3 Ways You Can Make a Difference in the World

Over the past couple of years, as we’ve dealt with the pandemic, individuals and families have shown a deeper interest in finding ways to impact their communities and the world. There are many ways to make a meaningful difference, and here we will highlight three: volunteering, impact travel and investing with a purpose.

1. Volunteering

There’s no shortage of opportunities to volunteer in your community, so it’s really your choice as to which causes you want to support and how you choose to help them. You can donate your time, expertise, labor and efforts to raise awareness and help fulfill an organization’s greatest needs. If there’s already a specific cause or organization you’re passionate about, consider giving them a call or looking online to sign up as a volunteer. If you aren’t sure where you’d like to volunteer but know you want to get involved, there are tools online to help pair opportunities with volunteers, such as VolunteerMatch.org.

2. Impact travel

For many of us, travel provides a way to unplug from our stressful lives and experience different cultures and places. Impact travel allows us to continue to do this while positively impacting the places we visit. Booking your stays at socially and/or environmentally conscious lodging, supporting local businesses while traveling and participating in eco-activities such as hiking, safaris and visits to animal sanctuaries are all ways to travel while making an impact.

Other options are intentionally traveling at off-peak times to avoid the effects of over-tourism and visiting smaller, less-traveled destinations where the local community can really benefit from increased employment opportunities and an infusion of tourist spending to support the region’s economy. Lastly, participating in “voluntourism” is another way to impact travel. Voluntourism allows travelers to participate in volunteer work, usually for a charitable organization. You should thoroughly vet each charity you’re considering and partner only with reputable organizations for voluntourism to ensure your efforts positively impact the community.

3. Investing with a purpose

Investing your money in a way that aligns with your values has become increasingly popular. You can accomplish this through various strategies, such as excluding specific companies or sectors from a portfolio or intentionally tilting a portfolio toward those that align with your values. There are also impact projects with investment opportunities that have very specific goals, such as promoting renewable energy or access to clean water. Another option to invest with a purpose is shareholder advocacy, where shareholders vote on resolutions that guide decisions made by a company’s board of directors. Let your voice be heard, and make your opinions count.

For many, a full and rewarding life involves finding ways to give back and positively impact the world. The opportunities to impact our communities and the world are vast; there is something for everyone, regardless of age, skill set, ability or schedule. Please reach out to your CI Private Wealth team if you’d like to brainstorm or explore any of these options or if you have any other ideas in mind for making a difference. We’re always committed to helping you reach your goals, financial and otherwise.

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