One of the things that Peter Zieve loves about Americans is that they stand tall in front of any challenge. 2007 is not a distant memory but still very much alive in people’s minds. Suddenly, the news broke that people lost everything. They were difficult times that meant the end of many a good business, local people losing hearth and home, and more. A city like Detroit went completely bankrupt and others such as Mikilteo and Seattle also saw their fair share of suffering. The world of politics turned upside down and every campaign was suddenly about restoring the economy, while continuing to provide bankers with bonuses that most people could live on for at least three generations. Sports personalities continued to earn big, socialities continued to be rich for doing nothing, millionaires stayed millionaires.
But at the same time, it was the herald of a new age, a new type of electroimpact. Suddenly, a campaign was started by the people for the people. Not a day went by that there wasn’t some sort of blog that talked about it. And what that was, was local individuals volunteering to help those who had been most affected by the mismanagement of a country and its political system. According to Pieter Zieve, it is the people of the world who turned the Great Recession around, and not the politicians or analysts. Here, he takes a look at some of the amazing things they have done in this country alone.
Peter Zieve on Six Top Volunteering Opportunities
- People helped out their families. Suddenly, parents could no longer afford childcare and grandparents stepped in to help for free. Elderly relatives, meanwhile, couldn’t afford medical care and in-house help, and their children stepped in to help out. People came together once again and helped each other in any way they could.
- People started volunteering in schools. It seemed as if there was a collective agreement that children should not have to suffer and that they should be educated to never experience the same again. By volunteering in schools, community members became role models to the next generation.
- People organized yard sales. The Great Recession turned out to be a fantastic opportunity for decluttering while ensuring old, unwanted items found loving new homes instead of ending up on a landfill site. Indeed, thanks to yard sales, people actually made very positive contributions to the environment and significantly reduced their carbon footprint. This is also because, if someone did need something new, they would look at a yard sale first.
- People started to visit senior centers. Seniors have often complained of being lonely. Before the Great Recession, people were simply too busy with their jobs to still see the elderly. The economic situation put a halt to that, however, and made people realize once again that the seniors were there. Not just that, many of them had gone through their own fair share of economic crises, dating back to as far as the Great Depression, and had some important advice to give.
- People coached their local youth teams. This went back to ensuring young people continued to have all the opportunities they should have.
- People tutored young students, thereby ensuring they would keep their own knowledge up to date while at the same time ensuring students would get higher grades.
