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10 Ways to Fight Hunger This September (And Always)

Nationally recognized as Hunger Action Month, September shines a light on the movement to reduce food insecurity and hunger in our country. Did you know that recent survey data* shows almost 17 million children live in food insecure households? These are kids who don't know where their next meal is coming from or how they will find something to eat when they are not at school.

For many of us, the stark statistic of 1 in 6 people in our country going hungry is incomprehensible, however, it's a way of life many are accustomed to which we are 

It's easy to start making a difference though right now - check out 10 ways to fight hunger:

1. Find your local foodbank. Donate food and/or your time to your local food bank, click HERE to find a food bank near you.

2. Organize a food drive. At school, with your Scout troop, team, faith group, you name it, collecting donated food is a top way to fight hunger in your community. VolunteerSpot's free online signup sheets help coordinate donations and reminders. Click here for more info

3. Make a meal for a local homeless shelter. Make it a family affair, connect with your local faith group or nonprofit to find a family shelter and schedule a meal your own family can provide.

4. Go orange. Show solidarity in the fight to end hunger by going orange - turn your facebook cover photo or twitter pic orange and spread the word. Click HERE

5. Get the app. Download the CookingMatters in partnership with NoKidHungry, click HERE.

6. Adovcate. Fight for our government to keep and empower anti-hunger & food assistance programs. More info from FeedingAmerica HERE

7. Spread the word on social media. Find sample tweets, posts and pins from FeedingAmerica HERE and spread awareness.

8. Spark children to action. Alott extra allowance one month and have kids research a local charity that addresses hunger to which they can donate their money.

9. Turn your celebrations into donations. Hosting a party or a family get-together? Encourage attendees to bring 3 non-perishable items to donate and have your kids decorate a box to place at the doorway to collect food.

10. Be aware. The greatest problems facing our communities are those which are ignored. Be aware, be informed and most of all, take action!

 

*FeedingAmerica Hunger & Poverty Statistics

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink

Tags: fighting food insecurity, fighting hunger, hunger action month

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Corporate Volunteering Ideas

5 Key Qualities of Outstanding Corporate Volunteering Events

By: Chris Jarvis of RealizedWorth.com  (This post originally appeared on RealizedWorth Aug. 6, 2013. Find an excerpt below and the entire piece here)

We highly recommend the creation and support of employee led engagement teams as a best practice in corporate volunteering and giving programs. If you have these teams in place, or you lead a team, you may want to consider the following five elements when planning your next employee volunteering or giving event.

1. Be Specific

Corporate VolunteerWhen you’re choosing a volunteer project for you and your fellow employees, make sure you have a specific goal in mind. The more specific the goal of the event, the more likely it will motivate others to want to achieve it.

Actually, you may want to consider 3 types of specific goals:

- Outputs – This is all about the numbers: how many hours, how many people, how many meals (for example). For example: “We served 1000 meals in a day to homeless men.”
- Outcomes – this is about immediate value created for the beneficiaries: the company, the employees, and the community. For example: “We ensured that 1000 men did not go hungry for one more day in our community.”
- Impacts – this is about immediate and long-term change: what may change in the community, the company or even among employees as a result of the volunteering event?For example: “employee perspectives towards issues of homelessness in our community are more informed and they have clear opportunities to take action and are working to address the issue.”  Remember: be bold!
The Microsoft Citizenship Report is a good example of understanding these 3 types of goals.

2. Make it Meaningful

The team of employee volunteers must believe that the project or event will have significant impact for the community and the business. This is particularly important when inviting colleagues who have little experience with volunteering (which is most people, statistically speaking). Everyone wants to know they ‘made a difference’ when they gave their time or money. Taking some time to understand what this difference will be and how their contribution achieves it is incredibly important. Gathering everyone together for a “brief” prior to the volunteer activity is a best practice for clearly communicating meaning.

3. Measure & Share

The objectives of the event must be clear enough to determine how well they are achieved. Your fellow employees will want to know what kind of progress was made through their volunteering. If you didn’t solve hunger by passing out 1000 meals, what did you achieve? Underscore what was achieved during a ‘de-brief‘ following the event. But to do this well; it’s very important to know what you’re measuring. Taking the time to be specific with your goals will make measurement much easier.

There's more! Read the entire post over on RealizedWorth.com

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink

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Festivals, Festival, Festivals

Festival Planning & Volunteer Coordination

Spring and Summer are festival time and that means outdoor fun, great food and drink, games, art, and so much more! Festivals can have anywhere from hundreds to thousands of attendees and are often supported by a large volunteer effort - that's where VolunteerSpot comes into play!

Free Online Sign Up Sheets - Easy Volunteer Coordination

With tons of large festivals across the country taking advantage of VolunteerSpot's free online sign up tool, thousands of volunteers are getting organized quicker, easier and with less stress. Interested? Take a tour today and check out just a few of the fun festivals below who have saved countless hours, emails and phone calls just by using VolunteerSpot to coordinate their big event.

KUDOS FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS & VOLUNTEERS!

