This is a list of projects ranging in difficulty, time commitment, and cost. Projects are organized first by the gender and age they are most suitable for, and then by interest. The following are brief descriptions of each category:
- Everyone: Appropriate for both genders and all ages. Many are family-oriented.
- Adults: Suitable for men and women ages 18+
- Women: Geared toward adult women's interests and abilities
- Men: Geared toward adult men's interests and abilities
- Teens: Suitable for boys and girls 12–18
- Teen Girls: Geared toward interests and abilities of girls 12–18
- Teen Boys: Geared toward interests and abilities of boys 12–18
- Kids: Kid-friendly or projects that would specifically interest an elementary school-aged audience
- Investment: Projects requiring greater time and/or money commitment. Includes international projects and those requiring professional skills.
- Holiday: Holiday-specific projects (for 8+ holidays!)
Let me know if I missed your favorite service project!
Animals
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Host a dog wash for the neighborhood dogs and donate the money to the animal shelter
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
- Organize a food drive
- Deliver goodies to the crossing guard
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Select an item or two that you own (that is fun or useful, and in good condition) to give to a needy family. This could be for a family during the holidays, for someone experiencing a tragedy, or a great experience to teach kids the meaning of healthy sacrifice.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem. They accept adults and youth age 12+.
Outdoors & Nature
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Clean the church
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
Sewing & Related
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Quilting project. Adults and teens can sew the quilt, but kids will love helping to tie it.
- Tie fleece blankets
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
Animals
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving decorating and photography/videography.
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Become a bereavement photographer. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is an organization of photographers who photograph stillborn babies.
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Help Habitat for Humanity build houses for families in need
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
- Organize a food drive
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Pay it forward (e.g., pay for the meal of the person behind you)
- Pay somebody else’s utility bill. Some companies have an option to pay extra money that goes toward others’ delinquent bills.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Volunteer at BYU Education week. If you put in so many hours, you can get a free pass to attend some classes.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching.
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Donate blood or plasma. Check out Grifols to find a plasma donation center near you.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
- Have a first aid and/or CPR certification night
- Volunteer at a local hospital
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
- Keep small treats (stickers, dollar store puzzles, fruit snacks, etc.) with you to hand out to frustrated moms with screaming kids.
- Familiarize yourself with a friend or family member’s hobbies, find a magazine (or ask them if there are any that they are interested in) related to their interests, and then purchase a subscription for them.
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching and sharing your talents.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem. They accept adults and youth age 12+.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Help Habitat for Humanity build houses for families in need
Political & Patriotic
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Hold a flag ceremony
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Take a trip to the temple (endowment, initiatories, sealings)
- Serve a full-time, service, humanitarian, etc. LDS mission (young men, young women, couples, and seniors)
- Clean the church
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
Sewing & Related
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Quilting project. Adults and teens can sew the quilt, but kids will love helping to tie it.
- Tie fleece blankets
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Volunteer at a local hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving writing.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Animals
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Host a dog wash for the neighborhood dogs and donate the money to the animal shelter
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving decorating and photography/videography.
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Become a bereavement photographer. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is an organization of photographers who photograph stillborn babies.
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Help Habitat for Humanity build houses for families in need
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
- Organize a food drive
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Pay it forward (e.g., pay for the meal of the person behind you)
- Pay somebody else’s utility bill. Some companies have an option to pay extra money that goes toward others’ delinquent bills.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Volunteer at BYU Education week. If you put in so many hours, you can get a free pass to attend some classes.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching.
- Have a spa night. Ask someone to come teach about health/beauty/hair/nails/massage and then put in to practice what you just learned by practicing on each other!
Environmental & Recycling
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Donate blood or plasma. Check out Grifols to find a plasma donation center near you.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
- Have a first aid and/or CPR certification night
- Volunteer at a local hospital
- Have a spa night. Ask someone to come teach about health/beauty/hair/nails/massage and then put in to practice what you just learned by practicing on each other!
