1Togo Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Are your children involved in regular service projects? If so, what are they? I am putting together a list of things that dd and I can do together. Bonita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saille Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Things we've done: perform at a retirement/assisted living home assist in local cleanup efforts run an annual MLK Day food drive at our church tag monarchs for monarchwatch volunteer in various ways at our church; my oldest frequently helps with coffee hour preparation. All of my children help to set up the RE classrooms regularly go door to door on behalf of a candidate during election season I'll come back if/when I think of more. We've been trying to get involved in local conservation efforts, such as the "purple project", which raises beetles that eat invasive purple loosestrife plants, but many of those are geared towards children older than mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 My daughter and husband volunteered each spring and holiday season at the postal food drive. Other than that, my daughter volunteered routinely at the public library. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 I'm going to start delivering meals with Meals on Wheels with my oldest and youngest. They told me they would be happy to have my children come along as long as I "don't have 101 of them." I told them I'd only bring 2 but I'm wondering if they won't allow me to bring all 4 when school is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 I'm going to start delivering meals with Meals on Wheels with my oldest and youngest. They told me they would be happy to have my children come along as long as I "don't have 101 of them." I told them I'd only bring 2 but I'm wondering if they won't allow me to bring all 4 when school is out. Well, four is certainly not 101! (It could be fun to gather up 100 children of your acquaintance and take them all along with you ....) Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 (edited) My dd and her friend are helping fund raise for a huge project--a $30,000 playground for Autistic and other special needs kids going through our local mental health system. They have a school on-site at the mental health building, and desparately need a place for those kids--a safe haven for them. They have less than $5,000. to go after a year and a half of preparing and going to service organizations, etc.! At any rate, they just called the local mental health place and were given choices of projects they could help with, and chose this one. Though it'sbeen an amazing experience, they said they'll pick a smaller project next time! :D I suggest calling your local place and see if they have anything available for young volunteers. Also, the Humane Society is always looking for volunteers, and usually have MANY projects available. My dd did a project for them on her 10th Bday--asking for donations for the HS instead of presents. Then the friends that came to the party got to help take it in and donate it. All the party stuff and the games were animal, mostly cat & dog, themed. It was fun and they were able to help the place too. WWe volunteer there once a week to walk dogs and work with the cats. Other ideas: Big brother/Big Sister Help others with homework Feed the homeless Make ziplock bags with toothbrushes, toothpaste, a comb, washcloth, lotion, shampoo, soap, etc. (small sizes) to hand out to a local shelter. Ask for people at church or other places for donations of items, or money to buy the items to fill the bags. Collect coats or mittens and caps, for homeless and/or struggling families Take part in a city or road clean-up Raise money for a cause such as what my dd is doing, or a place like the American Cancer Society, Diabetes Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness/prevention, etc. Have the kids draw colorful pictures and take them to a retirement center/hospital/nursing home On the same line, put together a program--sing, talk, skits... and call the above places to see if you can perform it for some of the residents. They LOVE kids doing stuff like that! Our Church "adopted" a retirement/nursing home for a few years, and we did Christmas programs, Angel tree to buy them something for Christmas and let the kids pass out the presents, Easter programs, and just days where we'd go in and play games, put puzzles together or just talk with the residents. Lots of neat stuff available to do! Best wishes, it's wonderful that you're wanting to help your kids with this, it's sooo rewarding! Edited August 3, 2010 by Brindee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Togo Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 Thanks everyone for the ideas. I am adding to my list. Bonita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth in NC Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 I'm going to start delivering meals with Meals on Wheels with my oldest and youngest. They told me they would be happy to have my children come along as long as I "don't have 101 of them." I told them I'd only bring 2 but I'm wondering if they won't allow me to bring all 4 when school is out. Paige, I took my three and the older two delivered for other drivers and the youngest went with me. The organizer for that day was thrilled because we essentially made up 2 full cars for her. They were much appreciated. We have been doing this for years now and only the youngest and I are left. BTW the other drivers were known to me, didn't let them go off with strangers.:001_smile: Good luck. Ruth in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 We've done read a thon fund raisers for bible translation, and