Create the Good Launches in Las Cruces with Community Shredding Day

Las Cruces residents took advantage of AARP New Mexico’s community document shredding day Sept. 12th to properly dispose of old financial documents and learned other ways to prevent becoming a victim of identity theft.

The event was part of the AARP’s launch of its new Create the Good Initiative, which encourages people to stay engaged in their community by volunteering and giving back.

“The way people volunteer has changed over the years,” said Beth Velasquez, AARP New Mexico Associate State Director Communications. “Some people don’t want to make a big commitment toward a particular project or organization. What Create the Good highlights is you don’t have to spend a lot of time to make a difference in someone’s life.”

The Las Cruces shredding event is a perfect example. People were encouraged to take what they learned about preventing identity theft and fraud and pass that along to family and friends or next time someone hears about a document shredding day, offer to give a friend or neighbor a ride to the event so they can get their documents shredding.

“The point is, no matter how much time you have, whether it is five minutes, five hours or five days, you can give back to your community. Talking to someone about identity theft might seem like a small gesture but if you help someone keep their finances safe that can have a huge impact,” Velasquez said.

The Create the Good website lists a number of volunteer opportunities in each state and also has tools and information about how to organize your own community event or how you can reach out to others within your community.

As cooler days approach, do you know someone that might benefit from an energy audit of their home? The Create the Good website has instructions on how to conduct one. There are also instructions for wise use of medications, fraud prevention and emergency preparedness, among others.

“Times are tough right now for a lot of people. AARP’s hope is that people will reach out to others in need and lend a helping hand keeping in mind that small gestures matter just as much as large ones. There’s nothing quite a fulfilling as knowing you’ve helped someone and often doing so simply costs you a little bit of time,” Velasquez said.

Visit Create the Good for more information on volunteer opportunities in your area.