Chessed Ideas
1. Give a quarter to tzeddakah every morning before Shacharis.
2. Pick up people's fallen coats and hats from the floor and hang them back up.
3. When in a room with a locked door and someone knocks, be the first to get up and open it even if there's someone closer to the door.
4. Be the first to greet people.
5. Give a tip to a taxi diver (or anyone else whose parnossoh is partially based on tips), even a small one.
6. After taking food from a serving plate at a farbrengen or simchah, pass it down the table so everyone can have it.
7. When on the highway, stop at entrances to allow cars to merge in.
8. Pay for the person behind you at a tollbooth.
9. Give a donation to the owner of the drycleaners to pay for someone's drycleaning.
10. When at a restaurant, pay for someone's meal together with yours (look around the restaurant and see who looks the poorest – e.g., bochurim, young girls).
11. Check parking meters to see if any are out of money, and put a quarter in.
12. After eating in a cafe, clean up after yourself.
13. Learn a lot of good jokes so you can tell them to people and make them laugh.
14. Allow someone with only a few food items at the store to go ahead of you.
15. Surprise a friend or co-worker with a cup of coffee.
16. When you see a notice to say Tehillim for someone, immediately say a kappitel tehillim for that person.
17. Donate blood.
18. Donate groceries to a food-distributing chessed organization.
19. When you see a door that should be open with a doorstop, but it's been moved, open the door and push it back in place.
20. Offer the delivery man a drink.
21. Visit a nursing home to chat with some of the residents and cheer them up.
22. E-mail your parents and grandparents from time to time.
23. Offer to help when you see a woman trying to get a stroller up the stairs or through a door.
24. When you see a chained bike that has fallen down, pick it up.
25. Donate penniless bochurim change to buy a snack or a drink (you especially get a lot of them in 770 during Tishrei).
26. Bring old magazines to a medical office waiting room.
27. Offer gum or candy to the person sitting next to you on the train or bus.
28. Buy a stranger dessert at a restaurant. (Single out someone who looks like they don't have money, like a bochur.)
29. If you see someone swipe his or her Metrocard and there's no money on it, give him or her a swipe.
30. When you see signs for a worthy organization being put out on lawns, call up the organization and tell them they could put on yours, too!
31. Share your umbrella with someone who doesn't have.
32. Every time you get a donation request from some organization in the mail, mail a donation, and do it right away, so as not to forget.
33. Donate old clothes to a clothing collection.
34. Leave money in the vending machine for the next person to get a free treat.
35. Say, "Good Shabbos" to everyone you pass on Shabbos.
36. Hang up inspirational signs around the neighborhood.
37. When at a wedding, take pictures with a digital camera, put them on a CD and give them to the chosson and kallah afterwards.
38. Do shtick at a wedding.
39. Resist speaking lashon harah, even when you have a very strong temptation.
40. Put a dime in every pushkah in a store. (Carry a stash of dimes for this purpose.)
41. In the mikvah offer someone who doesn't have soap, shampoo, deoderant, etc. some of yours.
42. Donate towels to a mikvah: Buy some cheap clean towels, bring them to the shul before Shabbos and hide them, then come to the mikvah on Shabbos morning after all the towels are finished and put out the clean towels for people to use.
43. When you pass by a musician playing in the street, give him a dollar or two.
44. Go to the library and pay off someone’s fines for late returns.
45. Send a former teacher a thank you note for the difference they have made in your life.
46. When buying a ticket to a concert, buy a second one and offer it to someone to go with you.
47. Put away the s'farim in shul at the end of davening.
48. On Rosh Chodesh and holidays say "Ya'aleh V'yavoh" out loud in the Shemoneh Esrei, to remind others to say it.
49. Send a card to someone in the military overseas.
50. Buy a pizza and bring it to 770 late at night for bochurim who are still learning.
51. Offer a cup of brewed coffee to a janitor in 770.
52. Obtain tzeddakah boxes which collect funds for a good organization and distribute them in stores.
53. Make a list of people's birthdays and call them up or write them "Happy Birthday!" on Facebook when it's their birthday.
