United Way offers many ways for individuals and groups to contribute. The following list includes an example of common good activities that’ll appeal to almost anyone. United Way offers opportunities to volunteer virtually everywhere in America.

Health

One of the goals at United Way is to dramatically improve the health of kids and adults across the country. By helping out with the goal, you can contribute to the common good by helping people learn to care for themselves and make healthier lifestyle choices that improve the whole area. Here are some ways you can improve your health and the health of others:

• Provide families with information on making healthy food choices, finding affordable and good health care, and resources that will help them choose the right foods.
• Help increase the opportunity to make healthy choices by working with schools and work places to offer access to nutritious foods and opportunities to get enough physical activity.

Income

Financial Stability is another important goal at United Way. By getting involved, you can help reach the goal to cut the number of low-income families across the United States by at least one third. There are many ways you can contribute to the common good. Try one of these activities to give back where you live:

• Connect individuals with jobs that sustain a family.
• Help adults get advanced educations so they have access to higher paying and more secure jobs.
• Speak at or organize workshops that teach people to manage their expenses, make smart money choices, and find affordable housing.

Education

Our work in Education is aimed directly at school readiness and improving early-grade literacy. There are many ways you can get involved right near your own home:

• Read with kids in their classrooms to promote literacy.
• Tutor kids in specific subject areas so they can succeed in the classroom.
• Encourage parents to support their child’s efforts at school.
• Get involved with policy changes that work to improve funding and resources in schools so kids have access to the tools they need.

United Way of San Diego County works collectively to advance the common good in our community.

A lot of people do not realize how fragile democracy can be. In a dictatorship, the power structures can hold on for a very long time, because they make the rules for their own continued existence. In a democracy, however, citizen participation can influence the direction a society or a country takes.

The good side of this type of structure is that citizens do have an influence over their representatives. If enough people become vocal or actively involved in policy decisions, the government has to listen. Otherwise, those currently in power risk losing their position.

It is vital to know how things work in your country and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to keep on top of current events! You don’t have to read about every single event or trend, but discussing the news with your friends and neighbors can make a difference.

An effective way to get involved is to join an advocacy group that works within a cause that touches you. You can find out what is going on in your area and how you can be a part of a movement for change or protecting those who can’t speak out for themselves.

It’s important to remember that the language of protest and demanding rights is only one part of citizen participation. Organizations like United Way promote individual and group initiatives. Volunteer, get involved, and find out how you can have a hand in fostering the common good. Living in harmony with your community and helping others to improve their education about the world will go a long way in protecting democracy.

At the end of the day, a democracy is only as strong as its citizen participation! That is the key. Since democracy means government by the people, it only works when people like you step up to take on their responsibilities with fully informed gusto.