We all need a little help from our neighbors, friends, and community sometimes. National Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day celebrates the selfless act of aiding fellow community members in need, whether it be in the form of mowing lawns, picking up groceries, or organizing neighborhood clean-ups. There are lots of ways you can help your neighbors and Chicagoland communities today, so scroll through our guide for tips on how to get started!

Gifts of Food

One of the simplest gestures of goodwill towards a friend or neighbor is the gift of food! This can take many forms: bringing someone a batch of freshly made baked goods, inviting them over for dinner, sharing a recipe with them, offering them some home-grown produce or herbal ingredients from your garden, and more.

This gesture of goodwill can also extend to your entire community or a community near you that is in need of aid: free food banks and kitchens are some of the best ways to ensure that everyone in a given area has access to sustenance, and organizations like these in the Chicagoland area are always looking for donations or volunteers. Check out the links below for information about food banks in your area and help feed your community!

Chicago
Food Resources

Barrington
Food Resources

Elmhurst
Food Resources

Evanston
Food Resources

Arlington Heights
Food Resources

Naperville
Food Resources

A Helping Hand

Another excellent way to do something good for your neighbor is to ask what home or yard-related tasks they need help with. Everyone could use assistance in keeping their yard mowed or raked, and in simple home repairs where two sets of hands are more beneficial than one.

Be sure to pay attention to any neighbors you may have who are elderly, infirm, or need assistance performing physical tasks. Offering to move heavy furniture, weed or water a garden, or tackle a strenuous maintenance job are all excellent ways to help your neighbors who need it the most. Additionally, see if your neighborhood has a program in place for members to help pick up and drop off groceries, prescriptions, and other items for those who are unable to.

A Cleaner Chicagoland

Helping to keep your neighborhood clean is a gift that everyone around you can appreciate. This can be accomplished by doing periodic walks around your area to pick up litter, helping to pressure wash a neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk, and even starting a local cleanup program that others can participate in or a neighborhood car wash drive on a sunny day.

There are also numerous cleanup and preservation projects situated all across Chicagoland’s parks, rivers, and residential areas that you can get involved in today! To learn more and sign up to be a part of these conservation and cleanup efforts, check out the links below.

Chicago Southland Green Community Cleanup

Southside Cleanup Project

Chicago Pitch In For the Parks

Forest Preserves of Cook County Litter Cleanups

Litter Free Chicago-Calumet River Project

River North Clean Streets

Thanks for lending a hand to your neighbors and community!

Need help picking out a housewarming gift for a new neighbor? Check out our recent article below.