54. When in a place (e.g., a yeshiva) where's there's milk out or something else that will go bad if left out, put it back in the fridge.
55. Carry extra pens on you so you'll have one handy if someone needs to borrow a pen.
56. Wear a smiley-face pin to make people who see it smile too. (And also to make sure that you're always smiling, since it would seem contradictory to be in a bad mood while you're wearing a smiley-face pin.)
57. Carry a piece of candy on you, and if you pass by a small child crying, give it to him.
58. Buy a box of donuts and bring it to the police station.
59. Buy a coffee for the guy making his living selling magazines in the street.
60. Bring a box of cookies to work for your coworkers to have with their morning coffee.
61. When someone starts telling you lashon harah, try b'derech noam to get him to stop.
62. Treat a friend to lunch on his birthday.
63. Take a granola bar or two with you when on the subway, and hand them to someone who comes on to collect money. (But don't give money; it just supports their habit.)
64. Hold the door open for someone.
65. If someone tells you he's trying to sell something, spread the word and try to find a costumer for the person.
66. When you go to drop off sheimos, bring a cart and call people you know whose houses you're passing on your way and ask them if they need sheimos dropped off.
67. When going to a place in the hot weather with people you know, buy a big bottle of water and some cups and offer everyone a drink.
68. Bring extra hangers back to the drycleaners.
69. In the winter, carry extra tissues on you so as to have one handy if someone needs a tissue.
70. When you see kids selling lemonade or candy, buy from them to be supportive.
71. Give someone a sincere compliment.
72. When you see free produce being given away (e.g., fruit and vegetables before Pesach) call people you know to tell them about it.
73. Upon finding spoiled milk at a coffee room in a shul or yeshivah, throw it out so someone doesn't accidently drink it by mistake.
74. Buy from a bochur trying to make a few bucks selling s'farim or tzitzis.
75. At the beis medrash, when you finish using a book, put it away back in its proper spot (even if you found it lying around.)
76. Adjust someone's tefillin shel rosh without being asked.
77. Use a mirror to put on tefillin shel rosh, and leave it out so other people can borrow it.
78. At shul on Shabbos when you go to get a Chumash, bring some extra ones for other people at your table.
79. Give candies out to little children at shul on Shabbos.
80. Help a kid in shul who's having trouble finding the right place in the siddur.
81. When you pass by people rallying for a good cause (e.g., holding up signs or handing out flyers), give them a yeshar koach for their hard work.
82. When you see a notice asking to call a government office and protest about something important (e.g., shleimus ha'aretz) take down the number and call it.
83. Learn a sichah or a ma'amer with someone.
84. When you finish reading Beis Moshiach, drop it off at 770.
85. Always say please, thank you, and you're welcome with a big smile.
86. Come to a Chinese auction to show your support for the cause.
87. When buying sushi, leave a tip for the sushi maker.
88. When someone gives you something to give to someone else, give it to the person the first opportunity you have. (Don't wait for the person to come to you.)
89. Buy a gift for a disabled child.
90. Help someone find a shidduch.
91. Say something kind to a friend who is depressed.
92. Donate a good bottle of mashkeh to a shul for kiddush.
93. Don't cross the street when you see cars coming, so they won't have to slow down for you.
94. Write something nice to someone on Facebook.
95. When asked to give a d'var Torah, give an inspiring one that contains a practical lesson.
96. Donate a bottle of soap or shampoo to a mikvah. Label, "for everybody to use" on it.
97. Donate $36 to a chabad house.
98. Donate $36 to an organization that helps chossons and kallahs (such as Keren Simchas Chosson V'kallah)
99. Donate $36 to a Jewish school (even the school you work in).
100. In Shmah Koleinu, daven for someone you know.
101. Do each one of these acts of chessed at least once, in a year. Do a sum total of at least 770 of them. Write a check next to each number on this list after doing the corresponding act of chessed, and record a tally in a notepad of all the acts of chessed on this list you've done so far.
