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Jennifer Heitler
Austin, TX
United States

Director of Marketing, Cosential

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Without spending money, how can I make the biggest impact on my community with 15 minutes/day?

As a mother of two with a full-time job, I find it hard to find the time to give back. I want to change, but need to be realistic about my availability. I would love to hear any suggestions you may have about giving back in short spurts. Bring it!

Topics: Social activism brainstorming charity giving

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Khalid Marbou 500+
- +1
TED Attendee TED Translator TEDx Organizer Associate Language Coordinator

Aug 15 2011: I think that the biggest impact you can make on your community from where you are standing at, is to put most of your precious time into rising your two kids to be great influencers and world changers. Because families are indeed the building blocks of a community.
- Audrey Misiano
  - 0
  Aug 15 2011: Being a mom of two young children ages 2 and 4 who also has the full time job of French and Spanish teacher, i have to respectfully disagree with all the replies to this question that say mother's should focus solely on raising their children. Although I believe that this is the most important job in the world, as a mother myself, I feel it is also important for my children to see that I live a full, well-rounded life which includes living my dream! Yes, parenting well is the most important thing I can do for my young ones, but I believe it's good for my children to see that my husband and I love focusing some time each day on creating the positive change we wish to see in the world of education, which is our passion. Hopefully our children will reap the benefits of our work and will grow up understanding that they can and should follow their passions and focus some energy each day on creating change in the world!
Shokrullah Amiri 10+
- 0
Aug 15 2011: You can help Community thru its members in any place & time you are. A colleague in office is a member of community after work hours; help them please in any form including non-monetary motivation.

Community is not geographically defined; you can help its members during work hours, footpaths, parties, and so forth.
Shokrullah Amiri 10+
- 0
Aug 15 2011: Most of the communities have resources, what they need is the idea to make the recipe.

How idea?

Spend your time in TED conversation to give and take ideas for global communities. I am reading you from Afghanistan.
Parthasarathy Ponguri
- 0
Aug 15 2011: Spend time with a lonely elderly person. Spend time with children. Teach a student.
Andrew Kirchmyer
- +1
Aug 15 2011: Engage someone in a thought provoking conversation such as this one.
Courtney Pierce
- +1
Aug 15 2011: Walk up your street and pick up litter. This way you get the kids some excersize, and you feel good about what you are doing for the community.
jejomar bargoza
- 0
Aug 15 2011: you need to let go of some things and choose the right things.
you cant have both things at the same time.
Thadeus Frei
- 0
Aug 14 2011: Appreciate because its the one power we have. The rest will naturally follow.
Michael T
- +1
Aug 14 2011: Teach how to serve one another for the better. By being a better person, being always positive. Creating small little positively charged persons. From kids to elders, simply teach the power of being positive.
emma odell
- +2
Aug 14 2011: Spend that time with your children and their friends, volunteer at their school. Find a suitable talk or article for discussion groups in their school. The key would be to consistently give that time to them. Maybe in the form of a course for kids on listening,compassion or co operation?
Mandilyn Cartwright 10+
- +2
Aug 13 2011: Take your kids to visit a nursing home. Just sit and talk with someone for 15 minutes. not only will it make a difference in someone's life but will make a difference in your children's lives as well.

We used to go with my mother once a month with a plate of cookies and sit and talk to whom ever needed to.
All my brothers and I now volunteer doing something in the community.
My oldest brother volunteers at his church, my twin brother fosters children and volunteers with his motorcycle club in the community, I volunteer as a leader in a mother’s of preschoolers support group, one of my younger brothers feeds/talks to people on skid row in LA and teachers a “How to stay married” class, and my youngest brother teaches kids music who don’t have the money for lessons.

So if you get kids used to stepping out of their comfort zone and volunteer now, they may just end up impacting the community in ways you never imagined and could never do yourself.
Dee Carfagna
- 0
Aug 13 2011: I am a survivor of much violent abuse. I designed business cards with phone numbers for local and most importantly national agencies to call for help. Abusers isolate and I know from experience how alone and frightened of everyone the victim feels and how much that card can mean. It will be hidden until they find the courage to take that first step.

I distribute them to local hospitals, schools, police and fire departments. I get very discounted printing rates just by asking. I keep them on me and people always have friends they want to share them with. I keep it pretty anonymous. But it does come around. I go to college and I saw a flyer for a woman's support group, one of my cards was on it. Now I have a group available for me and I didn't have to start it!
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
National Center for Victims of Crime
1-800-FYI-CALL (394-2255)
Humboldt Domestic Violence Services
24 hour Hotline 707-443-6042
Toll free 866-668-6543
Raven Project Youth Advocacy 707-444-CARE
North Coast Rape Crisis Team 707-445-2881
Another part to this is the Victims' Rights Act. The U.S. Department of Justice is monitoring the impact of the Act on how the victim's are treated by first responders and the court system. The DOJ wants feedback from victims but the problem is most victims are not aware of their rights:

(1) the right to attend the trials of their accused perpetrators;
(2) the right to notice of important proceedings involving defendants;
(3) the right to be heard at proceedings involving plea agreements, sentencing, and parole;
(4) the right to confer with the prosecuting attorney prior to the disposition of their cases;
(5) consideration of their concerns regarding the timely resolution of cases; and
(6) consideration of their safety prior to the conditioned release of offenders.(3)
Leila Van der Mauten
- +1
Aug 13 2011: I can imagine that it's hard to find some spare time, but I believe it's the smallest things that have the biggest impact; things that don't take time, but rather opportunities you encounter during your day-to-day activities.