Pin-a-Go-Go Pinball Festival

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    New Orleans Oyster Festival 

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Omaha Beer Fest             

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Ouray Co Mud Fest

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Ridgeway River Festival 


RRF 2013 LOGO-small


CountryFest 

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St. Philip Neri Italian Festival

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Fleurs et Vin, Dayton OH


Fleurs et Vin



Crossroads Film Festival

Crossroads



Chandler Jazz Festival

Chandler Jazz

Fairfield Co Irish Festival

Irish Festival

   Solar Fest 2013

Solar Project

We salute all the volunteers who make festivals so much fun to attend! From the parking attendants, to the food booth volunteers, to helpers at the admission tables...thanks for doing good!

Festival & Large Event Resources:

10 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

Organizing a Large Event with VolunteerSpot

Festival Game Ideas for Kids

 

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink

Tags: festival ideas, festival planning, festival sign up sheets, festival volunteer coordination, festival volunteer management, festival volunteers, organizing festival volunteers, organizing festivals

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Your Go-To New Year's Resolution: Volunteer!

Volunteering is Your New Year's "Solution"

2013The New Year provides a pensive yet exciting time for reflection and looking forward - taking stock of our lives helps us set goals and pursue new dreams in the year to come.  Whatever your resolution may be, consider volunteering as the solution:

Resolution: Get Healthy!

Studies like the Do Good. Live Well Survey by VolunteerMatch and UnitedHealthCare revealed key findings from volunteers including that they feel physically healthier when doing good, they report lower stress levels and volunteering even helps them deal with chronic conditions in a healthier way.  Brent Croxton of RealizedWorth also illumines proving survey results in his piece, The Transformational Power of Volunteering:

. . . when volunteering is done frequently, as part of a weekly rhythm, these positive feelings began to endure and induce other health benefits like stress alleviation, pain reduction, strengthened immune function, mood elevation, and heightened self-esteem.

If your goal in 2013 is to get healthy, consider volunteering as part of your regimen - you are sure to see it's positive effects, and you'll be making a difference in your community!


Resolution: Make New Friends!

 Volunteering is as much a group experience as a singular one.  Doing good with others helps you meet new people, form new relationships, and have FUN with others.  HandsOnNetwork shares on their blog how volunteering with others not only helps you step out of the box but it enhances interpersonal skills and rewards you with a deeper commitment to others.  Read the entire piece here.


Resolution: Do More as a Family!

The technological age helps families stay more connected, however, it can also take away from bond-forming family activities and experiences.  If you are seeking to do more as a family and work on instilling values first-hand, put down all those devices and seek out simple service projects and ways to do good together.  Shara Lawrence-Weiss of MommyPerks has unique and creative family volunteering ideas including helping animals, cleaning up the community and starting your own mock charity as a family.

And don't miss our free eBook full of Family Friendly Volunteer Ideas!

Family Friendly Volunteering: Service Project Ideas from A-Z from VolunteerSpot


Resolution: Get Organized!

 Go-getters and do-gooders are getting organized in 2013 and chances are, if you are one of those, you are a leader in charge of organizing others for a specific cause, organization or group.  Save time (and stress) this new year with free online sign up sheets!  Online volunteer scheduling and tracking makes it more convenient for volunteers to sign up, encourages participation, automatically reminds volunteers and lets organizes track everything online.

Take a demo and get started today - start the New Year off right!


Resolution: Help Others!

 It goes without saying, but volunteering is the way to do good and help others!  The benefits for yourself and for others in doing good are countless, and while opportunities abound, sometimes it is hard to find a way to get started. Check out our go-to guide of volunteer opportunities that help you find ways online to help in your community! When seeking out volunteer opportunities, search for causes which interest you, encourage friends and family to join you, and do it regularly!

 

Free Online Sign Up Sheets - Easy Volunteer Coordination

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink

Tags: benefits of volunteering, free online sign up sheet, new year's resolution, online sign up, resolve to volunteer, volunteer benefits, volunteer ideas, volunteer opportunities, volunteering, volunteering ideas

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Help Hurricane Sandy Victims

Disaster Relief Resources and Volunteer Scheduling

The devastating storm that affected so many people in the northeast continues to take its toll - but the empowering show of support by volunteers and those willing to help is inspiring.  If you are still looking for a way to make a difference, check out various organizations and online resources below - and coordinators, consider our free online sign up sheets for getting your volunteers organized to help!

New York National Guard

Help with critical food purchases & distribution: Food Bank For New York City

Volunteer on the ground in NewYork:   NY Cares

Help from anywhere! Donate or give blood via the: Red Cross

Get news and updates from those on the ground via Sandy Sucks Tumblr.

