Humanity, as a rule, has quite the talent for helping others, even when it seems as though the world around us is falling apart. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, we’ve seen friends and family members, neighbors, and even strangers reaching out to support and care for the people around them.
Whether its supporting senior residents or your community or taking on the role of an adoptive parent, the efforts to which many do-gooders go to help the people around them are inspiringeven when, to them, it just seems like going through a typical day.
1. Supporting Non-Biological Parents
For stepparents and similar guardians, it might seem silly that anyone would question their parental rights. After all, they are directly involved in raising, loving, and caring for this child. What many stepparents and even the non-biological parent within same-sex couples don’t realize is that a second parent adoption can be crucial to protecting their parental rights in a legal sense.
HuffPost contributor Lora Liegel didn’t know she needed to consider a second parent adoption for her son. Despite being married and raising their baby as any couple might, Lori learned that because of her sexual orientation and the fact that she wasn’t biologically connected to their son, her rights as Finn’s legal parent could be questioned. Fortunately, with the guidance of what Liegel calls some badass female lawyers in Seattle, she was able to move through the process of second-parent adopting her son, giving her and her family the peace of mind that her parentage would be legally recognized.
2. Reaching Out to Seniors
Senior assistance and elderly care come in many forms, including caregivers who support older people in their homes, residential programs through senior care facilities, and other forms of eldercare. However, caring for local elders doesn’t have to be done only in a residential or home care setting.
Author Celeste Ng, for example, found herself concerned for an elderly woman who she noticed sitting in a weird place on the sidewalk. Rather than disregarding the situation, Celeste reached out and learned that this senior stranger had sat down to rest and wasn’t able to get up on her own. The Little Fires Everywhere author helped the woman to her feet and back to the local senior center where she livedan inspiring example of helping others in the most informal sense.
3. Increasing Accessibility
Living with a disability inevitably adds challenges, not the least of which is the expense of getting adaptive equipment and accessible opportunities you need to thrive. Activists like those at the IM ABLE Foundation work to confront these limitations and increase accessibility while building a supportive community of disabled and able-bodied participants alike.
Founded by Chris Kaag, a disabled former Marine, IM ABLE aims to remove obstacles that ordinarily affect the disabled community and provide access to programs, equipment, and community that can unleash their potential, particularly as it applies to physical health and fitness.
4. Comforting Those in Need
Many LGBTQIA+ individuals face challenges from social rejection and injustice to a lack of support and diffidence in their sexual or gender identity. Many parents, spouses, and partners (same-sex or otherwise) face abuse and negativity. Still, others face systemic injustice and dangers for other reasons.
While broader societal changes are crucial, the simple act of emotional or spiritual support can make these situations a bit more bearableand that’s just what Lask and Spencer, the team behind Grey Kindred Spirits, set out to do with their pro bono efforts. Identifying themselves as eclectic magical practitioners, Grey Kindred Spirits offers spiritual services such as energy work, ritualized prayer, and general counseling to those in need at little to no cost. Promoting protection or positivity, their alternative methods of helping others can be the best option for many you’d otherwise deal with discrimination or a lack of support.
Every moment of every day, individuals are working to help others, whether it’s improving their quality of life, creating a better world, or simply reaching out with tangible or more abstract support. With such inspiration, it’s easy to find yourself wanting to make such a difference, too, be it large or small.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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