Reflections: Building a Service Practice

Inspired by a LinkedIn Challenge

I came across this post on LinkedIn today and was immediately inspired.

The poster, Danielle Valle Gilchrist, shares her intention to make February a month of service, including seven small, daily actions she is committing to for the first week of February.

I am not the type of person who dives into the “challenge of the month,” but there was something about this idea that drew me in immediately. I didn’t do much in January. It was a weird month, our normal routine marred by holidays, sick days, and snow days. I need a bit of a reset.

So I’m following Danielle’s lead.

Here are my 28 commitments to bring a little service, community, and connection into February.

Week 1: Start Small & Local

1. Send an encouraging text to at least 3 people

2. Look for a community member or charity to donate excess baby formula to

3. Learn more about my neighborhood association

4. Write a positive review for a local business I love

5. Write a note of thanks for my mail carrier

6. Sign up to donate blood

7. Donate to a local food pantry

Week 2: Connection & Advocacy

8. Research (and plan to attend) a Black History Month event in my community

9. Use 5calls.org to call my representatives

10. Donate to a Black-led nonprofit or mutual aid fund

11. Call a family member I have not spoken to in some time

12. Amplify an interesting post on social media

13. Watch a documentary about civil rights, immigration, social justice, or another related topic

14. Purchase Valentine’s Day dinner, treats, or gifts from a BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or woman-owned business

Week 3: Workplace & Community

15. Recognize a colleague’s work publicly

16. Read and research about historical redlining in my city

17. Post on an employee resource group community page

18. Compliment a stranger

19. Pause and journal (consider pulling a quote from a civil rights leader and reflecting on it)

20. Leave a book in a little free library in my neighborhood

21. Read about the commissions and chambers of commerce in my city

Week 4: Thoughtful & Sustainable

22. Verify organ donor status

23. Donate to a racial justice organization

24. Leave a book in a little free library in my neighborhood

25. Find & listen to a podcast about the history of Black History Month

26. Reach out to a friend who works in social impact / nonprofit, ask if they are interested in being featured on The Volunteer Lens or having their work amplified otherwise

27. Attend Impact Austin’s Discovery Day event

28. Pause and journal - how did 28 days of service, connection, and community make you feel?

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Now, Tell Me

What did I miss?

What other ideas do you have that would fit nicely into a “28 days of service” calendar?