Monday, June 8, 2009
Recession Benefit: Creating a Stronger Sense of Community
The current recession has impacted everyone. If you aren’t personally experiencing financial troubles, chances are you have a friend, family member or neighbor who has either lost their job, can’t afford their mortgage, or is shutting down their business. Despite all the bad news, I’ve been hearing more and more people talk about the “benefits” of the recession.These benefits don’t minimize the fact that times are tough; however for many of us, current economic hardships are helping us renew our connection with our local community. Whenever you go through a difficult time, it helps you be a bit more compassionate to the suffering of others. More than ever before, people are reaching out and assisting their neighbors in practical ways.
One important way to support your community is by providing donations to local non-profits. For example, more people than ever are seeking help from area food banks and thankfully those who can provide support are stepping up their contributions. USA Today reports that the national food bank network “Feeding America” has seen an increase of 20% in food donations, and 46% in cash donations in the last year. Visit BayAreaHunger.org to learn more about supporting local Bay Area food banks.
Another way laid-off workers can help the community is by taking advantage of their skills and extra time to volunteer. Volunteers are needed to do just about anything from repairing computers to making sandwiches. The community benefits when you volunteer, but you do too as you learn new skills, meet new people and have an increased sense of satisfaction. If you’re interested in learning about volunteer opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit VolunteerInfo.org.
I think we’ve all been touched by the new spirit of generosity we’ve observed – whether people are sharing their time, expertise or money. Please share some inspirational stories with us.
Stay-tuned for an upcoming post sharing more recession perks. Many are experiencing unexpected benefits to their health and family well-being during the current recession…
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