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
- Keep small treats (stickers, dollar store puzzles, fruit snacks, etc.) in your purse to hand out to frustrated moms with screaming kids.
- Familiarize yourself with a friend or family member’s hobbies, find a magazine (or ask them if there are any that they are interested in) related to their interests, and then purchase a subscription for them.
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching and sharing your talents.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Outdoors & Nature
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Help Habitat for Humanity build houses for families in need
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Take a trip to the temple (endowment, initiatories, sealings)
- Do your Visiting Teaching. Bring her a handwritten card, dinner, a treat, ask her what specific things she would like you to pray for her for (instead of asking what you can do for her).
- Serve a full-time, service, humanitarian, etc. LDS mission (women age 19+, couples, and seniors)
- Clean the church
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
Sewing & Related
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Quilting project. Adults and teens can sew the quilt, but kids will love helping to tie it.
- Tie fleece blankets
- Knit/crochet hats, blankets, or booties for new babies in the neighborhood
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Volunteer at a local hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Have a spa night. Ask someone to come teach about health/beauty/hair/nails/massage and then put in to practice what you just learned by practicing on each other!
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving writing.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Animals
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving decorating and photography/videography.
- Become a bereavement photographer. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is an organization of photographers who photograph stillborn babies.
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Help Habitat for Humanity build houses for families in need
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
- Organize a food drive
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Pay it forward (e.g., pay for the meal of the person behind you)
- Pay somebody else’s utility bill. Some companies have an option to pay extra money that goes toward others’ delinquent bills.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Volunteer at BYU Education week. If you put in so many hours, you can get a free pass to attend some classes.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching.
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
Health & Medical
- Donate blood or plasma. Check out Grifols to find a plasma donation center near you.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
- Have a first aid and/or CPR certification night
- Volunteer at a local hospital
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
- Keep small treats (stickers, dollar store puzzles, fruit snacks, etc.) with you to hand out to frustrated moms with screaming kids.
- Familiarize yourself with a friend or family member’s hobbies, find a magazine (or ask them if there are any that they are interested in) related to their interests, and then purchase a subscription for them.
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching and sharing your talents.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Outdoors & Nature
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Help Habitat for Humanity build houses for families in need
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Hold a flag ceremony
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Take a trip to the temple (endowment, initiatories, sealings)
- Do your Home Teaching. Bring your families a treat or something special, try asking what specific things your families would like you to pray for them for (instead of asking what you can do for them).
- Serve a full-time, service, humanitarian, etc. LDS mission (men 18+, couples, and seniors)
- Clean the church
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Tutor kids at a local school
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Volunteer at a local hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Make and deliver dinner to someone or invite them over to enjoy a meal with you and your family.
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving writing.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Animals
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Host a dog wash for the neighborhood dogs and donate the money to the animal shelter
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving decorating and photography/videography.
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Organize a food drive
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Pay it forward (e.g., pay for the meal of the person behind you)
- Select an item or two that you own (that is fun or useful, and in good condition) to give to a needy family. This could be for a family during the holidays, or for someone experiencing a tragedy.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching.
- Teach a computer class to the elderly (or even your own parents or grandparents)
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Be a “big brother/sister” for a day and take a group of primary kids to do something fun (Bean Museum at BYU, bowling, the park, read stories, show a movie, play games, etc.)
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Donate blood or plasma (16-years-old or older). Check out Grifols to find a plasma donation center near you.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
- Have a first aid and/or CPR certification night
- Volunteer at a local hospital. UVRMC has a junior volunteer program for kids ages 14–17. For more information call 801-357-2647.
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
- Keep small treats (stickers, dollar store puzzles, fruit snacks, etc.) with you to hand out to frustrated moms with screaming kids.
- Familiarize yourself with a friend or family member’s hobbies, find a magazine (or ask them if there are any that they are interested in) related to their interests, and then purchase a subscription for them.
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching and sharing your talents.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem. They accept youth age 12+.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Outdoors & Nature
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Take a trip to the temple to do baptisms for the dead
- Clean the church
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
Sewing & Related
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Quilting project. Adults and teens can sew the quilt, but kids will love helping to tie it.
