Learn Ways to Get Involved

The beginnings of compassion, generosity, responsibility start as children learn about community and supporting others, in daily life and times of crisis such as homelessness.

Adult’s role:

• Role model caring and compassionate behavior, such as volunteer work, helping out a neighbor, becoming involved with your school or church and small acts that children observe or perform as well.

• Connect with the surrounding community to find ways to get children involved in helping, such as community clean-up campaigns, nursing homes, homeless shelters, food banks, or animal rescue centers.

• Discuss everyday heroes or helpful people, and talk about their actions with the children.

For more ideas on how you and your family can volunteer locally in ways that are appropriate for the ages of your children, please visit our partner agency The Volunteer Family.

Getting Involved Service Project Examples:

Food: Collecting food is a good way to help children understand that not everyone has enough to eat. Canned and non-perishable items are best, including peanut butter, dried beans, canned meats, macaroni and cheese. Ask agencies in advance if they can accept fresh or home-baked items. Be sure also to ask if they can pick up your collected items or if you need to deliver them. Agencies that are likely to accept collected food include Second Harvest agencies, soup kitchens, child care centers, churches, homeless shelters, transitional shelters (like Salvation Army), domestic violence shelters, some senior citizen agencies.

Book Drives: As every parent and teacher knows, reading with children is a special event for everyone involved. Collecting books can be equally fun for children and parents to do together, especially if they pick copies of the children’s own favorites. When selecting books, choose books that are new or in good condition and remember to include books with multi-cultural subjects and illustrations. Many centers appreciate books for all ages, from board books for toddlers all the way up to youth or teen books. Some also welcome books written for parents about topics such as parenting skills or keeping a child healthy. Agencies who appreciate books include community child care centers, homeless shelters, churches, libraries, literacy programs, domestic violence shelters, refugee resettlement programs, or any program where a child might need the comfort of reading or being read to.

Toys: Toy drives are a wonderful way for children to learn the joy of sharing. New toys are the nicest, but any donated toy should be clean, in good shape, and have all its parts and pieces. Many agencies accept only new items – check first. Agencies that are likely to need your toys include community child care centers, homeless shelters, churches, refugee resettlement programs, domestic violence shelters, and schools or centers for children with special needs. You may also want to ask if they need port-a-cribs, car seats, strollers, or other items needed for a small child.

Clothing: Collected items should be clean, in good condition, and have the size indicated. Needed items include shoes, socks, underwear, diapers, warm coats and outerwear, hats, gloves, and scarves. Many agencies accept linens, towels, and blankets, and some also especially solicit professional clothing appropriate for job interviews. Check first to find out whether the agency prefers clothing for children, for adults, or both before you collect. Agencies to target include churches, some community child care programs, refugee resettlement programs, emergency assistance programs such as the Red Cross or the Salvation Army, and domestic violence shelters.

Personal Care Items: Gift baskets consisting of personal care items are often welcomed by agencies who serve homeless people or individuals who need emergency care such as victims of fire, flood, other disaster or domestic violence. Needed items include trial sizes of shampoo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, lotions, and other toiletries.

Gifts: Creating gift baskets can be a rewarding and fun activity for kids of all ages. Gifts can be newly purchased items, unused items from home, or handmade crafts. Before donating, ask yourself, “Would I give this to a friend?” Programs which may especially appreciate gifts handmade and delivered by children include senior centers or agencies who serve families who have lost children through violence.

Two simple family practices that plant the seeds of compassion include the following:

(1) family appreciations at a meal, where every family member says something they appreciate about another person, giving thanks for others on Thanksgiving, birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s day and "non Hallmark days.

(2) family practices or activities can lead to items like A Grateful Gratitude Chart, where on a specific day each family member shares something for which they are grateful.

Volunteer for your community or church at a park or public area:
Churches and communities offer lots of potential for family engagement that even young children can participate in. Cleaning, clearing or planting at a public/community property is a refreshing family activity. The family might help clean a park, plant seeds or flowers, remove invasive plants, create trails, or clear riverbanks. While working side-by-side with parents and sharing an experience that connects them with nature, children learn to value natural resources, they take pride in their accomplishments and see the results of their labor. Volunteering for a loosely structured outdoor activity is especially wonderful for families with energetic toddlers and preschool children.

