Not Everyone Has the Same Chances

The way the United States of America is currently aligned as far as politics and the economy creates a false sense of unlimited opportunity for many residents. There is a false ideal of uniform opportunities and potential for all citizens of the United States. The American ideal is one of picking yourself up by your bootstraps and making something of yourself, but this is not as easy as many make it out to be. The environment in which people are raised plays a huge role in their upbringing and future career or lack thereof. It is difficult to keep attending college or university in your plans when nobody in your neighborhood is doing so. The majority of success and failure in the United States of America is largely based on the environment in which a person is brought up combined with their own ambitions. There should be programs in place which strive to equalize opportunity and allow every American to see the potential in front of them rather than live in ignorance of their opportunities.

It Feels Good to Do Good

If you were raised in a family and area which presented you with a vision of the opportunities in front of you and allowed you to attend a college or university, you should impart some of the knowledge and ability you gained to others who are less fortunate. As the esteemed poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” Helping others through volunteering will lift your own spirits as you see the beneficial effects of your work. It is a beautiful thing to make other people’s lives better and witness their conditions improving.

Different Volunteering Opportunities

There are a myriad of places where you can volunteer your time and energy to bettering the lives of others and the conditions in which they live. Whatever you want to improve, chances are there are organizations dedicated to this mission where you can help. Some possible volunteering opportunities include:

• Environmental projects – Many areas where people live have been ravaged by environmental disasters or manmade intrusions. New Orleans is still reeling from the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and there are many other areas affected by natural disasters. Industrial areas with a history of factories may have serious environmental damage which affects water quality and the ability to grow crops. There are many programs which allow you to help reverse this damage.
• Tutoring – Children in poor areas do not have access to the educational resources that others do and they suffer for this lack of resources. They are also pulled towards non-academic activities that can be destructive to their upbringings due to local pressures in their communities. By volunteering to tutor and teach these children, you can make a difference in their lives and allow them to see the opportunities they have.
• Retirement Homes – One of the most ignored groups in America are seniors. Many older people are stuck in nursing homes without much interaction with family or friends and suffer from this. You can improve their experiences by volunteering there and providing some companionship.