Find Local Cleanup and Distribution Centers Here

Helping our furry friends in need! The Humane Society of the United States

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In disaster situations like Sandy, VolunteerSpot is typically used by churches and congregations, community groups and neighborhoods in organizing their secondary response and relief efforts.  Some examples: 

Vspot sign up
Faith groups sending clean up crews and collecting donations of food and supplies

Food pantries organizing meal brigades and donations

Neighborhoods organizing community watch volunteers and child care

Clinics coordinating health checks and tetanus shots

Shelters adding extra volunteers and calls for supplies

Students organizing fundraisers like bake sales, concerts and charity walks

Scout Troops collecting food, blankets, clothing and cash for victims

***                
If you know a group organizing relief efforts for those affected by Sandy, please share VolunteerSpot; we’re here to help you help more.  VolunteerSpot.com

Leave a comment on our facebook page if you are volunteering with the Sandy relief effort and let us know what you are doing! Please click here

 

photo courtesy of NY National Guard

Posted at 01:04 PM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink

Tags: help hurricane sandy, help victims of sandy, hurricane sandy help, hurricane sandy relief, hurricane sandy relief efforts, hurricane sandy resources, hurricane sandy volunteer, sandy help, sandy relief, volunteer hurricane sandy

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Family Service | Summer of Service

10 Summer Volunteer & Charity Ideas: Get your kids involved this summer!

By Shara Lawrence-Weiss: Owner of Mommy Perks, mother of four.

My parents taught their four daughters to volunteer and help others. We volunteered year-round at various locations or helped those in need through our church. It’s easy to find volunteer opportunities during the winter time – everyone promotes their charity group during the holiday season! However, there are plenty of charitable opportunities to be found during the summer months, also.

Here are ten ideas:

Classroom Activities (4)1. Water, please!

Most homeless shelters (especially those in hot locations like Phoenix, Arizona) need water bottles during the summer months. Consider helping your children collect water bottles to donate. Ask your neighbors, co-workers, church friends, family, etc. Even if they donate just a few bottles each the count will add up quickly.

2. Walk a mile in their shoes

Our local shelters are always looking for shoe donations – for moms, dads, seniors and kids. Run a donation drive for shoes and get your kids involved. We often take for granted just how nice it is to have a decent pair of shoes; a shoe drive will give your kiddos a better understanding of the simple blessings in life.

3. Town fundraisers

Does your town host summer fundraisers? Our small town hosts numerous fundraisers every summer to benefit the fire fighters, our public school, the hiking trail maintenance association and more. We always need volunteers to help out. Check your local news website for volunteer opportunities or ask a local church if they have leads.

IStock_000008725161XSmall4. Furry Friends

Do you have a pet shelter or humane society near by? Your children might enjoy volunteering with a few furry friends. Contact the pet shelter and ask if they welcome shelter volunteers or volunteer dog walkers. The humane society offers volunteer opportunities at events, in the emergency shelter, at their care center and more. They can also put you in touch with pet owners who need assistance.

5. Snail Mail at your service

Have your kids and their friends (if their parents agree) write cards for shut-ins. Many shut-ins are lonely and would love to receive a nice colorful card. This costs you nothing but a little time and a stamp. Search online for a legitimate charity website that puts you in contact with shut-ins.

6. Start your own mock charity

Here’s a fun idea: have your kids come up with a mock charity that they would start if they had the means and know-how. What charity would they launch? What would they name it? Who would they help? Why? Have them write down their ideas (or you help them with this if they are not yet writing) and save the papers inside a hope chest or memory box. Later in life, they’ll have fun looking back and reading about their ideas!

IStock_000005374788XSmall7. Pennies of love

Place a container on your counter or windowsill for pennies and change. Decide as a family what charity to support. During the summer have everyone drop their change into the container and at the end of the summer break donate to your charity of choosing.

8. Highway helpers (for older kids) 

Contact your local transportation department and ask to be put in touch with organizations that pick up trash. Jump in with another group of volunteers and spend the day helping along the highway. With so many program cutbacks these days, highways are counting more and more on personal volunteers.

9. Soups up!

No doubt you have a soup kitchen in your area. If you do, consider volunteering with your children serving meals to the homeless/low income. These locations have an abundance of volunteers during the holiday months but after that, their volunteer rates plummet. Charity can be a year-round endeavor. It need not be saved up and dispensed only during the Christmas season.

10. Boxtops and Campbells Soup labels

Be sure to continue collecting these items during the summer time for your local school. When school starts back up, have your child drop the boxtops or labels to the office. Be sure to explain the purpose: these items help the school earn money which can then be used to buy things that the school needs.

 

 

  Shara MommyPerksShara Lawrence-Weiss is the owner of Mommy Perks, Kids Perks, Personal Child Stories and Early Childhood News & Resources. She runs her businesses from home and is actively involved in local charity work helping children and seniors. She is the mother of four and the wife of one.

Posted at 03:30 AM in Summer of Service, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink

Tags: children service ideas, children service project, children volunteering, family service, family service ideas, family volunteering, kid service ideas, kid volunteer ideas, kid volunteering ideas, summer of service, summer of service 2012, volunteerspot summer of service

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Tax Deductions 2011 - Does the Tiny Charitable Mileage Rate Need Increase?

Charitable donations of goods are a tax deduction, some car mileage is too.  The business mileage rate, however, is more than 4 times the tiny charitable mileage rate, which impacts millions.

Our mission at VolunteerSpot is to make volunteering easier for everyone, to get rid of the little hassles that make it harder for more people to sign up and help. Congress sets a tiny 14-cent per mile rate for charitable driving, this can force some people to stop volunteering. That's why we are working together with organizations and individuals everywhere who care about volunteers to fix the charitable mileage rate -- with a #TinyCars approach.  

