Family Volunteering Holiday Ideas Volunteer Engagement 2008

2 Why volunteer with your family? Family volunteering is a concrete way to be sensitive to social issues, to advance the common good and to understand that the world is a better place when we care for one another. Volunteering with your family means quality time spent with each other as well as a service to others. Young people who volunteer with their families become adults who volunteer with their families. A group of people can get more done.

Volunteer Engagement Questions to ask before you start… Why are you interested in volunteering? What are the ages of your children? Who would you like to help? Or what issues are you interested in? What does your family enjoy doing together? How frequently would you be able to volunteer? Would you like to volunteer with other families? What talents and skills does your family have to offer? What do you want your family to learn from the experience?

Volunteer Engagement The holidays are a great time to start! It’s a great time to introduce the concept of volunteering as part of a family tradition. Everyone can lend a hand and help the community meet critical needs. Plan your volunteer activities for the year -- Holidays are an ideal time to decide what cause or issue your family would like to support and how each family member could contribute. There are lots of opportunities, check out to get started.

Volunteer Engagement Some Family Friendly Project Ideas Food drive -- Coordinate a drive for a food bank. Toiletries – sort and bag items collected for homeless shelters and others in need. Closet Cleaning -- Organize a closet cleaning and donate clothes, furniture and other items to a shelter. First Thanksgiving -- Help those displaced by a disaster or new immigrants celebrate their “First Thanksgiving” by collecting food, kitchen supplies, linens, clothing, etc. Welcome Baby Baskets – Have a shower for new moms in need with diapers, washcloths, blankets, parenting tips, board books and other materials.

Volunteer Engagement More Family Friendly Project Ideas Holiday or Birthday Wishes – Celebrate your child’s birthday or the holidays and assemble goodie bags, wrap presents and treats for children in shelters. Prepare and/or Deliver a Meal – Prepare or pick-up a prepared meal to deliver to the homebound. Adopt a family – Or a senior in need for gift giving. Make holiday cards -- Take your cards to a nursing home or hospital. Cook and serve a meal -- Volunteer at a homeless shelter, coup kitchen or other institution.

Volunteer Engagement Even More Family Friendly Project Ideas… Support the military – Make holiday cards for personnel overseas or at a Veterans Hospital Sing-along for Shut-ins – Go caroling at a nursing home or at a children’s hospital Holiday Crafts – Make holiday crafts along with children at a homeless shelter or at and adult daycare Holiday Tea – Make cookies, placemats and serve tea a senior center or for those homebound. Clear the Snow! – Volunteer to shovel the snow for a senior all winter. Give them a card with this gift!

Volunteer Engagement Start now! Identify areas of interest Try something once Involve your children throughout the process Ask others to volunteer with you. Find local opportunities –

For more information contact : Mei Cobb Volunteer Engagement Thank you!