When people talk about giving back, they often use the word volunteering. I used that word in episodes 84 and 88 when I talked about volunteer opportunities in Perrysburg. Not everything that helps our community fits neatly under the "volunteering." Rather than have a third episode with volunteering in the title, I titled this episode, "Ways to Give Back in and Around Perrysburg."
People give back in lots of ways here in Perrysburg: by volunteering their time, by donating resources, and by serving in leadership roles. Today, I'll walk through some practical ways to give back in and around Perrysburg, which may help you figure out what might be a good fit for you. Topics covered:
- Safety
- Church
- City, Community, and Events
- Local Attractions
- Environmental
- Inclusion and the Ability Community
- People experiencing medical challenges
- Veterans
- Older Adults
- Hospice
- Clothing
- Help Children
- Food
- Animals
- Running
- General Service
Safety
Church
- Committee or Council
- Volunteer at your church's nursery
- Decorate for seasons or do yard work
- Help with a funeral luncheon or other event
City, Community, and Events
Local Attractions
Environmental
Inclusion and the Ability Community
People experiencing medical challenges
Veterans
- Volunteer with the City or Township's Cemetery Board and partner with American Legion Post 28 to place flags at Veteran's graves (~Memorial Day and Veterans Day)
- If you're a Veteran, join the American Legion, and help with various projects https://www.facebook.com/pbpost28
Older Adults
- General: Mow grass, rake leaves, shovel snow, wash windows or dishes, take out trash, etc
- Set up a Knox box for neighbors, in case the Fire Department or Rescue Squad needs access. (Township and City both have this.)
- Deliver meals with the Perrysburg Senior Nutrition Program (Meals on Wheels). Contact the Wood County Committee on Aging wccoa.net
- Visit shut-ins. Have a conversation or read to them (PMJ Newspaper, buzz book, Perrysburg Living Magazine, their church's newsletter, Way Public Library's newsletter, a novel of their choosing, etc).
Hospice
Clothing
Help Children
- Elementary School Parent-Teacher groups (or PTOs), HPI, Jr. High, and High School Parents Organizations (ex: Cookie Jar around Christmastime) Contact schools for details.
- Perrysburg Schools Foundation – Assist with school-related events, fundraisers, and support for students & teachers. https://perrysburgschoolsfoundation.org/volunteer/
- Help with sports teams or band - transport tents and band equipment
- Coach a sport, like PABSC (baseball and softball) https://www.pabsc.org/, PYSA (soccer) https://perrysburgyouthsoccer.com/, or YMCA sports (flag football, basketball, and more) https://www.ymcatoledo.org
- CASA Volunteer - Court Appointed Special Advocate https://www.woodcountycasa.org/
- Let's Build Beds https://letsbuild.org/ builds beds for children ages 3-17
- The Program, Inc. https://www.programinc.org/ provides male role models for boys.
- Neighborhood Bridges Perrysburg provides basic needs for students, such as clothing and food. To learn more, visit https://neighborhoodbridges.org/community/perrysburg.
- Perrysburg Heights Community Association – Support after-school programs, summer programming, homework help and community events. https://www.phcaohio.org/forms/volunteer-at-perrysburg-heights-community-association
- Donate Aluminum Cans for Burned Children at Kripke Enterprises in Toledo - Fire Marshal Aaron Harwell talked about it on Episode 110 of The Perrysburg Podcast. To learn more, visit https://acbcohio.org/
- Babysitting a for a family member or neighbor
- Tutoring, mentoring, or helping students.
Food
Animals
Running
General service opportunities
If you want to give your time, talent, or treasure, I hope this episode has helped you. You don't have to do everything. You don't have to volunteer every week. If you want to help, start with one hour, one event, or one organization that matters to you. If you want to do more, the sky's the limit. Perrysburg is a strong community because people show up — in big ways and small ones too — and there's room for everyone to help.
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