5 Ways to Give Back to the Community Virtually
Due to the unforeseeable COVID-19 outbreak and most recently having endured the wrath of Hurricane Eta and Iota in a record-breaking number of named storms for one season, the year 2020 has been like no other that we’ve ever experienced. Organizations have taken creative approaches to mission trips, volunteer work, and fundraising efforts in order to adapt, and Our Little Roses has also worked tirelessly to continue transforming the lives of young girls in Honduras despite the obstacles that 2020 has brought.
How the Pandemic Has Changed What Giving Back Looks Like
Many organizations and charities operate in a way that allows interactions between everyone involved. For example, free dinners hosted by local homeless shelters create an environment where volunteers come in and directly serve those in need of a meal.
Ever since the contagious virus made its way around the world, these in-person events have shifted to a more virtual setting. Instead of meeting people face-to-face, organizations have shifted their focus to the beauty of the internet by hosting their volunteer opportunities online.
If you are looking to make social change and bring hope to the world at a time where we all need it the most, take a look at these 5 ways to give back to the community virtually.
5 Ways to Give Back to the Community Virtually
Mission trips are one of the most impactful and inspiring opportunities that charities and non-profit organizations offer to the general public. However, due to the novel coronavirus, there are a plethora of worldwide states of emergency and strict border control policies in place.
Unfortunately, this means that for the most part, mission trips as we once knew them are not able to take place this year. But, this doesn’t mean non-profit organizations and charities have to take the whole year off. Instead, we just have to think outside the box.
In fact, at Our Little Roses, we used the creativity of our supporters, staff, and our girls to rethink our mission trips and keep them alive by hosting them virtually instead of in person.
1. Virtual Mission Trips During a Pandemic
As mentioned earlier in the article, virtual mission trips are one of the best ways to give back to the community during the pandemic. As exciting as traveling to a new location can be, the main focus of mission trips is developing strong relationships and learning from each other, so remote mission trips are equally as enriching.
Take the virtual mission trips at Our Little Roses as a perfect example! During this unprecedented summer, we hosted a slew of mission teams across the United States where each team was able to video chat with the girls at our Home in Honduras and interact with them virtually. From games to learning activities, the mission trips we were able to host on Zoom were incredibly fun and helpful to the girls!
2. Sign Up to Become a Sponsor
Sponsorships are an incredible tool for many organizations, especially ones like Our Little Roses. When you sponsor a girl at OLR, you help us make her dreams a reality. Sponsorships are an amazing way to show girls at Our Little Roses that you believe in them and want to see them succeed every step of the way.
Additionally, sponsorships at Our Little Roses are completely unique. When you are a sponsor, you truly get to know the organization and each of the 65+ girls we serve on a deeper level. As a sponsor and supporter, you’ll watch first-hand how each of the girls flourish and reach her potential, thanks to your support.
3. Make Donations to an Organization You Believe In
Non-profit organizations rely on funds raised, grants, and donations whereas a for-profit organization exists so that other people can build wealth and profit from the organization. All of the money that a non-profit organization receives is used to build programming and sustain the mission of the group.
At Our Little Roses, donations fuel our funding and allow us to provide important resources to the girls so that they can be in an environment where they are cared for and set up for success. With generous donations from people like you, we are able to continuously provide proper nutrition, healthcare, education, housing, and all other necessities to the girls we care for in Honduras.
Making donations to organizations you believe in is one of the many excellent ways to give back to the community. Plus, the amount you donate is entirely your choice so you can make donations within your means.
4. Attend Virtual Sponsorship Events
Virtual sponsorship events are another one of the amazing ways to give back to the community. Since in-person events are not a possibility right now, OLR puts together various virtual events for sponsors around the country to interact over video calls. Attending these events is a great way to learn more about how your sponsorship impacts each of the girls and staff of OLR while also being able to exchange stories about visiting our Home in Honduras and give important feedback to the Sponsorship Development Coordinator.
5. Become a Volunteer for a Charity You Love
Every helping hand matters when it comes to running Our Little Roses. We would not be able to operate as well as we do without all of the people who work behind the scenes.
It’s easy to forget that it takes a big team to make everything happen, and this is true for all organizations as well. Charities are made possible by the volunteers who spend their time coordinating, organizing, and executing everything that we see from the outside.
So, for our fifth and final suggestion of ways to give back to the community virtually, we highly recommend volunteering for an organization that you love – including Our Little Roses! There are plenty of ways to get involved with Our Little Roses virtually from becoming part of the newly-founded Young Professionals Group (ages 16-35) or Ambassadors Council (35+), putting your social media skills to good use (especially for big days of fundraising like Giving Tuesday), or even helping make donor phone calls to say ‘Thank You’ to the incredible people that help fund OLR!
Not only does volunteering help make serious social change in your community, but it will change your life for the better too.
How to Become a Sponsor of Our Little Roses
Giving back is easier now than ever before. As much as we miss in-person mission trips and other ways of giving back to the community, there are many positive things about these virtual charitable options.
Online opportunities and virtual mission trips are incredibly accessible, so people can attend these events no matter where in the world they live. Instead of saving up money and taking time off of work to fly somewhere, people who want to make social change can do it from home!
If you are interested in taking part in Our Little Roses’ mission to improve the lives of girls in Honduras, we would love to have you as one of our sponsors or supporters. Take a moment to read more about our mission and learn how to donate to OLR. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us as well!