Do-It-Yourself Ideas for United We Serve

Okay, so we've established that President Obama wants us to serve. The United We Serve initiative is an unprecedented call to the American people to do more for others than for themselves.

But, exactly what are you supposed to do? Michelle Obama stresses the importance of do-it-yourself service projects, geared toward making Americans more helpful of their own making and less dependent on the government. (Hey, that's something even Republicans can get behind!)

Here are several ideas, fresh from the brain of Jonathan, that you can do to get started in your community:

• Organize a canned food drive at work. Obviously, canned food isn't the most nutritious of foods, but some in our society don't have the luxury of choice when it comes to eating. Any number of food banks in your area would love the extra contributions.

• Join local teachers in protesting budget cuts. Though nobody can argue that local governments are in peril, schools are the last place that should be feeling the pinch. Take inspiration from your teacher friends and get people together. Write letters to your representative and form peaceful demonstrations at city hall.

• Film a documentary about a local subject. Use your creativity and tell an oft-ignored story about something in your community. Maybe there's a family struggling to make ends meet or an elderly man who's lost his job after 40 years. The White House is looking to you to aid in America's economic recovery and community renewal, and creating art about our society can reach more people than you might realize, especially in the age of the Internet.

You can see this isn't rocket science. Barack and Michelle Obama may have more experience in public service than most of us, but you already have all the necessary tools at your disposal to start your projects. If you need a few ideas, start with Causecast's Guide to DIY Service Projects and go from there.

You do have everything you need to enact change. Obama may be a rock star, but he can't make you do something if you aren't inspired to do it yourself. Feel that power and get out there and do it!

Follow Jonathan Daniel Harris on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Causecast

Comments

[CosmicChaos]

I personally love Mentoring as my form of Public Service. Although I prefer Mentoring in person, it is easy to Mentor on the internet and through E-mail.

I am severely Physically Disabled and am unable to drive, but Mentoring is an activity that just takes time, willingness to care about another person, and a skill you wish to share. I share my Engineering, Math, and Gaming expertise.

The benefit to me is it keeps my skills fresh and I get a kick out of motivating other people to be the best they can be.

[Speechlesstx]

Protesting and filming documentaries have to be about the lamest ideas for "public service" I've ever seen.

[rtolmach]

http://www.ChangingThePresent.org offers thousands of rewarding, tangible ways you can change the world. Preserve an acre of the rainforest, fund an hour of cancer research, provide a child her first book. . .

You can also give these gifts in a friend's name, and the site will send a beautiful, personalized greeting card, with a photo and description of what you did to show your love.

No wonder the NY Times called ClassWish.org "an amazon.com of the nonprofit world."

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

How about a WalkaThon - to visit our reps in Congress?

[schatsie]

I say we need some Volunteers to take over the WALL STREET AUDITS.....and how much money has gone into the SWISS BANK ACCOUNTS.....

[CTC123]

Consider the Connection to:
The CONSUMER
Who is the Consumer?
U & I
Where is the CONSUMER?
At the top of the Economic Pyramid.
Where is the Economic Pyramid?
Please ASK-GOOGLE­-AIM-SEARC­H:
CTC123GREEN
What can U & I do for the environment?

[unitedcancer]

How the United Cancer Foundation is helping: by offering FREE HEALTH CARE! We will be providing the following medical assistance for 2000-3000 patients per weekend event for FREE: Cancer Screenings, Dental: (cleanings, fillings and extractions), Vision: (complete eye exams,glasses made on site) Medical: (specialist exams and consults, podiatry, diabetes screening and education, skin care, skin rashes and screening for skin cancer) Women's health: (mammograms, pap smears and breast exams) Men's health: PSA testing. This will all done by volunteer Doctors. This event will benefit, Children, Women, Men, Minorities and the Disabled. Initially, the healthcare project started with 8 groups such as The Florida Department of Health(PBCHD), United Way of Palm Beach County, Susan G. Komen for the Cure South Florida, The Health District of Palm Beach County, and Remote Area Medical of Knoxville TN. We now have 20+ community non profit organizations that are ready to help the uninsured! There has never been an event in Florida where this many community based organizations have come together to help 2,000- 3,000 families in one weekend event. These events are so popular that people line up a day in advance to be seen. Our main focus is getting FREE Cancer Screenings and HEALTH CARE to individuals who are in need of immediate medical assistance. At the end of the day, all those involved will be proud to have been a part of this event that helped so many people in need of immediate healthcare! Steven Kaplan
www.unitedcancerfoundation.org

[unitedcancer]

This is how the United Cancer Foundation will be FREE HEALTH CARE! We will be providing the following medical assistance for 2000-3000 patients per weekend event for FREE: Cancer Screenings, Dental: (cleanings, fillings and extractions), Vision: (complete eye exams,glasses made on site) Medical: (specialist exams and consults, podiatry, diabetes screening and education, skin care, skin rashes and screening for skin cancer) Women's health: (mammograms, pap smears and breast exams) Men's health: PSA testing. This will all done by volunteer Doctors. This event will benefit, Children, Women, Men, Minorities and the Disabled. Initially, the “HEALTH & HOPE” healthcare project started with 8 groups such as The Florida Department of Health(PBCHD), United Way of Palm Beach County, Susan G. Komen for the Cure South Florida, The Health District of Palm Beach County, and Remote Area Medical of Knoxville TN. We now have 20+ community non profit organizations that are ready to help the uninsured! There has never been an event in Florida where this many community based organizations have come together to help 2,000- 3,000 families in one weekend event. These events are so popular that people line up a day in advance to be seen. Our main focus is getting FREE Cancer Screenings and HEALTH CARE to individuals who are in need of immediate medical assistance. At the end of the day, all those involved will be proud to have been a part of this event that helped so many people in need of immediate healthcare! Steven Kaplan
www.unitedcancerfoundation.org

[naschkatze]

Sorry, this is Thousand Points of Light kind of talk. I've been a volunteer all my adult life, but if Obama doesn't start doing something for Main Street, I'm not going to be content seeing all my tax dollars go Wall Street, the health care/pharmaceutical companies, and promoting the military/industrial complex. We all know that those with less have always been the ones to care for those with even less. Obama is just another posturing compassionate conservative elitist in my books. He can start by watching his personal expenditures: the next time he and his wife want a date in NYC, they can do some official business there in the daytime and go out at night. I won't complain.

[mia8485]

And there's kiva.org.... the Best use of the internet ever.