Growing up, my dad made it his mission to teach me about charity. He believed in always giving his time and his resources to bless others and taught me to do the same. Some of my most cherished memories as a young person include hanging out with homeless men and women at the local food bank every Sunday, saving up to sponsor a child overseas, and helping low-income families clean up after hurricanes. As the years went on, my love for underprivileged communities grew and led me to earn a degree in social work, and eventually work at a local non-profit. While you may not have the same story, every one of us has the potential to make a difference in the world around us. Here are five quick and creative ways you can spur on your inner philanthropist today.

For the People Person

Consider giving a few hours a week to volunteering directly with a population you love. Oftentimes, we may think of volunteering as a chore to do, like picking up trash along the highway or making laminate copies for your child’s teacher. In reality, there are plenty of opportunities out there where you can directly engage with others in need. Perhaps some older folks in your local Senior Center are looking for a good conversation or someone to play a board game with. If you are into sports, sign up to coach a little league team in your city. If you can pass a general background check and are willing to be consistent, programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters have youth waiting for mentors to take them out for a quick bite and share wisdom with them. 

For the Animal Activist

Not ready to adopt a furry friend just yet? Follow pet rescues in your area on social media and jump in when they need some tangible items donated. Many times, they ask for common household items you may already have around the house such as old towels, blankets, or cleaning supplies. Some of my favorites include Good Karma Pet Rescue (@GKPetRescue) and Tri-County Humane Society (@TriCountyAnimalRescueFL). The Humane Society of Broward will even let you volunteer once a week to pet and play with their dogs—dreams do come true!

For the Smart Shopper

In general, making wise choices with your money and partnering with businesses that donate to charity is a great rule of thumb. But did you know that through Amazon Smile, a portion of your Amazon purchases is eligible to be donated to your preferred charity? Amazon Smile has the same exact products from the main website and gives 0.5% of your total purchases to the organization of your choice. Head on over to www.smile.amazon.com to see how your shopping can do a little good. In 5 years, this program has already helped raised over $100 million dollars to charities chosen by Amazon customers. 

For the Busy Bee

Maybe you don’t have a lot of room in your budget to give, or time to devote to an organization. Giving blood is a quick and easy way to make a huge impact on the life of another. If you are in good health and are over 110 pounds, you can visit your nearest OneBlood location to donate a pint of blood. According to Stride Health, “Giving blood saves 4.5 million lives each year in the U.S., yet fewer than 1 out of 10 people in the U.S. donate.” Don’t let anyone else’s horror stories scare you—very few people experience any side effects or weakness after donating. Just be sure to drink plenty of water before you go and eat a light, healthy meal—it only takes 15 minutes!

For the Faithful Friend 

If you’re already involved with an organization whose cause you believe in, consider paying attention to the more organic needs of the people around you. Is there a single parent in your life that could use a night of free babysitting? How about a family with a loved one in the hospital that you could offer to make a meal for? Maybe it’s a kind note that you write for a coworker who just had a baby. Challenge yourself to go the extra mile on occasion for that neighbor, employee, relative, or friend that could use some relief. Sometimes, the most impactful thing you can do in the name of charity is to become a “Good Samaritan” for someone in your life that everyone else is overlooking.