So many things in America are individualized, but community service is a unique opportunity for togetherness. If you have kids, recruit them to volunteer with you rather than getting a sitter when you serve at a local charity event. And if you have other family members nearby, scoop them up too. To give you some ideas about how you can do good, here’s how your family can get into community service.
Collect and Deliver Donations To a Homeless Shelter
First off, holding a supply drive of some sort is a great help. Partner with a food bank and task your kids with posting collection notices around town, helping you buy up groceries, and even going door-to-door with you to ask for donations.
Creating your own drive for tangibles gives your kids a chance to do some behind-the-scenes work. Give them space to research suppliers to recommend and come up with unique marketing ideas. For instance, giving them the keys to your social media accounts to create an online donation group for wholesale kids’ toys allows them to make a difference.
Serve at a Community Garden
Another way your family can get into community service is by visiting a nearby community garden on weekends. Time spent weeding, watering, and planting is precious for bonding, as you enable needy people’s access to nutritious foods. And if you don’t have one already, consider getting a garden started as a family unit.
Pick Up Litter Together
Your next option, picking up litter, isn’t attractive. That said, there’s a beauty to committing your time to it. Picking up litter feels like a futile task, but it teaches kids to do good no matter how others act. Experiencing a sense of purpose doing this helps motivate future do-gooding. Plus, if you’re ambitious, you can clean your area to a point where it’s clearly better-looking and safer.
Make Cards for a Nearby Assisted Living Facility
Our last idea involves writing sweet notes to assisted living residents. Unlike the other three services, this one focuses primarily on people’s socio-emotional health, something that may interest your kids and family more than other tasks. In addition, it trains their eyes on a group of people others often forget.