Throughout our lives, from childhood to adulthood, community is an essential part of everyday existence. Sometimes we don’t see or fully understand its impact, and sometimes we may think it is irrelevant. But for both rural towns and larger cities, community is vital in ways we can’t imagine.

No matter where we grew up, it is almost certain that, in some way, your community contributed positively to your formative years. This is why it is so important to return these favors, and to give back, even in small ways.

There are many ways of contributing to your community. Giving back doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, a large donation, or a big show of gratitude. In fact, it is often the small things that can make a big difference. The easiest and most simple way of contributing to your community is through your generosity and willingness to help others less fortunate. Whether donating to your favorite charities or causes or volunteering in ways that help others, contributing to your community is both rewarding and enriching.

“Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

Giving back may be one of the most important principles in life. Those who are givers often receive the rewards of giving in many ways other than just financial gain.

It’s been written that the poor will always be among us, but in recent times these disparities have grown by leaps and bounds. Today, the importance of giving back has been magnified. Nonprofits and community organizations are feeling the strain of increased demand for services from those in need while funding for many has begun to dry up.

We all need a helping hand from time to time. It is often our communities that support us in those hard times, and now it is our turn to support them, as the rewards of pitching in and helping those in need can be one of the most enriching feelings in life.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Winston Churchill

By doing good you feel good, and when you feel good, you inspire others around you to take positive action in their lives too.

By contributing to a cause, you are working towards making your community a better place. The donation of your money or time can increase your impact by encouraging your friends, family, colleagues, and networks to give as well. Your community is only as strong as the people within it. The more support that can be provided, the better off the community will be.

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

Coretta Scott King

Thriving communities are those that have engaged citizens who get involved and give back to their community. By investing in their community, they enhance the quality of life for themselves, their family, their neighbors and fellow citizens. The communities that are on the decline, maybe even dying, are those in which citizens are apathetic, unengaged and uninterested in supporting vital projects and organizations in their community.

The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for charitable giving to help our community become a place where people will want to live, work, play and raise their families.

There are several ways that you can give through the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way. You can:

• Give to the United Way campaign to help less fortunate and underprivileged families and children that are struggling to meet the most basic living needs.

• Give to funds that are already established in support of trail systems, parks, education, recreation, environmental and beautification projects, community safety initiatives and even your church.

• Set up your own charitable fund and use it as a convenient tool for managing your charitable giving.

No matter how you give, by using the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way as your charitable giving vehicle, your donations are tax deductible, and some donations can even qualify you for receiving state of Iowa tax credits.

For more information on how the Fort Dodge Community Foundation can help you give back to your community in meaningful ways, contact our office by calling 515-573-3171, or stop in and visit with us at our office located at 24 N. Ninth St. in downtown Fort Dodge.

Randy Kuhlman is the CEO of the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way.