Make A Difference Day

We all have opportunities every day to change the world, whether we’re adopting a Highway to patrol for litter or volunteering at a local shelter to help the homeless. It’s amazing what just a small effort by an individual or group of individuals can do to change the world, or at least their local neighborhood. Make a difference Day was established to help encourage us to take one day a year to try to make a difference in the world.

History of Make a Difference Day
Originally created in 1992 by USA Weekend magazine, Make a Difference Day has seen a great deal of support from various organizations throughout the years, and most recently has been transferred over to USA Today as its primarily sponsor and organizer. USA Today provides a central location for people to gather their information and report what they’re doing locally to Make a Difference.

Since its creation Make a Difference Day has helped to encourage thousands of people across the nation to start making an actual difference in the world. Contributions to making the world a better place have ranged from gathering stuffed bears for firefighters to give to injured and frightened children, to organizing relief efforts for victims of natural catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy. Overall Make a Difference Day has spurred people to make a difference in themselves, and the world.

How to Celebrate Make A Difference Day
The ways to celebrate Make a Difference Day are limited only by your imagination, and your willingness to contribute your time and efforts to changing the world. You can start celebrating by alerting people on social media to the upcoming opportunity to make a difference, and then its time to get truly ambitious.

Organize a food drive for your local Food Banks to help the hungry and the needy, approach businesses for donations to homeless and domestic violence shelters. You can even volunteer with your local blood bank or at a free clinic to help sign people in. There are hundreds of opportunities for those interested in changing the world to get involved, and dozens of organizations you contact to help you get involved.

Remember, making a difference doesn’t have to involve a grandiose gesture, it can be as simple as buying a coffee for a co-worker who’s looking down, or lunch for a homeless person just trying to get through the day. You can even donate your old clothes and blankets to shelters to help people get back on their feet and stay warm.

To celebrate this day of service, the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley will assist volunteers, from one person to a group of volunteers, in finding opportunities to get involved in service projects. This is a great way for students, businesses and employees, or even families to give back to the community through service!

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley works with over 160 nonprofits that offer numerous volunteer opportunities. Visit www.vccv.org to learn about these opportunities.

For more information regarding Make A Difference Day opportunities, call (319) 272-2087, visit www.vccv.org, or email.