Little Loving Gestures That Go a Long Way

As one of our readers, we have a hunch that you have a giving spirit. But sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in the mundane day-to-day, or become overwhelmed thinking of all the places where you could possibly donate your time or money.

The good news is you don’t have to break the bank, skimp on sleep or spend hours of extra time to do plenty of good in this world.

If Thanksgiving next week is putting you in a give-back kind of mood, we’ve put together a quick list of easy ways you can help your community and the people around you:

Take a walk in your neighborhood with a bag and pick up any trash you see.
Pay for the person’s coffee in line behind you.
Give a stranger a compliment (you really don’t know how positive an impact you can have on someone’s day by offering a few kind words!)
Set up a monthly donation to a charity you believe in.
Order flowers for a nursing home’s residents to enjoy.
Do a quick pass through your closet and see what items you can donate, or gather old towels and blankets to give to animal shelters.
Make or buy cookies for your neighbors, or invite them over for tea (especially if they live alone!).
Do you shop on Amazon? Try using http://smile.amazon.com (just add smile. before amazon.com) and Amazon will donate a percentage of your sales to the charity of your choice.
At the grocery store, buy a few extra items and drop them off at a food pantry on your way home. You could also pick up some grocery gift cards to donate.