Ideas to Help in Your Community on 9/11 and Every Day

Getty Images/Blend Images

On Sept. 11, 2013, nearly two-thirds of AARP employees will not show up for work. Instead, they will be gardening, painting, reading to children, sorting and cleaning eyeglass donations, making toys and blankets for shelter animals, offering hygiene kits and friendly conversation to the local homeless, creating cards for sick children; visiting nursing home residents, removing toxic plants from the pastures of a therapeutic horseback riding program, and preparing and serving breakfast at a soup kitchen.  All of this " giving back" to their communities will take place - nationwide - on  AARP's 13 ^th annual Day of Service (DoS), held in remembrance of the 9/11 tragedy.

Want to know how can you get involved in your community? AARP can connect you with many different ways to share your experience and skills. You can also find the AARP volunteer program that best fits you through the Volunteer Wizard.

To get you started, here are a few ideas from Create the Good to help in your area on 9/11 and every day:

• Search for local events, opportunities and guides for starting your own project at CreateTheGood.org.
• Take the "I Will: pledge to add your good deed to the "quilt" and recruit friends to help you accomplish your pledge.
• Be a friendly visitor for the day at a local nursing home or assisted living facility. Find ideas, tips and a guide to create a "visitor kit" using this guide from Create the Good.
• Many communities have parades, events or service activities planned - look for information in your local newspaper, community bulletin boards and online.
• Help your neighbors get prepared for extreme weather and other emergencies with our easy-to-use project guide.
• Write to say thanks by composing a quick note thanking a person directly affected by service: soldiers, veterans, their parents, spouses or children. Send handwritten letters through Operation Appreciation and/or emails through Joining Forces.

Photo by Getty Images

 

Also of Interest

• Summertime Learning: 2 Ways to Make Learning Fun for Kids
• 11 Things We Didn't Know Last Week
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

 

See the  AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more