Volunteering Begins at Home

What does volunteering do for children? Volunteering teaches kids valuable life lessons such as empathy and social responsibility. They can learn time management and the importance of teamwork, and it can expose them to new ideas and new interests that can last a lifetime. Best of all, kids get the same psychological boost from giving back and making a difference that adults do, helping their overall mental health. It’s never too early to start and there are plenty of ways to foster volunteerism in your kids without leaving your neighborhood.

Most food pantries have family volunteer opportunities that include school-age kids, but even the youngest can help from home. Start a family food drive and collect canned goods and non-perishables to drop off together. Talk about the foods your kids like to eat and what they think other families would enjoy.

Philabundance, a food collection and distribution organization that works with over 350 community partners, has created a new program for supporters at home, the Notes of Sunshine Project.

Kids can write notes to the families supported by Philabundance and its local partners. The instructions are easy - write clearly with larger-sized print, use colored pencils and crayons, and add stickers, smiley faces, hearts or other pictures. They even offer ideas to start a note such as ‘Today is your day!’ or ‘Your day is always better when you laugh!” Finished notes are delivered to the Philabundance warehouse where they’re included in deliveries.

Many residents in nursing homes or members of senior centers are lonely and miss interacting with children. For kids who are too young or too shy for an in-person visit, sending cards, notes or small crafts is the next best thing! They can share their favorite songs or write about their pets. Many of our military stationed away from home would also enjoy a reminder of family life. Want to get started? Color A Smile is a nonprofit organization that distributes your kids’ drawings to people in need of a smile, including nursing homes, hospitals, meals on wheels programs and our troops overseas.

Every child enjoys gardening where they can dig in dirt and discover bugs. Make it a project to help others. Learn together about native plants that support bees and butterflies. Grow vegetables to donate to your local food pantry. Gardening is relaxing and rewarding and can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has suggestions for beginners, including kid-friendly, easy-to-grow plants.

KidsThatDoGood is an online search program that matches a kid’s interests and location to find volunteer opportunities. Your local library and your community’s office on aging can also offer referrals and your neighborhood civic association could have spring clean-ups or planting parties looking for extra hands. There’s an opportunity out there for everyone!