Please watch this quick video:

Gas prices are soaring!  This directly affects the good work of non-profits everywhere, prohibiting volunteers from being able to afford to help.   Read more on the high gas price issue in the news and how we can help change the charitable mileage reimbursement rate!

  • Fox News: York Non-Profit Feeling the Effects of High Gas Prices (2/23/2012)
  • Fox News: Non-profits feeling impact of high gas prices (2/27/2012)
  • ABC News: Gas prices put the squeeze on non-profits (2/29/2012)

Join us to create a unified voice on the charitable mileage rate issue.

Step 1: Spread the Word 

Share the message everywhere - email, blog, newsletter, pinterest, twitter, facebook.

Please always link to bit.ly/TinyCars (this page)

#Tinycars - Fix Charitable Mileage 

High Gas Prices - TinyCars

Twitter: Please schedule any of these sample tweets or write your own using hashtag #TinyCars and linking to this post at bit.ly/TinyCars :

Non-profits feeling impact of high gas prices; Will Congress fix the tax law hurting them? bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

"Non-profits impacted by high gas prices" Will Congress fix the tax law hurting them? bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

Gas 1997: $1.30 vs Gas 2012: $3.75 - Big Change, Yet Volunteer still just 14 cents/mile? bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

Volunteers have Big Hearts NOT #TinyCars.  Plz watch this (fun) video & share bit.ly/TinyCars

I'm joining @VolunteerSpot to fix the tiny 14 cent #volunteer mileage rate; learn more and share bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

Hey Congress, #TinyCars aren't good for volunteering! Pls watch and share this video: bit.ly/TinyCars

Time to Help Drive More Good - Congress Shouldn't Make #Volunteering Unaffordable bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

Use the following twitter template to have different volunteers explain what they can’t do in Tiny Cars:

  • Congress: School volunteers can't rebuild playgrounds in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
  • Congress: I help feed the hungry in my community and I can't drive meals in #TinyCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
  • Congress: Volunteer Firefighters can't carry equipment to brush fires in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
  • Congress: Animal rescuers can't move animals to adoption events in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars

Step 2: Tell Congress This Issue Matters via Non-Partisan PopVox

Congress Needs to See Public Input on the mileage rate issue - Encourage visible support for the mileage rate increase by using non-partisan PopVox to show Congress people care about this issue. 

A bi-partisan bill HR 387 "Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act of 2011", sponsored by Rep Tom Petri (R-WI), Rep Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Rep John Duncan (R-TN), is the focus of our #TinyCars support. Nonprofits especially should register as organizations and show their support.

Read more Background on the Volunteer Mileage Tax Rate Discrepancy and Consequences:

"Could Stagnant mileage deduction drive volunteers away?" - MinnPost

American Institute of CPAs Calls for Increase to Charitable Mileage - SmartMoney

Volunteer Mileage Issue Overview - National Council of Nonprofits

Volunteer Mileage Talking Points - National Council of Nonprofits

Volunteer Mileage Rate Overview - Independent Sector

Sample Meals on Wheels volunteering statistics -Meals on Wheels of Northampton County, PA

Becky Stovall, Meals on Wheels Volunteer, discusses impact of high gas prices - USAToday

"High gas prices hit charities hard" - Marketplace, NPR/PRI 

 Volunteers Should Not Be Second-Class Taxpayers

Is the Rising Cost of Gas a Crisis or an Opportunity for Volunteering ...

VolunteerSpot's Summary of the charitable mileage rate issue:

Volunteers can't deliver meals to seniors, mentor kids, rescue animals, rebuild homes or respond to disasters in #TinyCars, yet Congress offers just a tiny 14 cents a mile tax deduction or allowable tax-free reimbursement for volunteers putting charitable mileage on their cars.  Unlike the business mileage rate, the charitable mileage rate is controlled solely by Congress, which set it in 1997 when gas cost $1.30 per gallon.

The actual mileage rate (what volunteers really spend) is more like 50 cents spent per mile donating their critical services.  With hard times squeezing personal budgets everywhere, some volunteers have been forced to make the difficult choice to stop donating their time when it requires driving.  The limited mileage deduction and mileage reimbursement allowed by Congress makes helping others unaffordable. By contrast, the 2011 business rate is set at 55.5 cents for the second half of 2011. It seems like Congress thinks Volunteers drive #TinyCars.

Thank you for joining us in support and celebration of America’s Volunteers!

~ Team VolunteerSpot

About VolunteerSpot:

With more than 1.2 million volunteers in service, VolunteerSpot is the leading FREE online coordination tool that lets ANYONE schedule, sign up and remind volunteers at school and in their  communities. We understand and applaud the investments of time, energy, and donations Volunteers everywhere willingly give - and everything we do is created to help them.   

