It is election season, and that means people you’ve never heard say anything about politics are posting and sharing impassioned political opinions on their Facebook page. Whether or not I agree with them is irrelevant; while some complain about the influx of armchair politicians, I welcome them (although I wish some would do some more research). We’re Americans; we have the right and freedom to let our voices be heard, and with the help of the internet, our voices can be louder than ever. Yet, out of all the hashtags and campaign slogans floating around right now, there’s one that has really stuck with me: Make America Great Again. What does that really mean? And how can we actually do it?

According to Gallup, Americans believe that more than half of government spending is wasted. According to People Press, in February of 2014, only 24 percent of the population trusted the U.S. government. People Press also reported more recently (November 2015) that, “74 percent of Americans believe that most politicians put their own best interests ahead of the Country’s.”

During election season, we become passionate about so many issues, and advocate some presidential candidate, yet the majority of America doesn’t actually trust the government to do its job? So what do we think happens after we vote? Do all the issues we just spent six months being passionate about just go away?

I’ve found that when I ask people these questions, they respond with, “There’s nothing we can really do about it; it’s up to our politicians. We vote, and that’s it,” or some iteration of that statement. But what if that wasn’t true? What if I told you there are many ways that any normal citizen can help their country? What if we didn’t just hashtag “feel the Bern” and then go on with our lives? What if we did more for our country than just vote for a business man who wants to build a wall or an old social activist who believes in giving free college to everybody? How can we, the people of the United States of America, actually make America great again?

We do it ourselves. I’m not saying we should go down to the Mexican border and build a wall. There are many things we can do within our own community that would make this country a better place. Soup kitchens, food banks, donating to various charities and churches, even just going out of your way to buy a hungry homeless man a sandwich: the path to a better America doesn’t only start with a change in leadership, but also with a change in heart. John Wesley, founder of the United Methodist Church, once said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”

That is how we make America great again. Not by building a wall. Not by “feeling the Bern.” Not by simply checking a box on a ballot on a single day in November. Real change for this country comes from us, the people of the United States of America, banding together and doing good for our neighbors. It really doesn’t take much if people would just care a little bit more; it’s not incredibly difficult finding a weekend or two a month to give a day or maybe just a few hours of your time. Doing so could make such a huge difference. Even if you’re schedule is jam-packed, or you don’t have money to donate to food banks or charities, just finding a way to make a random person smile every once in a while could help grow the positive attitude this country so desperately needs right now. We can make a real difference for our community and country by taking certain matters into our own hands, instead of simply relying on a government that nobody actually believes is reliable.

So I challenge you this year to do more than just vote. Make your voice heard, and also make your actions matter. Help someone in need. Volunteer at a soup kitchen a few times a month. Give some extra offering to your local church, or give a little of your income to a local charity. Let go of your old clothes, give them to Goodwill, and maybe they’ll not only warm someone’s body, but also their heart. Don’t just vote; go out into the world and be the change you want to see. As JFK said, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as you ever can. And together, we’ll make America great again.