10 Tips for Repairing Poverty and Other Issues

by Mom It Forward on January 24th, 2011 | No Comments »

Week 13's Season of of Service challenge, sponsored by Liquid Plumr, is to serve others by repairing. Repairing things, whether they be leaky faucets or broken relationships, can be intimidating, but it's worth it in the end. Life itself is more enjoyable when they're fixed. Consider this week how you can help repair damaged relationships, ecosystems, countries, or hearts.

10 Tips for Repairing

Here are 10 bite-size ideas to help you put those thoughts in action. Repair...

...your marriage by reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (1992). Identify which language your husband speaks and express your love to him in his language.
...your relationship with your children by taking one out for a mommy/son or daughter night, one child a week.
...the health of your family by holding a 10 minute exercise "bonanza" once a week, increasing the time and frequency as needed.
...the negative things you see in your community by volunteering on a homeowners' association board or city community council.
..the effects of insufficient education funding by donating to your child's school through your school district's foundation.
...the stigma attached to mental illness by donating $5 to No Kidding, Me Too, a nonprofit founded by actor and author Joe Pantoliano to educate about the prevalence of mental illness and remove the stigma attached to it.
...the effects of poverty by donating your daughter's never-to-be-used-again prom dress to the Glass Slipper Project, Fairy Godmothers Inc., the Cinderella Project, or Becca's Closet.
...the effects of diet-related diseases among our nation’s youth by learning more about the initiatives of the Chez Panisse Foundation, which provides hands-on experiences in school kitchens, gardens, and lunchrooms.
...the effects of human trafficking, slavery, and child labor in India by buying a bag or bracelet from MadeBySurvivors.com
...the effects of war by tweeting about Seeds of Peace, an organization whose mission is to help young people from regions of conflict develop the leadership skills necessary to advance reconciliation and coexistence.

How Will You Give to Others This Week?

What other ideas do you have for repairing things this week?
How has repairing something made a meaningful difference this week?
How have others helped to help you or fix things in your life this week and what difference has that made in your life?

How Else Can You Make a Difference This Season?

Make a meaningful difference this season by taking the Season of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here's how you can participate:

Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week's challenge.
Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week's challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
Enter to win each week's giveaway. Check out this week's prizes from Liquid Plumr by clicking here.
Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.