Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Ways for families to get involved together

Are you looking for a new way to spend quality time with your family? Is there a cause one of your relatives cares about that you'd like to support? Would your family enjoy meeting new people in your community? Does it feel like your family's priorities are getting out of whack? If so, volunteering together as a family might be perfect for you.

What are the benefits of family volunteering?
When families volunteer together, communities and families benefit. Communities get more hands put on important projects, and family involvement often translates to dedicated, reliable attendance. Also, when one family volunteers, it can be a tremendous example to other families, fostering a sense of community responsibility and perhaps even mobilizing others to contribute their time and skills toward improving the community.

Meanwhile, families themselves get a whole slew of benefits from community service. Volunteering can draw family members closer together, forging new bonds through shared experiences that are outside the normal daily routines. Parents, children, and other relatives who volunteer together also learn more about each other while experiencing new activities. New friendships can be made and new interests may be awoken that can stay with the family for the long haul. At a basic level, volunteering as a family is a concrete way to apply and demonstrate shared values and beliefs while making a positive impact in the world around you.

Some common family volunteering opportunities
There are a number of common volunteer opportunities that lend themselves quite readily to family involvement. It's a good idea to convene a family meeting and discuss what areas you are all most interested in working with each other on. Day-long environmental clean-ups give you and your family a chance to enjoy the outdoors together while also doing something positive for the planet. Volunteering at a homeless shelter, a food bank, or a soup kitchen can not only help the needy in your community, but can also remind your family members how fortunate they are to have each other. If a member of your family is planning to participate in a walk-a-thon or another charity fundraising event, there may be openings to get the rest of the family involved (handing out water to racers or programs to attendees at a dinner ball, for instance).

Many schools, nonprofits, churches, and community groups offer countless opportunities for the whole family to volunteer together in a range of activities, from coaching sports or playing music to visiting the residents at a retirement home or assisting a toy drive. These local resources may also be able to assist you in coordinating an "adopt-a-family" relationship, in which your family helps a recently arrived immigrant, refugee, or less fortunate family to adjust to the ins and outs of life in your community.

Your family can also take the initiative and create your own volunteer activities: perhaps you can rake leaves from an elderly neighbor's lawn, or help a low-income family paint their house. While some volunteer positions may involve a longer commitment, many opportunities suitable for families are short-term or one-time events.

Define family as you see fit
One important thing to remember about family volunteering is that you and your loved ones should decide what you call your family. Volunteering with an organization that doesn't accept your definition of family will likely create a situation that's unacceptable for your family as well. And although there's nothing wrong with your whole nuclear or extended family coordinating a volunteer outing, other combinations are also possible and may be easier to manage—especially if your family wants to take on a recurring role in the community. For instance, a grandmother and grandson might join each other on a project that's all their own, or a group of cousins might team up once a month. Members of divorced families may find a renewed sense of continuity in their relationships by regularly volunteering together in some capacity.

There are volunteer opportunities out there to fit families of all shapes and sizes. And why limit it to one family? See about getting your neighbors and friends involved, too.

For more information on this event or to learn more about family-friendly volunteering contact the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at (319) 272-2087, email or visit www.vccv.org.


Thanks to the ‘idealist’ for this information.



Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Family and Volunteering – Get Involved on November 21!

It's easy to feel disconnected, as parents juggle work, school, kids, and numerous activities. But some simple things can bring a family closer — playing a game, going for a hike, or cooking a meal together.
One of the most satisfying, fun, and productive ways to unite is volunteering for community service projects. Volunteerism also sets a good example for your kids and helps the Cedar Valley.
So why should your family lend a helping hand?
It feels good. The joy and pride that come from helping others are important reasons to volunteer. When you commit your time and effort to an organization or a cause you feel strongly about, the feeling of fulfillment can be endless.
It strengthens your community. Organizations and agencies that use volunteers are providing important services at no cost to those who need them. When the Cedar Valley is doing well as a whole, its citizens are better off, too.
It can strengthen your family. Volunteerism is a great way for families to have fun and feel closer. Many people say they don't have the time to volunteer. Try reconsidering some of your free time as a family. You could select just one or two projects a year and make them a family tradition.
What Kids Can Learn From Volunteering
If volunteering begins at an early age, it can become part of kids' lives — something they might just expect and want to do.

It can teach them:
A sense of responsibility.
That one person can make a difference.
The benefit of sacrifice.
Tolerance.
Job skills. How to fill idle time wisely.
Take Action! Family Volunteer Day!
The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley will celebrate the power of families on Saturday, November 21 from 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at 220 East 4th Street, Waterloo.

Teach your children the importance of service and nurture the desire to give back to the community.

Families will have an opportunity to put together literacy kits for our community’s most recent residents, make warm fleece scarves for residents of shelters, craft seasonal decorations for nursing homes, make cat toys for the Cedar Bend Humane Society, construct bird feeders, and make place mats for meals on wheels recipients. Representatives from some community agencies will have displays featuring family friendly volunteering opportunities.

Join us for Family Volunteer Day of Service!

For more information on volunteering contact the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at (319) 272-2087, information@vccv.org, or visit www.vccv.org.


Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Gratitude is Good for You

Thanksgiving isn't the only time of year we should reflect and take stock of all the positive things in life. As it turns out, there is scientific proof that being grateful is good for you. Here are nine ways to integrate gratitude into your life.

  1. Notice your day-to-day world from a point of gratitude and be amazed at all the goodness we take for granted.

  1. Keep a gratitude journal. All it requires is noting one or more things you are grateful for on a daily basis. No fancy notebook, no computer program required.

  1. If you identify something or someone with a negative trait, switch it in your mind to a positive trait.

  1. Gratitude requires humility, which the dictionary defines as "modest and respectful." Explore where it fits in your life.

  1. Give at least one compliment daily. It can be to a person or it can be asking someone to share your appreciation of something else.

  1. When you find yourself in a bad situation ask: What can I learn? When I look back on this, without emotion, what will I be grateful for?

  1. Vow to not complain, criticize, or gossip for 10 days. If you slip, rally your willpower and keep going. Notice the amount of energy you were spending on negative thoughts and actions.

  1. Sound genuinely happy to hear from the people who call you on the phone. Whether the caller responds with surprise or delight, he’ll know you value speaking with him.

  1. Become involved in a cause that is important to you. Donate money or time or talent. By joining in, you’ll gain greater appreciation for the organization, and it will appreciate you more, too.

According to Cicero, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others." Take time to be grateful today!


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Family Volunteer Day

Celebrate the Power of Families and Join us for Family Volunteer Day of Service
Saturday, November 21, 2015         
9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
220 E. 4th Street
Waterloo
 
Teach your children the importance of service and nurture the desire to give back to the community.
 
Families will have an opportunity to put together literacy kits for our community’s most recent residents, make warm fleece scarves for residents of shelters, craft seasonal decorations for nursing homes, make cat toys for the Cedar Bend Humane Society, construct bird feeders, and make place mats for Meals on Wheels recipients. Representatives from community agencies will have displays featuring family-friendly volunteer opportunities.
 
For more information on this event or to learn more about family-friendly volunteering contact the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at (319) 272-2087, email or visit www.vccv.org.