- Tie fleece blankets
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Volunteer at a local hospital. UVRMC has a junior volunteer program for kids ages 14–17. For more information call 801-357-2647.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Be a “big brother/sister” for a day and take a group of primary kids to do something fun (Bean Museum at BYU, bowling, the park, read stories, show a movie, play games, etc.)
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving writing.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Animals
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Host a dog wash for the neighborhood dogs and donate the money to the animal shelter
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving decorating and photography/videography.
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Organize a food drive
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Pay it forward (e.g., pay for the meal of the person behind you)
- Select an item or two that you own (that is fun or useful, and in good condition) to give to a needy family. This could be for a family during the holidays, or for someone experiencing a tragedy.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching.
- Teach a computer class to the elderly (or even your own parents or grandparents)
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Be a “big sister” for a day and take a group of primary kids to do something fun (Bean Museum at BYU, bowling, the park, read stories, show a movie, play games, etc.)
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Donate blood or plasma (16-years-old or older). Check out Grifols to find a plasma donation center near you.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
- Have a first aid and/or CPR certification night
- Volunteer at a local hospital. UVRMC has a junior volunteer program for kids ages 14–17. For more information call 801-357-2647.
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
- Keep small treats (stickers, dollar store puzzles, fruit snacks, etc.) in your purse to hand out to frustrated moms with screaming kids.
- Familiarize yourself with a friend or family member’s hobbies, find a magazine (or ask them if there are any that they are interested in) related to their interests, and then purchase a subscription for them.
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching and sharing your talents.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem. They accept youth age 12+ and even have some opportunities to help with Personal Progress projects.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Outdoors & Nature
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Take a trip to the temple to do baptisms for the dead
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater. They even have some opportunities to help you with Personal Progress projects.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
Sewing & Related
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Quilting project. Adults and teens can sew the quilt, but kids will love helping to tie it.
- Tie fleece blankets
- Knit/crochet hats, blankets, or booties for new babies in the neighborhood
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Hold a clothing swap event. Everyone brings clothing, shoes, accessories, or items they no longer need. Lay out all the goods and let people take what they need! Donate the leftovers.
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Hold a service auction where people can bring talents, services, and goods to auction off to each other. You could use money to donate to a charity, or have a survey (brought a dessert to share = 2 points, arrived on time = 5 points, etc.) to determine a point system with which you can barter for goods.
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Volunteer at a local hospital. UVRMC has a junior volunteer program for kids ages 14–17. For more information call 801-357-2647.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Be a “big sister” for a day and take a group of primary kids to do something fun (Bean Museum at BYU, bowling, the park, read stories, show a movie, play games, etc.)
- Offer 2 hours of free babysitting so a couple can go on a date. Make it social by getting a group of girls together and having parents drop their kids off at the church.
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving writing.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Animals
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Host a dog wash for the neighborhood dogs and donate the money to the animal shelter
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Volunteer at a local animal shelter.
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving decorating and photography/videography.
Building & Construction
- Build bird houses or bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Organize a food drive
- Host an etiquette dinner and bring an older single woman as your date. Could be a great Valentine’s event.
- Help make and/or serve food at the local soup kitchen. If you aren't aware of one, you can start with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter.
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Donate a photo to Johnson & Johnson. For every photo you submit they will donate $1 to a cause of your choice.
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Pay it forward (e.g., pay for the meal of the person behind you)
- Select an item or two that you own (that is fun or useful, and in good condition) to give to a needy family. This could be for a family during the holidays, or for someone experiencing a tragedy.
Education & Learning
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching.
- Teach a computer class to the elderly (or even your own parents or grandparents)
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Freecycle items you no longer use. You can post items or services as things you are looking for (labeled as "wanted") or things you have available (labeled as "offer").
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Be a “big brother” for a day and take a group of primary kids to do something fun (Bean Museum at BYU, bowling, the park, read stories, show a movie, play games, etc.)