MathaThon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We were "limited" over here because my 14 y.o doesn't drive. So we began to look for ways to serve in places that we normally were going. So, this summer, my oldest was able to volunteer to be a Jill of Many Trades *work VBS for younger kids *set up community events at church - set up tables, chairs, etc. (lots of behind the scenes work) *cooked food for a family in our church that is battling cancer *helped another family load up a moving van for out of state move *babysit for moms groups in homeschool settings *and she was a teen page at the local homeschool convention this summer. So, ask around your local homeschool office if they need teens to work in the office she's had a busy summer with serving. We had these plans that we'd do a rotation of learning about major charities/ministries in our city and seeing what we could do. So far, they haven't been receptive to us due to the age of my daughter even when I said that I'd be there with her. So, looking forward to seeing how that will develop over the next few years when she gets older. I know that the hospital where my dh works has a teen volunteer program. So,? as a family, we've done things like clothing and food drives. We try to pray for specific missionaries that we know. We've helped with collecting supplies for disaster relief projects. I was thinking out loud and remembered on another forum I'm on, we have an ongoing list. maybe some of those ideas will help too. They were geared for what can my high schooler do, and what can my family do together. http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5245 -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emzhengjiu Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 My daughters volunteer at our local zoo working with children. All of us participate in a group program visiting nursing homes. Both girls are acolytes at church and I work with the children's chapel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 We had these plans that we'd do a rotation of learning about major charities/ministries in our city and seeing what we could do. So far, they haven't been receptive to us due to the age of my daughter even when I said that I'd be there with her. So, looking forward to seeing how that will develop over the next few years when she gets older. We've run into that some too, which can be frustrating! I was actually surprised that the people at the Mental Health place, that has the school on-site, was so willing to work with my dd and her friend! They were 11 when they started this project, and the lady was excited to work with them! It's a fund-raising project, and she said people LOVE seeing kids out working for a good cause instead of glued to their x-boxes or IPhones or things like that, so they're good for fund-raising efforts! And it's true, some of the donations the girls have gotten, the people who donated said they wouldn't have given if the other girl's mom and I had been asking, but when they saw the kids asking, it helped them want to give. Anyway, just saying, you may be able to find someone like that, at a place like this, that needs fund-raising done. Then you work up a plan with them. As the project rolls on, the child gains a HUGE amount of experience, meets people, learns to speak in front of others, learns all sorts of things...... THEN they have a track-record, and people will probably be more willing to work with them. It's an amazing experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Anyway, just saying, you may be able to find someone like that, at a place like this, that needs fund-raising done. Then you work up a plan with them. As the project rolls on, the child gains a HUGE amount of experience, meets people, learns to speak in front of others, learns all sorts of things...... THEN they have a track-record, and people will probably be more willing to work with them. It's an amazing experience! given the work that we've done in fund raising in other states, this might be a great idea in our new city! thanks! -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Are your children involved in regular service projects? If so, what are they? I am putting together a list of things that dd and I can do together. Bonita My older kids are doing prep work for VBS. Things like making up packets of materials that will be used for crafts, sorting and bagging the take home items for each day, etc. They have also helped with Sunday School, in particular doing the puppet shows at the beginning of class. My oldest is in his second year of rock climbing. He helped teach the beginner's group (lots of knots) and also helped to install the holds onto a new bouldering wall. My middle son is interested in going to the library and reordering the books in the children's section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Mine have done: Library Sailing Club volunteer repair/cleaning & help w/open houses Non-profit theater--concession stand (great for learning a cash register too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted August 6, 2010 Share Posted August 6, 2010 My dds volunteer at a school for students with severe special needs. That is their regular volunteer work. We also do random things: play music for an assisted living community, work at the community meals program, make items for Newborns in Need and Projet Linus, volunteer at summer camp for special needs kiddos, etc. Some we have also considered that might interest you: hospital volunteer (that's what I did in high school) Meals on Wheels library summer program volunteers ZooTeen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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