How you can show a new kind of love to those who need it most this Valentine’s Day
All too often, we are so caught up in our own busy lives that we may forget to show our loved ones we care about them. Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to acknowledge the love we share with those within our social circles.
But beyond just that, it can also be a wonderful day to recognise just how much love we can give to those who need it most.
What’s more, is that we do not even have to choose between these two. When you volunteer with your loved ones, you can express care for them by spending quality time together, and at the same time give your community much-needed help.
Here are some ways you can share your love with others this February 14th.
1. Elderly Befriending
Due to the pandemic, singles are not the only ones who may feel lonely this Valentine’s Day. Even though spending time with the elderly might not fit into the conventional idea of what one expects to do on Valentine’s Day, are there really any downsides to taking the time to learn about love and selflessness from our wisest demographic?
The New Charis Mission is running a weekly programme that allows volunteers to befriend elderly residents of Ang Mo Kio, assisting with repairs for observable damages in their home and maintaining cleanliness. Sign up to volunteer for this meaningful experience with New Charis Mission here.
2. Urban Farming As A Family
From providing us with sunlight, beautiful sceneries to calm us down when we are stressed, rain at the end of our toughest days so we can snuggle into bed and get some rest — our planet truly does so much for us! While its beauty seems boundless and invincible, we must remember to play our part to upkeep and protect it from potentially dangerous human activities.
Aquaponics relies on the symbiotic relationship between aquaculture and hydroponics, whereby nutrient-rich water from the fish tanks are channeled towards growing vegetables, and in turn purified by beneficial microbes and vegetables for culturing fish. This project uses a decoupled aquaponics farming system to benefit the low-income residents of Ang Mo Kio GRC and seeks to play a part in Singapore’s 30 by 30 food production target.
Volunteer here and help save our Earth. After all, is there a higher form of love than the one we owe to our planet?
3. Youth Advocate, Health Advocacy
Health is central to our ability to not only express love and kindness to those around us, but also to go about our daily activities. With this in mind, The Bone Marrow Donor Programme is encouraging youth volunteers to set up clubs or societies in their schools to raise funds or recruit students as potential bone marrow donors alongside their peers.
Group volunteering not only helps volunteers remain active and accountable for their actions within their projects, but when we volunteer with people with whom we are already familiar, it also becomes much easier for non-profit organisations to benefit from our volunteering. Since we are able to communicate and work better together with our loved ones, group volunteers are able to be much more efficient in their tasks than individual ones. Volunteering with friends as an effective team goes a long way for the non-profit organisation, and is something everybody needs to experience.
Sign up here to help save lives!
4. Digital Ambassadorship For Seniors
If someone asked what is one thing we cannot live without, most of us would probably name our phones without a second thought. As many seniors struggle with technology, this Valentine’s Day, let us help our seniors understand just why we love our mobile devices as much as we do.
Lions Befrienders Service Association is looking for volunteer Digital Ambassadors who are interested in helping our elderly become more technologically adept and use common applications such as WhatsApp, Singpass, TraceTogether app, among others. Not only will you be able to teach them basic technological skills, you will also be able to provide them with some much-needed companionship which they have not been able to get during this pandemic.
Sign up here to help seniors with their digital journey.
5. Food Distribution With Family Or Friends
Helping low-income families get access to food can be a nice way to spend Valentine’s Day. East Youths organises regular food distribution drives that you can sign up for. What’s more, you can even participate in these distributions with your friends and family to celebrate the spirit of love and giving back together. In the process of giving your best for others, you might be surprised how much you learn about not only yourself, but also the loved ones you volunteer with.
Moreover, through helping other families with the most basic of their needs, your own family stands to learn so much. You can learn the importance of giving, as well as virtues such as patience and teamwork. These all go a long way in fostering a tightly-knit family in which all members feel loved and cared for.
Given all these benefits, what are you waiting for? Volunteer for food distributions here to show love to those most in need of it.
Let’s move beyond romantic love to recognise that all kinds of love have a place in our lives, especially the kind that can be found when selflessly volunteering lending a hand to someone in need.
This Valentine’s Day, let us all work together to give our best for others and show love in a different way. Explore more causes and projects you can volunteer for at www.giving.sg/volunteering, and find out how you can make a difference in your community here.