Health & Medical
- Donate blood or plasma (16-years-old or older). Check out Grifols to find a plasma donation center near you.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
- Have a first aid and/or CPR certification night
- Volunteer at a local hospital. UVRMC has a junior volunteer program for kids ages 14–17. For more information call 801-357-2647.
Miscellaneous
Social & Groups
- Contact a local organization to find out about current needs. Many places have wish lists of needed items or projects you can make.
- Look for little ways to help people and set a goal to do X per day/week/month. Ideas could include opening the door for someone, helping someone to the car with groceries, taping quarters to a vending machine, leaving microwave popcorn at a Red Box, etc.)
- Participate in a charity event
- Familiarize yourself with a friend or family member’s hobbies, find a magazine (or ask them if there are any that they are interested in) related to their interests, and then purchase a subscription for them.
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving teaching and sharing your talents.
- Volunteer at the Scera Theater in Orem. They accept youth age 12+.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Outdoors & Nature
- Plant a garden or a tree
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping.
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
- Build garden boxes
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Sign a petition or start one for a cause you care about
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Hold a flag ceremony
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Take a trip to the temple to do baptisms for the dead
- Work on an Eagle Scout project. Ideas and places to contact here.
- Serve a full-time, service, humanitarian, etc. LDS mission (age 18+)
- Clean the church
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Serve each other by teaching each other a new skill
- Answer questions on freerice.com. For every question you get right they donate 10 grains of rice. Make a competition out of it.
- Go to the family history center, have an indexing party, or learn about your own family.
- Volunteer at a local hospital. UVRMC has a junior volunteer program for kids ages 14–17. For more information call 801-357-2647.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Be a “big brother” for a day and take a group of primary kids to do something fun (Bean Museum at BYU, bowling, the park, read stories, show a movie, play games, etc.)
- Host an etiquette dinner and bring an older single woman as your date. Could be a great Valentine’s event.
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Volunteer at a marathon (hand out water, help with registration, etc.)
- Download the WoofTrax app to raise money every time you take your dog for a walk.
- Participate in a fundraiser race, walk, tournament, etc. Scheduled events are listed on the Upcoming Events page.
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Write a letter to an elected official about a cause you believe in
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving writing.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
- Get involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival—volunteer or submit your own story. In addition to storytelling, they have performances, concerts, retreats, and other events going on.
Animals
Social & Groups
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Create birdseed cookies and hang in the yard. Recipe here.
- Host a dog wash for the neighborhood dogs and donate the money to the animal shelter
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Make pet toys. Give to your own animals, to friends with pets, or see if your local shelter will accept handmade toys. Great ideas here.
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Decorate placemats for a local organization
- Decorate Valentines and take them to neighbors, family, etc.
- Hand out snacks to the homeless
- Make a treat and deliver it to the elderly couples, widows, widowers, sick, less active, etc. in the neighborhood. Make enough so everyone participating can enjoy the treat too!
- Bake dog biscuits and use fun cookie cutters. Give to friends with dogs or see if your local animal shelter will accept homemade treats. Recipe here.
- Have a lemonade/hot chocolate/baked goods stand and donate the money to a local charity
- Deliver goodies to the crossing guard
Donation-based (money & items)
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own allowance, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Find things you no longer need and donate to a D.I., Savers, or local thrift store
- Collect and donate box tops to a local school
- Collect donations for the Pennies by the Inch fundraiser
- Select an item or two that you own (that is fun or useful, and in good condition) to give to a needy family. This could be for a family during the holidays, for someone experiencing a tragedy, or a great experience to teach kids the meaning of healthy sacrifice.
Environmental & Recycling
- Collect materials to sort and recycle (Habitat for Humanity takes aluminum cans and scrap metal)
- Go green and get in on the Billion Acts of Green Movement! Determine 1 or 2 bad habits you can eliminate (or do less of) and pick 2 new green habits you can implement. Bonus points if you do this on Earth Day (April 22)! Find ideas of how to help the planet here, here, here, and here.
- Pick up trash along the streets, at the park, your neighborhood, etc.