2. Pick up people's fallen coats and hats from the floor and hang them back up.
3. When in a room with a locked door and someone knocks, be the first to get up and open it even if there's someone closer to the door.
4. Be the first to greet people.
5. Give a tip to a taxi diver (or anyone else whose parnossoh is partially based on tips), even a small one.
6. After taking food from a serving plate at a farbrengen or simchah, pass it down the table so everyone can have it.
7. When on the highway, stop at entrances to allow cars to merge in.
8. Pay for the person behind you at a tollbooth.
9. Give a donation to the owner of the drycleaners to pay for someone's drycleaning.
10. When at a restaurant, pay for someone's meal together with yours (look around the restaurant and see who looks the poorest – e.g., bochurim, young girls).
11. Check parking meters to see if any are out of money, and put a quarter in.
12. After eating in a cafe, clean up after yourself.
13. Learn a lot of good jokes so you can tell them to people and make them laugh.
14. Allow someone with only a few food items at the store to go ahead of you.
15. Surprise a friend or co-worker with a cup of coffee.
16. When you see a notice to say Tehillim for someone, immediately say a kappitel tehillim for that person.
17. Donate blood.
18. Donate groceries to a food-distributing chessed organization.
19. When you see a door that should be open with a doorstop, but it's been moved, open the door and push it back in place.
20. Offer the delivery man a drink.
21. Visit a nursing home to chat with some of the residents and cheer them up.
22. E-mail your parents and grandparents from time to time.
23. Offer to help when you see a woman trying to get a stroller up the stairs or through a door.
24. When you see a chained bike that has fallen down, pick it up.
25. Donate penniless bochurim change to buy a snack or a drink (you especially get a lot of them in 770 during Tishrei).
26. Bring old magazines to a medical office waiting room.
27. Offer gum or candy to the person sitting next to you on the train or bus.
28. Buy a stranger dessert at a restaurant. (Single out someone who looks like they don't have money, like a bochur.)
29. If you see someone swipe his or her Metrocard and there's no money on it, give him or her a swipe.
30. When you see signs for a worthy organization being put out on lawns, call up the organization and tell them they could put on yours, too!
31. Share your umbrella with someone who doesn't have.
32. Every time you get a donation request from some organization in the mail, mail a donation, and do it right away, so as not to forget.
33. Donate old clothes to a clothing collection.
34. Leave money in the vending machine for the next person to get a free treat.
35. Say, "Good Shabbos" to everyone you pass on Shabbos.
36. Hang up inspirational signs around the neighborhood.
37. When at a wedding, take pictures with a digital camera, put them on a CD and give them to the chosson and kallah afterwards.
38. Do shtick at a wedding.
39. Resist speaking lashon harah, even when you have a very strong temptation.
40. Put a dime in every pushkah in a store. (Carry a stash of dimes for this purpose.)
41. In the mikvah offer someone who doesn't have soap, shampoo, deoderant, etc. some of yours.
42. Donate towels to a mikvah: Buy some cheap clean towels, bring them to the shul before Shabbos and hide them, then come to the mikvah on Shabbos morning after all the towels are finished and put out the clean towels for people to use.
43. When you pass by a musician playing in the street, give him a dollar or two.
44. Go to the library and pay off someone’s fines for late returns.
45. Send a former teacher a thank you note for the difference they have made in your life.
46. When buying a ticket to a concert, buy a second one and offer it to someone to go with you.
47. Put away the s'farim in shul at the end of davening.
48. On Rosh Chodesh and holidays say "Ya'aleh V'yavoh" out loud in the Shemoneh Esrei, to remind others to say it.
49. Send a card to someone in the military overseas.
50. Buy a pizza and bring it to 770 late at night for bochurim who are still learning.
51. Offer a cup of brewed coffee to a janitor in 770.
52. Obtain tzeddakah boxes which collect funds for a good organization and distribute them in stores.
53. Make a list of people's birthdays and call them up or write them "Happy Birthday!" on Facebook when it's their birthday.