Visit nursing homes
The laughter and spirit of young children is never more appreciated than by residents of nursing homes. Many homes have volunteer coordinators to help families participate. If your family enjoys baking - it’s wonderful to bring batches of cookies; if you enjoy art, make cards, collages or paintings to adorn the walls; children might play a musical instrument or sing songs and older children might read to the residents. Bringing infants and toddlers to a nursing home often excites the residents and helps the children become familiar with older or incapacitated people. The visits help children become comfortable with people who are different than themselves; they learn compassion and kindness; and often children feel appreciated because they see how much people enjoy their company.

Walk for a cause
Walk-a-thons are events where people raise funds for a cause and walk to make the community aware of the cause. Learning about social issues and explaining them to potential sponsors has a profound empowering effect on children. In addition to raising funds, walking as a family is a social activity that strengthens the family bonds. Breathing fresh air, connecting with nature and exercising our bodies are added benefits. Walk-a-thons also provide terrific opportunities for families to connect with other families who share values and have other commonalities.

Send wishes to service men and women
Your family can bring a smile to men and women in military service or veteran hospitals by letting them know that you care and are thinking about them. Children’s drawings, cards and letters of hope and encouragement can make a tremendous difference in someone’s day. In addition to cards and written sentiments, families send toddler finger paintings with photos of the toddler creating it or infant footprints. Families have been known to establish on-going meaningful relationships with one or two veterans. Wishes for the Wounded also welcomes donations and financial support. http://www.amillionthanks.org/How_To_Mail.asp

Activities appropriate for families with preschool children

Donate clothes and toys to shelters or other organizations
Many children have an abundance of toys, clothing and other “stuff.” All children outgrow clothing of which is in good condition. Giving their belongings to others is a way to help children feel empowered- they learn that they can make a difference in the life of another child. Help your child sort and select items to donate to less fortunate children. By making this process a semi-annual event you are teaching your child that giving is part of your family culture. Take your children with you when you donate the items. If you donate to a homeless shelter your child will see first hand how other children live and often it motivates them to be more giving.

Collect coins in a change/ penny jar
Discuss social issues and charities to see what peaks the interest of your children. Older children might enjoy researching organizations on the Internet. After selecting a cause, start a change/penny jar where family members and possibly guests deposit change. Children can decorate the jar and sort and count the coins. By counting the money young children learn money recognition, classification and addition.

Deliver for Meals-on-Wheels
Meals-on-Wheels is a national organization administrated at local levels that provides daily nutritious meals to needy people that are delivered by caring volunteers. All family members can deliver meals on wheels and get to know the people to whom you are delivering the meals. By volunteering together, the family has the opportunity to establish a meaningful relationship with people who would not normally be in their lives. Children are able to see and feel the joy that their giving brings. Meals- on- wheels programs welcome families to make an ongoing commitment or merely help out a few times a year.

Activities appropriate for families with school-age children

Work in a community food program
Elementary-age children are capable of helping prepare and package food in a community soup kitchen. They can also help cook or serve at a dining hall where homeless people are given a hot, nutritious meal. In a dining hall where homeless people are fed, the volunteer servers often have the opportunity to sit with the people and share life experiences. Children often see the commonalities between themselves and the people they are “helping.”

Join in family activism
Family activism gives children an opportunity to learn about important matters, formulate and express their opinions and learn to take action in appropriate ways through public or faith based efforts. Activism has many forms: it might include making signs, writing letters to decision makers, entering art or essay contests, joining a walk-a-thon or participating in educational or peaceful demonstrations. Learning to express their ideas, standing up for beliefs and taking action helps children develop an understanding of community service. They develop compassion as they see that they can make a difference in the world.

Volunteer and raise funds for children's ideas
Many older children who have been raised in a culture of thinking about others and taking action develop their own ideas to raise funds and/or support organizations in other ways. Children might select a charity and raise money by setting up a car wash, shoe shine stand, a lemonade stand or sell services (from pet walking to shoveling snow to reading with younger children). Children can also volunteer to read to young children or the elderly, peer tutoring or helping neighbors with chores. The parent’s job is to encourage children, honor and support their ideas and help them with logistics and resources.

Collect food
Food Drives are wonderful activities that encourage social consciousness in everyone. Children can plan simple activities such as requesting that friends bring cans of food to their birthday party with or instead of gifts to more elaborate projects such as a neighborhood food drive. While we do not suggest that you ever let your children go door-to-door, with your help your kids can connect with food banks or shelters, work with volunteer coordinators, make signs explaining the projects and place boxes in visible areas. Your children can be socially conscious at a young age!