Volunteering is something that I have always thought about doing, but it was never a high enough priority. Whenever I thought about it, it just got shuffled off to the side. The other problem was finding something that I would enjoy. Now I have a 4yo (will be 5 in Feb) who is an only child and rather spoiled. I want to get him involved to help teach him to consider and help those less fortunate than him.
Yesterday, in the car listening to the radio, I heard a commercial for the Salvation Army $5.00 challenge. At the end it mentioned they were accepting volunteers. That little light bulb in my head popped on! My son is always interested in the bell ringers. He has a miniature bell that he received from one of the bell ringers last year that he loves playing with. I asked him if he would like to be one of the bell ringers that stand outside the stores. He said yes! I found their website and just submitted my information. We are going to be bell ringers for the Salvation Army!
So, just out of curiosity... When was the last time that you volunteered your time? What did you do? How did you hear about the organization/activity? Was it though work or church? Was it just you, or was it with family and friends? Also, how often do you volunteer?
I volunteer weekly delivering meals via Meals on Wheels. It is a great organization. I always feel safe and have met some amazing retired folks on my route!
I also am involved in some civic organizations that speak to middle school students, etc.
I volunteer my time twice a month running a girl's group at my church, in addition to those two meetings times I spend a few hours a week preparing and organizing what we will do at those meetings.
I have volunteered at a homeless shelter before serving meals but I have not done that for five year.
Just heard about a women who lost her husband, still is trying to run their family buisness with a few young mouths to feed and care for. The place is a childrens play area, it is not doing well because her husband always took care of a lot of the buisness advertising, staffing and financies. A friend posted on facebook that she is looking for volunteers to staff the place because the buisness is not doing well and she can not afford to pay a staff. I plan on stopping in and seeing what I can offer to do, as well as talk to up to families in the area to get her more buisness.
My brother works at an inner city school, the kids are so far behind, the parents either do not care, never around, or working so much that they do not help their own kids. I have collected school supplies for them, wish I could mentor some of them but the hour after school that my brother has set up as their tutoring/mentoring time is when I have to get my daughter from school.
It is not volunteering but something that teaches kids to give back; make Christmas cards and then go caroling at nursing homes & hand out the cards. It is surprising how few groups go caroling any more at nursing homes.
I really want to volunteer weekly, still trying to figure out my schedule (first year of daughter in school full time plus working part time) so I can always offer the same day/time otherwise I will to be disorganized and forget.
I have done a ton of volunteering. It is one of the best things you can do to help others and help yourself at the same time. What I mean by helping yourself, is that you get outside of your own self, see the needs of the community, and get to know other like-minded people.
I happened to have friends who did this, so that's how I found my volunteering opportunities. I also was involved in music, and ended up doing a lot of fundraising by performing (overseas). That's a little different, and a whole lot more work than just showing up and doing a "job", but it was fantastic and I felt that I made a difference in peoples' lives.
Food banks need many hands - Salvation Army is great! Samaritan's Purse/Operation Christmas Child would be wonderful for you to do with your son. You two can pick out the toys for your special box together and send it in for a needy overseas child. My mom does several of these boxes every year, and has also worked at their warehouse helping dispense the boxes. It's kind of like a calling for her!
Good luck, have fun, and feel that wonderful feeling in your heart of being of service to others!
Dawn
I have volunteered a lot in my life: starting at school when the kids were younger, at church, now at the local Children's hospital, through their foundation, I will also start leading a support group for people who have suffered a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).
I have met the most wonderful people through volunteer efforts. When my youngest are out of the house my husband and I plan on volunteering our time and resources to medical missions.
We volunteer all the time! My husband & I teach kids at church. Or we lead a small group (focusing on marriages, money, etc). Our kids walk around neighborhoods (for an hour!) with us hanging door knob invitations, and we sign up to fill Operation Christmas Child boxes together. Last year, we decided we wanted to help another family at Christmas time. So, we're putting together a $100 basket of food to bless someone with. And it's a family decision -- we financially sacrificed all year long for it, and we'll put the basket together as a family & pray for the receiving family together. I think it's great to think of others & to do what you naturally enjoy. Teach these things to your kids & make sure it's an honor to be able to do it -- and not a chore. We are blessed -- pass it on! :)
(Oh, I also volunteer at school. There are lots of places where you can find what fits you best!)
As your kids get older, you find yourself volunteering more and more with the activities and the schools. We spend hours volunteering with the high school marching band, the high school swim team, and the high school theatre department -- these are the things in which our kids are involved. We volunteer at church for youth activities, meals on wheels, and more.
We volunteer a week of time and hard labor at our summer band camp - we cook every meal and snack for 50 hungry kids and staff. We have worked our church's pizza booth, sold spirit wear, made and sold goodies for theatre performances as well as music concerts. You name it - we've done it. We've done it since our kids could walk. They like to help others and to serve and are always the first to volunteer - whether it's to load equipment, help stack chairs, or do a crappy errand or job. If you help others, you discover that you've got it pretty good... We've always told them that a life of service to others is a life well lived.
My oldest is continuing this tradition - he will be commissioned in the Army when he graduates from college.
Get involved - you'll be glad you did.
LBC
I volunteer a lot at church (every Sunday and then some) and my son's school a few times a month. I also adopt an angel each Christmas.
I am also a Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer, so I take my little sis out twice a month. It's very rewarding for me and my family. Families can also volunteer to adopt a little brother or sister as well.
I want to do more community outreach though. Looking into becoming a medical reserve corp or red cross volunteer. I am also hoping to volunteer at our local women's pregnancy outreach center.
As a youth, I volunteered at nursing homes and animal shelters. It's something I was raised with and am doing the same with my family. It is so very important for even young children to see the sacrifices we as adults make to help others, and then to involve them when they are old enough.
Love your post! I volunteer for the Salvation Army in my small town My girls (8 and 6 ) and I rang the bell last saturday for a Christmas event we had in our community. I know firsthand how many people we help. This is our busy time. We try to get the word out as much as possible. The need is always there. Good for you! It's great to have the kids help so they understand the meaning of the season : ) My girls always dress up like elves : ) Have a great Christmas!
I volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. I started by doing house design sketches, was part of a team to get LEED certification (energy efficient design) on another home and I work once a week in their ReStore.
Being a single mom, the HfH mission really spoke to me. The organization provides a way for working people to own their own homes, and often the households are headed up by single moms living in unsafe or substandard conditions.
A friend who is a construction manager for Habitat invited me to help design a couple homes for odd shaped lots. She also headed up the LEED certification team. As that project was winding down, I wanted to do more. So now I meet with a couple design friends once a week to stage furniture and decor at Habitat's ReStore.
That's so cool! Good for you!
My church partners with lots of places so I have lots of opportunity to serve. We work with ACH to help out with foster families, work with building relationships and mentoring elementary students in a poor area, work with Neighborhood Needs which is a local food pantry and shelter and then of course, I work within the church itself as a teacher with the 4 year olds.
I liked working with ACH the most. We hosted a big appreciation dinner and little getaway for foster parents. They got 3 hours away from the kids and we got to spend some time with those awesome little ones. :)
Merry Christmas!