With two kids, the best and most valuable thing to do is educate your kids to be kind and loving human beings. Next to that, it's little things like smiling at the cashier, chat with your neighbors, random acts of kindness,...
Audrey Misiano
- 0
Aug 13 2011: Thank you Jennifer, for making us think about the infinite possibilities of giving time to improve the world! I am also a mother with two young children and I understand how precious time is, however, I believe that 15 minutes carved out of a busy day truly can make a difference for our children!!!

I, personally, am dedicating time to promote the cause that I am most passionate about: World Language education. It is currently being down-sized in my region and I believe that is a big mistake since learning about another culture/language promotes multicultural awareness and multicultural awareness promotes peace!

I'd recommend finding a cause you're passionate about and then explore ways to make it a larger part of your life! As my fortune cookie said last night: One person with a belief is worth 100 with only interest! Once you devote time to promoting what you love most, I think you'll find the work extremely rewarding!
Austin R 20+
- +2
Aug 13 2011: Random acts of kindness.

...It's contagious :)
marco franceschetti
- +1
Aug 12 2011: "How can I..?." you already did it by making the right question...questions opens new worlds of meanings..
I am questioning the same to me since one week after I got your message...

Keep questioning us in this way
Alyson Irvin
- +1
Aug 12 2011: You can just keep an eye out for someone who needs a hand in your day to day life, and give it to them rather than have a set "way" you spend your 15 minutes a day. Being kind and helpful rubs off, and gets "paid forward." (Studies have backed this up, and also shown that bad habits get paid forward too)

So, short of time and money, just look for opportunities to pay forward cooperation, kindness, and compassion every single chance you get. It will probably be the biggest bang you can get for 15 minutes a day in term of impacting your community since every act of kindness or helpfulness will multiply itself.
Juan Ignacio Gonzalez Caralt
- 0
Aug 12 2011: Start up a market garden where growing and selling vegetables, give a job to disabled people that is able to free your time and pay their salaries with the vegetables sold. The community will benefit buying organic food at a discounted price as well as knowing that they are helping disabled people, and you should be able to get your investment back in the long run.

Quite challenging, if I started up anything like that and it worked it would definitely be a living dream for me :)
Mario El Khoury
- +1
Aug 11 2011: FOCUS
PUSH
WORK
CREATE IDEAS
IMPROVE THEM
SERVE THEM
PERSIT AND FOLLOW THEM

"Make from your life a dream, and from a dream, a reality."
- http://mariokphotography.com/

N.B.: Do not forget to be optimistic.
- Audrey Misiano
  - 0
  Aug 13 2011: Well said, Mario!!! :o)
Joseph Pangilinan
- 0
Aug 11 2011: 15 minutes a day, leverage on your strengths or talents. Find them, hone them, share them. This is love - when you stay committed to share the best of yourself for the welfare of others.
Ed Schulte 50+
- +3
Aug 10 2011: Stay Present
Jason Hinchliffe
- +1
Aug 10 2011: Create a youth group in your community where you get a few parents together and do games, puzzles, arts and crafts, sports etc.

Make it a weekly event. Every Saturday for 3 hours...free. This will help kids develop social skills, logic, reasoning and creativity (through games, puzzles and art) and perhaps some physical activity thanks to some good old sport.

Make it cool. Make it fun. (You're in marketing right? That shouldn't be tough for you!).

This way you can involve and benefit your own kids as well.
Rachel Mander
- +3
Aug 10 2011: Any spare time on this site...http://www.freerice.com/
It gives 10 grains of rice for every answer you give.
- Ian Young
  - +1
  Aug 13 2011: I signed up on this website and its honestly quite addicting watching the bowl fill up, thank you for the link!
Victoria Samra 10+
- 0
Aug 9 2011: victimless and insightful practical jokes. A lot of society's "woes" are ultimately based in individual negative psychological patterns that are common to many people. It's much for efficient to help people to solve their own problems, I think, but a lot of people can't see what's wrong.
Drew Bixby
- +4
Aug 9 2011: Read to your kids and include other kids whenever possible. Great question! I enjoy the responses.
- Audrey Misiano
  - +1
  Aug 13 2011: Reading aloud is the best way to jump start awesome literacy skills....which I believe is the most important thing for the success of our children! Great idea, Drew!
Tarin Gonzalez
- 0
Aug 9 2011: Hi Jennifer, 1) volunteer at a food pantry w/the kids 2) volunteer at a soup kitchen 3) volunteer at a animal shelter - walking dogs and bring the kids along 4) Run a food & clothing drive at your office - every three months - benefiting different organizations every time 5) Environmental clean-up at your local park - with friends and family - great to get out walk and enjoy the scenery 6) Teach English to adults 7) Volunteer at a senior citizen home 8) Volunteer at a hospital 9) Get involved with your local community garden

I hope that these ideas will help! Good luck!
Denny Morales
- 0
Aug 9 2011: For one month just track your time. You will be surprised on how much time you really do have.

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