Posted at 04:16 PM in Social Media for Schools & Nonprofits, Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act, Charitable Mileage Tax Deduction, Tax Deductions, The Charitable Mileage Rate, Volunteer Mileage Rate, Volunteer Mileage Tax Deduction, volunteering, volunteers

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8 Things You Need to Know Before Donating to a Food Bank

Tips for Food Bank Donation 

By: Barb Likos of MomOffTrack (This post originally appeared on MomOffTrack on Dec. 29th, 2011)

     Every year my son has a certain number of service hours he has to complete for school. Between sports, school and his social life, let’s just say a certain someone didn’t plan very well. In fairness, he did have a plan, but at the last minute the schedule changed and he didn’t have a plan B. So, like every good mother, I decided his Plan B for him. HA! I scheduled him to work several days at The Food Bank of the Rockies in what is known as the Reclamation Area. This is the main area that donated food gets processed and sorted. The only catch is that since he is still shy of 16, he would have to be supervised by a parent. I was excited for a reason to get me back into the spirit of volunteering because my motivation has been somewhat lacking. I didn’t expect that I would become as passionate about spreading the word about the inner workings of a food bank. I hope that our experience helps both food banks to get more useful donations and to help parents become aware of better ways their families can help!

Reclamation area at Food Bank of the Rockies

Reclaimation area food bank of the rockiesOn the first day we processed foods that were donated from area stores that had been pulled from their shelves for one reason or another. This food had been stored for some time and it all needed to be wiped down with bleach and sorted into 40 lb. boxes by its type. I was shocked when I got there and was handed an apron and gloves to protect myself from the bleach. I couldn’t fathom why on earth we were wiping food with a chemical. Then I opened my first box. The bottom was full of rodent poop. OK, I can see why now. Cans, bags & boxes were all given a bleach wipe before heading to the sorting area.


Lesson 1: Don’t Donate Dented Cans OR Overly Expired Food

I personally had to throw away over 3 huge trash cans, each weighing more than 350 lbs., of dented and expired cans. What broke my heart more was all of the expired baby food. What I did learn though was that you can donate expired canned goods up to 6 months from the date on the product. Just make sure it isn’t dented. A minor dent is OK but anything near a seam or a sharp dent will have to be tossed. Baby food that is even one day expired or in a glass container won’t make it through reclamation either. Neither will anything open. A box that has an inner lining still intact-think a cereal box with the plastic bag inside- is OK but if the bag is open, it’s trashed.

Acceptable dates for expired food donated to Food Bank of the Rockies
Donated food expiration dates


Lesson 2: Companies Donate A LOT of Soda and Junk Food

Soda donation at food bank of the rockiesOn a trip here last year with some bloggers we saw pallets and pallets of Sun Drop soda. All of us were taken aback. Apparently, that is par for the course. During my volunteer time I processed more 2 liters of various types of pop than I knew existed. Coming in a close second were Pop Tarts. I am certainly not a health food fanatic but I think everyone agrees that they wouldn’t want to open a food box full of only that to feed their family. I wouldn’t.

 

 

 

Soda donation at Food Bank of the Rockies.
Photo Credit to Kia Ru 

Lesson 3: Variety is Nice                                             

Exciting items for food box

On Day 2 I packed boxes for individuals. These are 40 lbs. boxes donated directly to people in need. Knowing these mostly go to households, volunteers try to pack a variety of foods in the boxes. It’s hard to make a variety out of ramen noodles and creamed corn! Volunteers would search through boxes and boxes to put together things that made sense-pasta with pasta sauce and so on. Finding canned proteins, like tuna and chicken was a nice surprise and something divided up carefully. When donating, be a little creative.


 Real treasures found among the donated food 

Lesson 4: Donate Your Teens

There are a lot of sweet, elderly, regular volunteers that sort food. Send in your teen to do some lifting. They need strong people to keep the conveyer belts filled and the trash cans empty. Kids have to be 14 to volunteer at Food Bank of the Rockies. They have to be 16 to be there unsupervised.

Lesson 5: Think About Going With Them

I am not going to lie, the first day when we pulled up and saw a large teen group escorted by 3 sheriffs I was a little worried. The next day the sheriffs were escorting a group of adults.  There is a large diversity among the people who volunteer. Obviously one of the reasons to volunteer with your kids is to expose them to different views of the world. We had a great experience working with all of the volunteers here.

Lesson 6: Know What You Are Comfortable With

Working at the Food Bank is physically demanding. While there are different areas and stations for people of different ability levels, there is no getting around some amount of lifting. They do need people to sit and re-tape boxes and such but those are few and far between. I’m sore. Really sore after 3 days.

Lesson 7: Companies Donate A Lot of Frozen Food

Donated Meat Re-Purposed for Zoo Animals

Donated meat to zooI was pretty discouraged Day 1 at all the packaged and processed food donated. But on Day 3 we processed a large amount of frozen food from places like Sam’s Club. I was pleased to see all the meat, cheese and some freezable dairy. What I was really bothered by is that the meat that is deemed not fit for human consumption is sent to the Zoo. I am guessing this is where the open grain bags go as well. In talking with people about this I guess it isn’t an issue for wild animals and the zoo knows how to process it safely for them. I don’t know though, I wouldn’t feed my dog meat I wouldn’t eat so this sat funny with me.

Lesson 8: JUST GIVE MONEY

I have said this before and will say it again. The buying power of Feeding America banks is great. They know best what the community needs and with money they can buy dairy and produce which they are always short on. It’s this simple.