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Collect pop tabs (the little metal tab on the top of soda cans) for the Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote recycling and raise money for sick kids and their families.
Games & Competitions
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Assemble hygiene kits
Music, Theater, & Performing Arts
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
Outdoors & Nature
- Rake leaves, pull weeds, mow lawns, shovel snow, etc. for a neighbor
- Build bird houses or make bird feeders and put them up in your backyard
Political & Patriotic
- Distribute voting reminders
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
Religious/LDS
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Clean the church
Sewing & Related
- Make sew or no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Quilting project. Adults and teens can sew the quilt, but kids will love helping to tie it.
- Tie fleece blankets
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Organize a board game night at the rest home
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
- Take balloons and sing songs to the pediatric ward of the hospital
- Visit the elderly at the rest home or the hospital
- Visit the elderly in the neighborhood (or your own grandparents), ask them about their lives, sit back, and listen to their stories
- Volunteer at the Special Olympics (ages 8 and older)
Sports, Exercise, & Active
- Be a cheerleader with signs and balloons at a Special Olympics event.
- Support a neighbor, family member, etc. in a performance, competition, or sporting event. Bring something like balloons, flowers, a sign, lei along to make the event more special.
Writing
- Make greeting cards and deliver to someone who needs a pick-me-up
- Write letters or assemble care packages to send to the troops
- Write letters, decorate cards or posters, or assemble care packages for some missionaries (family, friends, from the ward, etc.)
- Make a “tour guide” of your city with all your favorite places to go and things to do. Give a copy to someone who needs a night out, or better yet, take them out to see the town as a tourist.
- Decorate Valentines and take them to neighbors, family, etc.
- Leave love letters. There is an organization dedicated to sending uplifting letters to people in need from people from all around the world. Find out about current letter requests here.
INVESTMENT
Animals
- Become a foster parent for an animal from the shelter. Often these animals are too young, too sick, untrained, or not well enough accustomed to humans to be adopted out.
Art/Design & Crafts
- Become a bereavement photographer. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is an organization of photographers who photograph stillborn babies.
- Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, professional services, and more.
- Get involved with Habitat for Humanity and help build houses for local families. They accept community volunteers as well as construction professionals.
Education & Learning
- Host a foreign exchange student
- Teach English abroad. Here's a place where you can get started.
Environmental & Recycling
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
Foreign
- Host a foreign exchange student
- Medical professionals and students—volunteer your skills with Operation Smile
- Teach English abroad. Here's a place where you can get started.
Health/Beauty & Medical
- Medical professionals and students—volunteer your skills with Operation Smile
Miscellaneous
- Collect spare change in a jar. It could be from your own wallet, or you could look for loose change on the ground. When it's full decide where to donate it or how to use it for good.
- Every team or person in a group (family, school class, youth group, etc.) gets a jar for coins. Determine together an amount of time to let the activity run, and over this period of time people fill the jars with their spare change. However, quarters and nickels have a positive value (so you'll want to put them in your own jar), but pennies and dimes have a negative value (so you'll want to put them in others' jars). The team or individual with the most money at the end of the activity gets to determine how the money will be spent or donated.
Outdoors & Nature
- Help the National Park Service with a conservation project. Find current projects in your area.
- Get involved with Habitat for Humanity and help build houses for local families. They accept community volunteers as well as construction professionals.
Professional Skills
- Any professional services—Volunteer at RAH. They have several projects involving building, painting, and landscaping, as well as a need for decorating, teaching, writing, photography/videography, and more.
- Medical professionals and students—volunteer your skills with Operation Smile
- Construction professionals—Get involved with Habitat for Humanity and help build houses for local families.
- Photography professionals—Become a bereavement photographer. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is an organization of photographers who photograph stillborn babies.
