Since March, most of the news stories have been less than inviting. This year has been tough for so many people with many months of struggle still ahead. But the human spirit of giving has remained alive and well through it all. Thousands of reports describe various acts of charity in 2020. Stories about bringing hand-sewn face masks to frontline workers to free meals abound. Others involve helping the less fortunate get groceries or even stay socially connected. These acts of giving back are powerful and warm our hearts, especially in such a time of global crisis. The following highlights some inspiring acts of charity in 2020 that will hopefully put a smile on your face.
- One Random Act of Kindness a Day – Acts of giving back don’t always have to be profound. In fact, consistency can be just as important. Sebbie Hall, a learning and physically disabled teen in the UK, was inspired to make a difference. He began performing daily acts of giving back like taking biscuits to local police and running errands for neighbors. He then leveraged these efforts into raising money for charities. To date, he has earned nearly £10,000 for various charities to help disadvantaged children.
- Acts of Giving Back Through Pizza – Friday evening was always pizza night in the Hoffman household in Alexandria, Virginia. But with the lockdowns, yeast and flour became hard to find. This led Christina and Mike to visit the Restaurant Depot where they came across a 55-pound bag of flour. With a mutual nod, they took it home and began making pizzas for their neighbors. This soon turned into a pizza-making project for frontline workers, teachers and more that lasted months. Through it all, the Hoffmans insisted not taking anything for their efforts. But for those who wanted to contribute, they recommended a few charities to consider.
- Many Strolls Around the Garden – Leave it to a real patriot to offers one of the most notable acts of charity in 2020. Major Sir Tom, a centenarian World War II veteran in the UK, wanted to raise money for the NHS. With relatively few means to do so, he had an idea. What if I committed to walking around my garden 100 times? Well, Major Sir Tom did, and in the process, raised £32 million for the UK’s health service. In addition, he was later knighted by the Queen herself in recognition of his efforts.
- Spreading Some Feelgood – During the pandemic, frontline workers have spent countless hours on their feet attending to the ill. Understanding the toll this takes in the body, one company thought it would be nice to spread some feelgood. Therabody, a health and wellness company, decided to donate over 300 massage therapy devices for hospital breakrooms. These acts of giving back benefitted 60 hospitals with each massager costing about $600 each.
- Support for the Moms – One of the more interesting acts of charity in 2020 involves diapers. Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry in Memphis, Tennessee, has given out over 200,000 diapers to local moms. This summer, the nonprofit also began giving away formula as well. Cori Smith founded the company in 2014 after she lost her job while being a new mom. Her vision then has allowed her to make a difference for moms during the pandemic as a result. Her acts of giving back have been felt throughout the Greater Memphis area.
- A Unique Community Arts Endeavor – Acts of charity in 2020 involve more than donations and random acts of kindness. They also involve community projects during a time where social connection is desperately needed. With this in mind, the town of Williamsburg, Virginia, decided to recruit materials to a town art project. Their choice? Empty wine bottles that those in the community painted. With so many in lockdown, and empty wine bottles being plentiful, it was a unique idea. Plus, they art project, called “Stay at Home,” arranged the wine bottles in the shape of a house. Such acts of giving back are great ways to keep communities together.
- Cycling Across America…in a Month! – Keith Monical could have walked around his garden 100 times too. But he was only 60 years young and wanted to do something that would motivate change in others. So, he hopped on his bicycle and rode across America in 31 days. That’s roughly 250 miles a day, and Keith had only been cycling two years before this. He wanted to show others that’s it’s never too late to reinvent yourself pursue a bold achievement. As one of the acts of charity of 2020, Keith’s gift is one of inspiration.
- Bringing New Meaning to Free Delivery – Deliveroo is a well-known online delivery and takeout service in Europe and abroad. It too wanted to get in on the acts of giving back when the pandemic struck. Like other individuals and companies alike, Deliveroo wanted to support the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. Therefore, they arranged for a million free meals to be delivered to the National Health Service workers in the UK. This was their way of saying thank you to those facing the greatest risks of the pandemic.
- The Large Print is Most Important – Many people and even companies broke out their sewing machines and donated face masks early in the pandemic. Many breweries and other manufacturing firms produced free sanitizer solutions. But MEEKS Group in Tulsa, Oklahoma, decided to put their printing machines to work. They began printing thousands of paper masks for the Salvation Army. And then they produced thousands more for medical offices, nursing homes, and retirement centers. Even today, anyone can drop by and grab some paper masks for free.
- The Advocacy Power of Charity – For some nonprofits and individuals, acts of giving back is part of everyday life. FareShare, a nonprofit in Manchester, UK, certainly feels this way. When the pandemic hit, the company provided over 3 million children with free meals. But more importantly, it also went to bat for them. They aggressively campaigned and convinced the government to extend school free meal programs through the summer and holidays. Combined with their contributions, their advocacy efforts make this one of the best acts of charity in 2020.
What’s Favorite Acts of Charity in 2020 Do You Love?
The acts of giving back describe are just a few of many that have taken place this year. So many people have reached out to help those in need, especially at a community level. It’s been a difficult year for most, regardless of your life situation. But somehow, giving back makes us all feel that much better. Not only about ourselves but about humankind overall. As we say goodbye to the year, Let’s not forget all those wonderful acts of charity of 2020 that happened. They can serve as moments of inspiration in the future for both good times and bad.
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