Looking for something fun and rewarding to do as a family… VOLUNTEER!

The hustle and bustle of everyday life can be overwhelming.  Today’s families are challenged with work, school, sports, music lessons, dance lessons, and the list goes on.  Some days it can be a challenge to share a meal together. So, with the craziness of day-to-day living, where does helping others and giving back to your community fit in?  How can you spend time together as a family unit, while still passing on the compassion of community service to your family?

Two words….family volunteering.

Family volunteering provides you with a unique opportunity to strengthen family bonds while at the same time helping in your community.  There are dozens of benefits to volunteering, including reducing stress, promoting a sense of gratitude, creating new relationships, and providing purpose.  These are all great things to share with family. But stop and consider the additional benefits family volunteering brings:

• Strengthening your family’s values.
• Increasing your quality time together.
• Creating and developing ties to the community.
• Experiencing teachable moments.
• Creating and nurturing life-long volunteers.

Don’t let the thought of volunteering as a family overwhelm you.  First, start with identifying what you want the family to experience.  Is your goal to volunteer at a nonprofit’s special event or are you considering volunteering on a monthly basis?

Next, as a family discuss what causes are important to everyone and decide where your abilities and skills are best suited.  Be realistic on your skill sets. You want the family experience to be a positive one.
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Lastly, be honest about the time commitment your family can provide.  If two hours is the maximum amount of time your family has available, be sure you select a volunteering opportunity to fit that need.

There are hundreds of ways to volunteer.  Here are a few to consider:

• Socializing animals at a local shelter.
• Cleaning up a local park.
• Collecting items for a local food pantry and stocking the shelves.
• Spread cheer during the holidays by caroling at a hospital or senior center.
• Collecting school supplies.
• Write thank you cards for veterans.
• Collecting pet supplies for a local shelter.
• Sort through your family’s old books and give them new life by donating them.
• Set up a lemonade stand and donate the profits to a local nonprofit
• Visiting with seniors - adopt a “grandfriend”!
• Handing out water during a 5K event.
• Yard clean up for seniors or someone with a disability.

​Consider kicking off family volunteering with Albums of Hope.  This nonprofit works to lift the spirits of cancer patients during difficult times through the gift of completed photo albums filled with uplifting quotes and beautiful scenery photos.  Albums of Hope will be holding a family volunteering event on Wednesday, July 10th. All materials will be supplied for families to make a pocket-sized album for an adult and a child to be donated to one of the many organizations they collaborate with.  To learn more or to register for this event visit Family Fun Volunteering. 

Still looking for something else to fit your family’s needs.  The Volunteer Center can help.  The Volunteer Center has relationships already built with nonprofits and can help find the right opportunity for you.

• Click and search for volunteer needs posted.
• Email to schedule a time to talk in person or over the phone to arrange a volunteer placement for your family​.

Don’t think of volunteering as something else to cross off your to-do list.  Consider the value of sharing precious time with family and contributing to the well-being of your community.