Religious/LDS
- Serve a full-time, service, humanitarian, etc. LDS mission (young men, young women, couples, and seniors)
Social & Groups
- Medical professionals and students—volunteer your skills with Operation Smile
- Become a foster parent for a child
New Years
- Deliver cinnamon rolls and hand warmers to the crossing guard as school gets back in session
- Go out to eat on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and give your waiter or waitress “The Big Tip.” Hide large bills in-between smaller ones. If you can manage, position yourself in a way you can secretly observe his/her face when he/she sees the tip (i.e., through a window).
- Get involved with More Love Letters, an organization devoted to spreading the love to those in need.
- Decorate Valentines and take them to neighbors, family, etc.
- Create a Date Basket. Deliver to a couple in the neighborhood, family, or friends who are in need of a night out.
- Host an etiquette dinner and bring a widow or widower as your date.
St. Patrick's Day
- Be someone's "good luck leprechaun" and anonymously do small services for them throughout the day.
- Donate to a women’s shelter in honor of Mother’s Day
- Do something out of the ordinary for your mom, mother figures, or women in your life for Mother’s Day (send her to get a massage/scalp treatment/manicure/pedicure, create a kit with movie tickets and baked goods, etc.)
- Donate to a men’s shelter in honor of Father’s Day
- Do something out of the ordinary for your dad, father figures, or men in your life for Father’s Day (pay for professional yard service or do it yourself, purchase him a subscription to a magazine he likes, create a meat kit with various sauces and spice rubs, etc.)
- Offer to put up flags for your neighbors. Not sure when to put your flag up? Find out here!
- Hold a flag ceremony (ideas: Inauguration/Election days, MLK Day, Lincoln’s/Washington’s Birthday, Patriots Day, Nat’l Day of Prayer, Armed Forces Day, Flag Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, state holidays, your state’s birthday). For a complete list of flag-oriented holidays visit usflag.org.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Place flowers on empty gravestones on Memorial Day
- Organize a barbecue and firework show (if permitted in your area). Make food assignments and deliver invitations to your neighbors. Include the neighbors you want to get to know better.
- Go out to eat on Independence Day and give your waiter or waitress “The Big Tip.” Hide large bills in-between smaller ones. If you can manage, position yourself in a way you can secretly observe his/her face when he/she sees the tip (i.e., through a window).
- Boo your neighbors for Halloween. Find out more here.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Go out to eat on Thanksgiving Day and give your waiter or waitress “The Big Tip.” Hide large bills in-between smaller ones. If you can manage, position yourself in a way you can secretly observe his/her face when he/she sees the tip (i.e., through a window).
- Invite someone for Thanksgiving dinner who'd otherwise be alone.
- Go caroling
- Perform a Christmas pageant (read/act out the Christmas story interspersed with poetry, music, visual art, etc.) for a rest home.
- Gather together your musical friends (or family) and host a free or a benefit concert. If held on a Sunday evening it could also include a fireside.
- Select an item or two that you own (that is fun or useful, and in good condition) to give to a needy family for Christmas.
- Make no-sew fleece scarves to gift to others or donate
- Deliver cinnamon rolls and hand warmers to the crossing guard
- Create a service advent calendar and perform acts of service every day as a countdown to Christmas.
- Pay somebody else’s utility bill. Some companies have an option to pay extra money that goes toward others’ delinquent bills.
- Answer letters to Santa (get these from the Post Office). Write a letter, purchase a gift, wrap it, and send it off!
- Go to The Festival of Trees. The event is an annual fundraiser put on by Primary Children’s Hospital.
- Instead of purchasing gifts for you family for Christmas donate the money to a cause you support or provide Christmas for those in need.
- Pick someone for whom you will do the 12 Days of Christmas. You could choose to make it anonymous.
- Go out to eat on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and give your waiter or waitress “The Big Tip.” Hide large bills in-between smaller ones. If you can manage, position yourself in a way you can secretly observe his/her face when he/she sees the tip (i.e., through a window).
- Invite someone for Christmas dinner who'd otherwise be alone.
- Get involved with a project or volunteer for Sub for Santa
- Sponsor a family for Christmas (ask the Bishop or religious leader for names of families in need)
Wow, these are some cool ideas! keep 'em coming, especially in the art section. :)
ReplyDelete