sell them! If you're in Dallas, check out Attitudes and Attire.

6) Serve a meal at a shelter or kitchen. We do this every Thanksgiving, but I would love to make it more of an every time thing!

7) Attend a charitable event. In Dallas we have a TON. Some are Mad Hatter's Tea, Cattle Baron's Ball, The Yellow Rose Ball, Dallas Margarita Ball, and Off to the Races, to name a few. There are also shopping events you can participate in!

8) Join a charity group. This lets you contribute to your social life and give back! I know I have a time crunch most days, so that is an added bonus. Some in Dallas are Slipper Club, Dallas Junior Chamber of Commerce, The Crayon Club, Echelon, Lee Park Conservancy, and Junior League of Dallas.

9) Carpool. The world could use less traffic, especially Dallas traffic.

10) Vote here for either St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Habitat for Humanity or Feeding America / Food Banks Canada to win $1,000,000 from Jewelers Mutual Insurance! The second place charity will get $700,000 and the third place will get $300,000. Health, home, and hunger are all very important, so really there isn't a wrong choice. Vote daily from now until July 31st! Just for voting, you're entered to wine prizes from STACKED New York, so really it's a win, win, win situation!