How to get involved in your community in 2017

Spread some love through one of China’s many charitable efforts. Here are five different ways to do so.

Give your stuff to those in need 

There are plenty of places in Shanghai where you can donate your gently used goods. Bring toys, books, clothing, and even furniture to Shanghai’s Mifan Mama, which sends the items to orphanages in Shanghai and beyond. The River of Hearts programme from Community Center Shanghai (CCS) delivers donated items to struggling rural areas across China. Another hot tip: the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau’s website (shmzj.gov.cn) provides a list of government collection points to drop off items in both Puxi and Pudong. 

Rescue or foster an animal

While donations are great, you can help the Shanghai rescue community the most by taking in a foster pet. Fostering is generally cost-free for volunteers and an excellent way to contribute to the city’s massive homeless animal problem. Reach out to Best Friends China, Jaiya’s Animal Rescue, Second Chance Animal Aid or People for Pets to find out more about both adopting and fostering opportunities. 

Help China go green 

There’s a lot you can do to help green up the city. Get involved with the Million Tree Project, Shanghai’s branch of global environmental organisation Roots and Shoots, which has planted over two million trees so far in China. Join non-profit Green Initiatives in its environmental efforts through recycling programs like [WE] Project, aimed at all kinds of electronics, from laptops to cables. Do a little labour by assisting RenDu’s efforts to clean up Shanghai’s coastlines. 

Volunteer your time 

Help tackle mental health issues by becoming a part of Lifeline Shanghai, an English-language hotline run by trained volunteers who offer free emotional support to callers 24/7 every day of the year. Head to Mifan Mama to go on outings with Shining Star, a home for blind and partially sighted kids. HandsOn Shanghai needs volunteers for everything, like being a nurse’s assistant for orphaned babies to a companion to the elderly. Spend time with children of busy migrant workers through INCLUDED, or join activities at hospitals almost any day of the week with the kids from Heart to Heart, which gives support to children with heart defects. 

Join educational endeavours 

Adream Charitable Foundation is looking for teachers at its centres around China, where children can gain access to education that they normally couldn’t get. Teach English to migrant and rural kids with Stepping Stones China, or be a sponsor for Shanghai Sunrise to help China’s disadvantaged children receive a better education. Get involved with Giving Tree (from the CCS) which pairs donors and organisations with migrant schools in order to provide personalised bags of items chosen for ‘winter warmth and school success’.