12703

 

The Bottom Line:

All in all this was a great experience to do with my teen. I learned a lot about what actually happens to that food collected for food banks. After my time in reclamation, I would discourage people from running food drives that reward kids for the ‘most cans or weight’ donated. I personally feel while people have amazing intentions with these types of drives, it leads to people sending in the less expensive cans of food that are on sale-not always the most nutritional. I would encourage you instead to encourage the goal to be the most money raised. Of course, help as best you can. I know a lot of couponers that are very good at gathering tons of food for very little money. My advice is meant more for the average family looking at ways to make the most of their donations and time.

For more reading here is another great post on the subject: Can the Cans
 

Chaotic BarbBarb Likos of MomOffTrack has the right attitude about Family Service.  Barb is an amazing mom and inspiring to many around her. She sums up her own philosphy this way: "In essence, we expect (our kids) to be of service whenever and however they can." You can find her on Twitter: @chaotic_barb

  


 

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: foodbank volunteering, tips for volunteering at a food bank, volunteer, volunteer resources, volunteering, volunteering at a foodbank

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VolunteerSpot Blog | Best of 2011

Blog Series, Guest Regulars and Wonderful Readers Made 2011 our Best Year Yet!

We want to celebrate and thank our guest contributors for a great year of all things service and giving back.  From insightful perspectives on school parent involvement,  non-profit success and benefit auction how-to's, to volunteer management and social media tips, teacher appreciation and fun class party ideas, employee volunteering and corporate responsibility news, faith group and community-building concepts and so much more - our blog proved to be an ever-evolving foundation for sharing timely and desired content.  

  Teacher Tuesdays
A favorite summer blog series, Teacher Tuesdays, was a thrilling opportunity to feature guest posts focusing on parent engagement in education from a teacher's perspective.  

 

Summer of ServiceOur Summer of Service feature gave us the privilege of featuring leading guest bloggers who shared their unique and personal perspectives on service, volunteering and citizen philanthropy.  Topics ranged from volunteering for kids and volunteer management, to the power of story-telling, employee service, supporting military families and so much more! 

 

VolunteerSpot My School My WayThe My School My Way campaign brought together over 30 bloggers sharing the highs and lows of parent volunteering, and how they did it their way in their school.  From humourous anecdotes to heart-warming insights, our My School My Way blog campaign had something for everyone, and we were honored to share these wonderful parents and writers with our readers.  Wrap-up and roll call.



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April WelchApril Welch, our resident Mental Clutter Coach, joined us week after week for Tidy Thursday - bringing fresh ideas and bright new ways to approach organizing our lives!





Sue BrageWorship Wednesday guest posts from Sue Brage were a true blessing.  From a faith-based perspective, her thoughts and words shed light on growing one's faith group and the interpretation of service in doing so.

 

 

Sherry TruhlarSherry Truhlar of Red Apple Auctions LLC brought us countless helpful tips, ideas and strategies when it came to running a successful auction.  From publicitiy, to gathering volunteers, legal refreshers, and best practices, expert advice made auction fundraisers less of a dream and more of a reality for many readers.

 


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VolunteerSpotlights gave us a chance to shine a light on the amazing individuals and organizations who use VolunteerSpot to make a difference in their community.  From school parent leaders to festival organizers, conference coordinators to humane societies, congregational volunteer leaders to regional homeless shelter organizers - the willingness to do good was colorful and widespread and we were honored to share each and every story.

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Additional Guest Regulars included:

Chris Jarvis of Realized Worth brought us insights into workplace volunteering, corporate social responsibility, and employee volunteer programs.

Andrea Patten of What Kids Need to Succeed illumined top tips, best practices, fun stories and helpful hints when it comes to running a successful nonprofit.

Myrdin Thompson of RootsandWings Library and MomCongress provided a keen and astute perspective from everything grant-writing, to literacy promotion, and advocating for more school involvement.

Susan Wells of SteveSpanglerScience joined us to share super creative and much-needed ideas incorporating science into the classroom, whether for a class party, school science fair, or the "dreaded science project."

A variety of incredibly talented and knowledgable contributors made our array of free e-books available as a highly sought-after resource for countless volunteers, organizers, teachers, team moms, and room parents!  From healthy snack ideas, to parent-teacher conference, class party, volunteer recognition, bake sale, school carnival, fundraising, talent show, and family volunteering ideas and tips, our e-books continue to be a fun and helpful resource for our readers and we are thrilled to be able to share them on our blog.

Family Friendly Volunteering: Service Project Ideas from A-Z
View more presentations from VolunteerSpot

There are so many more favorite posts and contributors in addition to these listed and we hope you take the time to look around.  Of course, our blog would be nowhere without our amazing readers and those who help promote and share our posts.  2011 was an incredible year and we are sure 2012 will prove to be even better - many thanks and here's to a New Year!

Posted at 09:02 AM in Fundraising Ideas, How 2 VolunteerSpot - Tips, Tricks and Technical, I Support My School, Personal Organization Tips, Summer of Service, Teacher Tuesdays, Tidy Thursday, Tips for Non-Profits, Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering at School, Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community, Volunteering with your Congregation, VolunteerSpotlight: Leaders in Action | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: class party ideas, employee volunteering, free ebooks, free online sign up sheets, my school my way, nonprofit volunteer management, parent volunteers, school auction idea, school auction tips, school parent, summer of service, teacher tuesday, tidy thursday, volunteer management, volunteer organization, VolunteerSpot blog, VolunteerSpot blog best of 2011, volunteerspotlight, worship wednesday

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Resolve to Volunteer in 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR from VOLUNTEERSPOT!

