Oprah’s Angel Network was a yearlong campaign to encourage people to open their hearts and see the world in a different way. On a September 1997 Oprah Winfrey show, she outlined five specific things you could do to make a difference, in other words, to use your time, talents and heart to improve the quality of life for others.

Contribute to the World’s Largest Piggy Bank. To show that small change makes a difference, she asked you to start collecting spare pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Over $1 million dollars was collected and distributed to 50 high school seniors. Each state’s Boys and Girls Club award winner received $25,000 to help pay for college.

Build an Oprah House. Winfrey asked the residents of the 205 cities with TV stations carrying her show to build a Habitat for Humanity house. Furthermore, business owners were asked to donate money, materials and supplies. In May 1998, a group of volunteers broke ground on the first house in Omaha, Nebraska.

Do Your Job for Free. Oprah asked you to volunteer your special skills to help someone else. Once a week or once a month you could provide your services for those who wouldn’t normally have access to them. For instance, an Angel Mechanic in Los Angeles offers free repairs and advice to single moms with car trouble. Once a month, you can find him in a church parking lot doing routine inspections and repairs for those with fixed incomes.

Help at Your Child’s School. Oprah told you to go to your child’s school and ask how you can help. People are still participating in restorations, tutoring and special projects.