Volunteering is good for the heart and the soul and it can make a big difference in your corner of the world. There are volunteer activities to suit everyone’s time and talents, including gathering items to donate.
Why volunteer? The answer seems obvious… to help others. But there is much more to volunteering than meets the eye. National Volunteer Week, celebrated each April, is a great reminder of the benefits of volunteering. It’s the perfect time to gather our as families to contribute, connect, and make a positive impact in our communities.
Volunteering as a family has benefits as well. When children grow up learning to volunteer, they tend to continue as adults and in turn, teach their children which results in generational outreach.
When volunteering as a family, here are some ideas to consider:
Choose activities as a family.
Everyone has different interests and abilities so take turns determining projects. The variety will be eye-opening to everyone.
Some of the best family vacations can be about volunteering.
Whether you consider summer volunteer programs close to home or have the time and resources to volunteer overseas, the experience will provide memories for a lifetime.
Begin a family tradition.
It may be an annual volunteer vacation or a special activity surrounding a holiday (collecting canned goods for a shelter to start the new year, sending valentines to nursing home residents, writing letters to military personnel on Memorial Day, donating school supplies near Labor Day, adopting a needy family in December, etc.).
Invite your children’s friends.
It’s a way to share the activity and reinforce the social impact as well as the fun.
Include extended family.
It’s often difficult to get the entire family together, except possibly on holidays, but a volunteer project might bring everyone out for a special day of giving back. Think about planning a family reunion around a volunteer opportunity.
Be aware of community opportunities.
The list of volunteer opportunities is endless. In addition to typical ways to make a difference such as cooking and serving homeless meals, holding clothing drives for shelters, cleaning up a park, or planting a community garden, pay attention to what is happening in the community. A family may have experienced a fire. The local library may need additional books. A flooded river may result in the need to fill sandbags. Be prepared to get the family to volunteer as the need arises.
Every family has its own dynamics and there are volunteer opportunities to fit the time, resources, and lifestyle of all of them. It’s just a matter of finding what works for your family.