From health and fitness, to family, finances, and travel, top New Year's resolutions are never without the desire to VOLUNTEER and give back in the New Year.  We hope you resolve to volunteer in 2012 - please tell us how you plan to give back in 2012 over on our facebook wall, and click below to grab your badge!

VolunteerSpot - Resolve to Volunteer in 2012



 

Posted at 08:23 PM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering at School, Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community, Volunteering with your Congregation | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: free online sign up sheets, new year's resolution, resolve to volunteer, volunteer, volunteering, VolunteerSpot

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The Power of Story In Service

Storytelling & the Power of Shared Experienced | Worship Wednesday

Our post today comes from Rabbi Will Berkovitz of RepairTheWorld.  We found it exceptionally beautiful and relevant for the holiday and New Year season - we hope you do as well.

* * *

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where others see nothing."
– Pissarro

Story tellingThe priest walked past the prostitutes every day. He had no choice. They were stationed along the narrow road across from his seminary in Italy. But it was the older woman who caused him the most agitation. “These young guys went to ‘see’ her and it really troubled me,” he said. “She could have been their mother.”

The priest confessed he never spoke with the women, studiously avoided eye contact and did his best to never acknowledge their existence. But as is often the case, willed blindness only works for so long when proximity is coupled with repetition. And one day, while following his usual protocol of denial the older prostitute dropped something as he was walking past. It bounced to a stop at his foot.

Without thinking, the priest’s instinct toward kindness compelled him to pick up the thin wooden object, forcing the encounter he had so dutifully avoided for the past several months. “It was a knitting needle,” he said, still sounding surprised. “And out of curiosity, I asked her what she was making.” The woman responded, “I’m knitting a tapestry for the alter at my church. It is a gift for God.”

Tears welled up in the priest’s eyes as he recalled her response. “In my desire to avoid her, I had never noticed the cloth in her hands. I never bothered to look. Never thought to ask her story. And here this woman was knitting a gift for God.” From that chance encounter he said, he began to learn her history. Her background. Her story. And yet the priest was reluctant to share his experience with his community despite its almost biblical power and impact.

Many of the holiest moments in life are not found in churches or synagogues or in the cloistered study of sacred literature. No, the sacred moments that sustain and bind us together are the sharing of our common humanity through simple encounter -- the telling and hearing of our stories, the passing along of our experiences – both epic and passing. I imagine our souls being woven out of our memories and stories – the threads of our lives.

Everyone has a story to tell and deserves to tell it. And the simple acts of inquiry and listening are among the greatest gifts we can offer during this Holiday season or any other season. Telling and hearing our stories is a rare instance of a gift given and received in two directions – at once an act of solidarity and reciprocity. It knits together the fabric of our separate lives into a common tapestry. We are taught at an early age not to talk to strangers, but often we keep people as strangers when we could be building relationships. We build bunkers instead of communities.

By stopping on the sidewalk and asking what the woman was knitting, the priest stepped off the path of indifference and onto the path of encounter. He stopped seeing a prostitute to be ignored and saw the face of person to engage. He awoke from a life of service to rituals and the comfort in his known world to the truth that all life is sacred.  And life is made holy when service to God means service to others. And then choosing to live that truth in everyday actions – small acts of kindness and humanity – like engaging in a conversation.

Listening to someone’s story is a way of showing respect, a way of conveying dignity. At a time of year when many of us will be rushing around doing last minute shopping and some of us will volunteering in shelters, food banks and serving meals, we should step further along the path – strive toward a deeper connection and ask to hear a bit, or a bit more, of someone’s story.

In truth, it doesn’t matter if we are hearing a story for the first time shared by a complete stranger or for the thousandth time told by a close relative. Just as some people expect to be heard, listened to -- even obeyed, others are just as accustomed to being ignored, stepped over, forgotten – even used. And it is not always easy to distinguish one from the other. But the humble shrub and the trembling mountain both hold the voice of God.

This time every year we retell stories of our people – we call them miracles – a baby being born in a manger, or a small group of believers overcoming the odds to survive – the miracle of light in the darkness. When we tell and ask to hear our stories we knit together the fabrics of our separate journeys onto the tapestry of humanity. And in that way we not only offer a gift to each other, we offer a gift to God who the tradition says created people because of a love of stories. 

 

Rabbi WillRabbi Will Berkovitz is the Vice President of Partnerships and Rabbi in Residence for Repair the World (WeRepair.org), a national organization that seeks to make service a defining element of American Jewish life. He can be reached at will@weRepair.org and you can follow him on Twitter at @CitizenRabbi.

Posted at 08:01 AM in Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community, Volunteering with your Congregation | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: church volunteering, faith group service, power of story-telling, stories and service, stories of service, story-telling, story-telling and service, worship wednesday

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Looking Ahead | Volunteer Engagement In 2012

Some of us are wishing there were extra days in December (or at least 25 hours in the day)! January is fast approaching and we’re still in holiday mode.

