Volunteer and Stand Our Ground

Yesterday evening (10 Nov.) Senator Elizabeth Warren was interviewed by Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Among other things that struck a chord with me is a call to action: We can all volunteer — find something that matters to us and stand in and stand our ground.

Following on that, I tweeted last night my own call to action: What will you do? Let's list it out. Me: Hospital pet therapy work. Help heal the sick and sick at heart.

Here are some other ideas (and please add your comments or "tweet me back" at @Colo_kea):

1. Teach English to immigrants or citizens for whom English is not their first language.
2. Volunteer for Night Ride or whatever safety program you have on your campus that offers women and vulnerable people rides home at night.
3. Knit caps for babies and quilts for hospice patients.
4. Does your church have a "Deacon's Closet"? Those are great places to interact with the homeless and the poor and provide nicer clothes and hygiene assistance.
5. Find out if the adolescent "attention home" in your area needs a cook, even for just one meal a week.
6. If you are an adult with Asperger's, find a teen with Asperger's to mentor.
7. Speak up, even if you have to do it anonymously, if you have an illness that carries a stigma, such as bipolar disorder. Others need to hear your voice.
8. Write about and share your experiences with prejudice, racism, gender-ism, and misogyny, even if you have to do it anonymously.
9. Use the "Charity Miles" phone app to track your miles and donate to the charity of your choice at the same time.
10. Check in with your neighbors, especially the elderly or those with children, to see how they are doing and if you can help them out.
11. Provide young women with birth control counseling.
12. Volunteer for the recreation program at your local senior center or nursing home.
13. If you live in the city, see if you can help your corner store bring in fresh fruits and vegetables.
14. "Pay it Forward."
15. Write letters to your representatives expressing your concerns and support. Start here.
16. Join up with Habitat for Humanity.
17. Volunteer to teach journalism at your community center and maybe start a local newspaper or blog, using teens and the elderly as correspondents.
18. Donate magazines to local "people's clinics," nursing homes, community centers, and your public library.
19. Beautify your street (flowers, paint, etc.) and help keep it clean.
20. Be alert to your surroundings and look out for each other.