54. When in a place (e.g., a yeshiva) where's there's milk out or something else that will go bad if left out, put it back in the fridge.
55. Carry extra pens on you so you'll have one handy if someone needs to borrow a pen.
56. Wear a smiley-face pin to make people who see it smile too. (And also to make sure that you're always smiling, since it would seem contradictory to be in a bad mood while you're wearing a smiley-face pin.)
57. Carry a piece of candy on you, and if you pass by a small child crying, give it to him.
58. Buy a box of donuts and bring it to the police station.
59. Buy a coffee for the guy making his living selling magazines in the street.
60. Bring a box of cookies to work for your coworkers to have with their morning coffee.
61. When someone starts telling you lashon harah, try b'derech noam to get him to stop.
62. Treat a friend to lunch on his birthday.
63. Take a granola bar or two with you when on the subway, and hand them to someone who comes on to collect money. (But don't give money; it just supports their habit.)
64. Hold the door open for someone.
65. If someone tells you he's trying to sell something, spread the word and try to find a costumer for the person.
66. When you go to drop off sheimos, bring a cart and call people you know whose houses you're passing on your way and ask them if they need sheimos dropped off.
67. When going to a place in the hot weather with people you know, buy a big bottle of water and some cups and offer everyone a drink.
68. Bring extra hangers back to the drycleaners.
69. In the winter, carry extra tissues on you so as to have one handy if someone needs a tissue.
70. When you see kids selling lemonade or candy, buy from them to be supportive.
71. Give someone a sincere compliment.
72. When you see free produce being given away (e.g., fruit and vegetables before Pesach) call people you know to tell them about it.
73. Upon finding spoiled milk at a coffee room in a shul or yeshivah, throw it out so someone doesn't accidently drink it by mistake.
74. Buy from a bochur trying to make a few bucks selling s'farim or tzitzis.
75. At the beis medrash, when you finish using a book, put it away back in its proper spot (even if you found it lying around.)
76. Adjust someone's tefillin shel rosh without being asked.
77. Use a mirror to put on tefillin shel rosh, and leave it out so other people can borrow it.
78. At shul on Shabbos when you go to get a Chumash, bring some extra ones for other people at your table.
79. Give candies out to little children at shul on Shabbos.
80. Help a kid in shul who's having trouble finding the right place in the siddur.
81. When you pass by people rallying for a good cause (e.g., holding up signs or handing out flyers), give them a yeshar koach for their hard work.
82. When you see a notice asking to call a government office and protest about something important (e.g., shleimus ha'aretz) take down the number and call it.
83. Learn a sichah or a ma'amer with someone.
84. When you finish reading Beis Moshiach, drop it off at 770.
85. Always say please, thank you, and you're welcome with a big smile.
86. Come to a Chinese auction to show your support for the cause.
87. When buying sushi, leave a tip for the sushi maker.
88. When someone gives you something to give to someone else, give it to the person the first opportunity you have. (Don't wait for the person to come to you.)
89. Buy a gift for a disabled child.
90. Help someone find a shidduch.
91. Say something kind to a friend who is depressed.
92. Donate a good bottle of mashkeh to a shul for kiddush.
93. Don't cross the street when you see cars coming, so they won't have to slow down for you.
94. Write something nice to someone on Facebook.
95. When asked to give a d'var Torah, give an inspiring one that contains a practical lesson.
96. Donate a bottle of soap or shampoo to a mikvah. Label, "for everybody to use" on it.
97. Donate $36 to a chabad house.
98. Donate $36 to an organization that helps chossons and kallahs (such as Keren Simchas Chosson V'kallah)
99. Donate $36 to a Jewish school (even the school you work in).
100. In Shmah Koleinu, daven for someone you know.
101. Do each one of these acts of chessed at least once, in a year. Do a sum total of at least 770 of them. Write a check next to each number on this list after doing the corresponding act of chessed, and record a tally in a notepad of all the acts of chessed on this list you've done so far.