Serving Together: Five Ways to Volunteer as a Family
The Amazon toy catalog has arrived. Your kids have dog-eared the pages and completed their wish lists. The season of giving (and receiving) is fast approaching, but as every version of “A Christmas Carol” has taught us, our focus shouldn’t be solely on gifts. Without any ghostly visits, volunteering as a family is a great way to get into the spirit of the season.
“I love how volunteering teaches the kids to care about others and have a more giving spirit,” Melody Powell said. Powell is a third grade teacher at Stone Academy who does volunteer projects each year with her class. “I grew up very impoverished. Places like the Salvation Army provided me with necessities that I needed to survive, so I feel like I am giving back to agencies that helped me. It means the world to me to show kids even though they are young, they can make a huge difference.”
For the last two years Powell, her students and their families have rung bells for the Salvation Army as an optional weekend activity.
“My students and their families love it,” she said. “Some of them dress up in costumes, bring instruments, and have a dance party. It can be really fun and impactful to volunteer as a family or group."
In the spirit of the season, here are five family-friendly ways to get your children involved in giving back.
Salvation Army bell ringing
Age range: Children of all ages can volunteer with their families. Adult supervision is needed based upon the age/maturity of the child.
Volunteer opportunities: Just sign up, put on the apron and your best smile, and start ringing. Volunteers can sing carols, play instruments and dance. It is a great way to start off your holiday season and create a new family tradition.
Time commitment: Larger groups can take a location for a whole day (11 a.m. – 7 p.m.) or limited two-hour shifts are available.
Learn more: Visit registertoring.com or find your local Salvation Army location by zip code at southernusa.salvationarmy.org for this and other opportunities.
Meals on Wheels food delivery
Age range: Children of all ages are encouraged to ride along with their families. Kids 14 and older can also volunteer to pack meals in the Meals on Wheels kitchen.
Volunteer opportunities: Pick up and deliver meals on a designated route, usually around the middle of the day or pack meals in the kitchen in the morning.
Time commitment: Routes typically take one hour, and volunteers should sign up for a regular shift (weekly or monthly). Meal packing takes about two hours each morning.
Learn more:
Meals on Wheels of Greenville County: mealsonwheelsgreenville.org
Mobile Meals of Spartanburg: mobile-meals.org
Meals on Wheels Anderson: mealsonwheelsanderson.org
Harvest Hope food bank
Age range: Volunteers between the ages of 11 and 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Volunteer opportunities: Inspecting and sorting donations to make sure the food is safe for clients, working in the emergency food pantry, packing food boxes.
Time commitment: As little or as much as you want. Typically, volunteer shifts are two hours on weekdays with one to two Saturday mornings a month.
Learn more: First-time volunteers must complete an application, orientation and safety waiver online. Visit harvesthope.org/get-involved/volunteer for more information.
LEO Santa toy drive
Age range: Children of all ages
Volunteer opportunities: Coordinate neighborhood toy drives. Children 12 and older can also volunteer to sort toys collected during the big toy drive at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Dec. 6 – 7.
Time commitment: As much time as you’d like to give.
Learn more: leosanta.com
Greer Relief program support
Age range: With adult supervision, children as young as 2 can participate. Without supervision, the recommended age for volunteering is 14.
Volunteer opportunities: Working in the food pantry, tending to the garden, participating in the Christmas parade, assisting at the Christmas Shoppe, helping out at the Greer Market on select dates, or even collecting donations in your own neighborhood or school.
Time commitment: Most volunteer activities are typically a three-hour shift.
Learn more: greerrelief.org/volunteer
“Volunteering in your community, especially as a family, provides an excellent opportunity to connect with the people around you and gain a better understanding of the challenges some individuals face,” Caroline T. Robertson, executive director of Greer Relief, said. “It fosters empathy, a sense of belonging, and a shared commitment to making your community a better place.”
And these gifts will last far longer than any trendy toy in the Amazon catalog.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Serving Together: Five Ways to Volunteer as a Family
