Celebrating Volunteering the Family Way
Studies show time and time again how volunteering as a family not only benefits one's health, but helps teach compassion, empathy, communication and relationship-building skills. Kickstart your family's holiday season with a new tradition of joining others in service this National Family Volunteer Day!
10 Family Volunteer Tips:
1) Keep it close to home > find a service project or volunteer opportunity that means something and interests your family - get creative and find a way to volunteer your family hobby.
2) Ask others to join > invite neighbors, friends, classmates, and extended family to join in on the Family Volunteer Day fun.
3) Save time getting organized > Use VolunteerSpot's free online signups to save time coordinating and communicating a service project this season. Count on mobile access and auto-reminders to keep everyone on track.
4) Look online > Check out VolunteerSpot's Family Volunteer Ideas eBook for inspiration, and find ways to serve in your neighborhood, school, community, you name it! Also visit HandsonNetwork or GenerationOn for local NFVD opporutnities too.
5) Put thought into it > if your family decides to clean house and donate old items or canned goods, make sure they are worthy of donation, wash, dry and fold them - even contact your local food bank to find out what they are most in need of.
Related: 8 Things to Know Before Donating to a Food Bank
6) Try something you haven't done > Volunteering is often about stepping out of our comfort zones. Consider doing this as a family when selecting your holiday service project and encourage the kids to take the lead
7) Take something away > Follow up your family volunteer day with a time to set together and talk about the experience and what each of you learned and enjoyed
8) Don't keep up with the Jones' > How and when your family is able to give back is all your family needs to worry about. Your service project or holiday volunteer opportunity is unique to you, as is the experience. Put energy into making the most of serving others with your own children.
Related: 10 Family Volunteering Ideas
9) Take pictures > Where appropriate, take photos and capture those special moments of giving back as a family so it feels just as important as vacation.
10) Go volunteer > Don't plan on it but then get swept up in the busy holiday season! Make serving together as a family a priority - put it on the calendar, involve everyone and start a new tradition!
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