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 out of
control? If so, volunteering together as a family might be perfect for you.
What are the
benefits of family volunteering?
When families volunteer together, communities,
nonprofits, and families benefit. Non-profits gain participation on important
projects, and family involvement often translates to dedicated, reliable
attendance. Also, when one family volunteers, it can be a remarkable example to
other families, raising a sense of community responsibility and perhaps even rallying
others to contribute their time and skills toward improving the community.
Meanwhile, families gain benefits from community service.
Volunteering may bring family members closer together, creating new ties
through shared experiences that are outside the normal routine. 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 developed that can stay with the family for extended periods
of time. Basically, volunteering as a family is a concrete way to apply and
demonstrate shared values and beliefs while making a positive impact in the
community around you.
Some common family
volunteering opportunities
There are a number of common volunteer opportunities that
lend themselves toward family involvement. It's a good idea to meet as a family
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 of 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.
The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley, schools, churches,
and community groups offer numerous opportunities for the whole family to
volunteer together in a range of activities; coaching sports, assisting a toy
drive, playing music, or visiting the residents at a retirement home are
examples. 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 to generate 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 appropriate
for families are short-term or one-time events.
The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley represents 108
nonprofit agencies with over 190 volunteer opportunities. The VCCV can help
coordinate family volunteer opportunities and outings. Call 272-2087 or visit www.vccv.org to get involved.