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Take a moment between sips of eggnog and grandma’s pumpkin pie to put a stake in the ground to increase Volunteer Engagement in 2012. DO ONE THING —Plan a First-of-the-Year Volunteer Gathering. (Then head back to the football games, tinsel and cheese balls.)

Host a January Gathering and Jumpstart Volunteer Engagement in 2012  

Simple or elaborate, kick-start the New Year with a January volunteer Volunteer Engagement - VolunteerSpot Free Online Sign Up Sheets gathering.  Host a coffee break, a chili luncheon, potluck, or pizza party.  Offer a look back at 2011 and present plans for the year ahead – goals, big events, greatest volunteer needs, introduce new leaders and coordinators, etc. 

Here are 6 simple ways to make the New Year’s kickoff  a success:

  1. Before the meeting, ask volunteers to share photos from 2011 events on your facebook  page; request they add stories, anecdotes and favorite memories of their volunteer experiences over the year. Create a scrapbook from the images  - publish a hardcopy for sharing or a pdf  (soft copy) for emailing.

  2. Review the goals and accomplishments of your year of volunteering with hard numbers and facts -- from how many kids you helped read, to how many families were fed, how much money your fundraiser pulled in, how many badges your troop merited, how many games your team won, etc.

  3. Thank your 2011 volunteers with a slideshow or posters describing your collective impact, pictures of volunteers in action, and of course… treats!

  4. Ask for feedback.  What worked well and what would volunteers like to see improved in the new year?  Sometimes simple things like changing the start time of a shift or creating a designated volunteer parking place can make a world of difference.

  5. Outline your goals for 2012 and call for volunteers!  Be ready with online sign up sheets to organize your new year, semester, or season of service.  Share the link at your meeting and directly after via email.

  6. The New Year’s meeting is the perfect time for a fresh start to invite people who have not had the chance to volunteer yet.  Let them know you would love to see them participate in 2012 – ask what special talents or skills they might be able to contribute and partner them with your active contributors.

Here's to a brand new year in service!  Let us know what your volunteer team or organization is planning for 2012 over on facebook!

Posted at 03:30 AM in Back-to-School, Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering at School, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: volunteer engagement, volunteer ideas, volunteer management, volunteer management ideas, volunteer organization, volunteer organizer, volunteer resources, volunteering

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6 Easy Ways to Give Back Over Winter Break | Home from College

Holiday Giving - Creative Ideas For The College-Age Crowd

The fury of finals are over, and the much-needed trip home from college is concluded. College winter break becomes a haven of home-cooked meals and homework-free fun.  While catching up with friends (and attending those obligatory family events), take a few moments to engage your charitable spirit in thoughtful holiday giving.

Winter Break Giving - College Volunteering

1.  Make Space:   Convey the spirit of giving by holding a holiday ‘gift-away’ —Take stock of your room, your closet and belongings left at home. What clothes, outerwear, sports equipment or musical instruments do you no longer have need for?  Donate them! Assess your electronics too. What do you really need, what can you do without?  Schools and charities welcome desktops, laptops, computer screens, printers and iProducts. (Suggestion: See Tips for Donating a Computer.)

2.  Donate a Create-A-Project:  Contact your local library, faith group, or a nonprofit you care about and let them know you are available to help during Winter Break. Gather other friends home for the break, explain your background, interests, and how many people they can expect for a bite-sized project that fits with your schedule and skill sets.  For example:

  • Bring your friends and play with/socialize pets at a local shelter.
  • Read holiday stories to kids at the library, shelter or community kitchen.
  • Play chess and board games with nursing home residents.
  • Social-media savvy? Help a nonprofit setup their facebook page or update their website and blog.
  • Love the outdoors?  Help refurbish a playground, clear trails or remove graffiti.

3.  Give a Smile:  It’s the holiday season, after all – so be extra nice!  Make eye-contact and say hello to the homeless men and women you may encounter on the street. Fill your pockets with granola bars when you go out, specifically to give away. Buy a warm cup of coffee for a cold stranger, donate dollars and toys when asked to do so while shopping, and be patient and kind with small children.

4.  Shop for the Hungry:  Amidst all the shopping for cookie supplies and holiday dinner fixings, take a minute in the grocery store and pick out canned or nonperishable goods to donate to a local food bank. Large cans of hearty soups, beans and chili are most requested. (Tip: Consider giving cash. $1 = 12 lbs of food to a foodbank!)

5. Get Fit while Giving to a Good Cause: Work off all the holiday sweets and treats by entering a charity fun run! Running (or walking) in a race where the entry fees go to a cause you care about gives back to you and your charity.  Recruit your friends, the more the merrier!

6.  Donate a Round to Charity:  While celebrating with your friends in town for Winter Break, agree to skip a round (or two) of drinks (or coffee) and donate the money to a local charity. Make the donation in the name of a favorite teacher, coach, or friend.

The memories you’ll create during the short winter break weeks, while giving, sharing and volunteering, will be much more memorable and worthwhile than extra levels on a video game or ‘just another movie night.'  Get out there and make your break count. Give back and lose yourself in the fun of serving others! 

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: charitable giving ideas, college-age charity, college-age giving, giving back over winter break, holiday giving, holiday giving ideas, teen volunteering, teenage volunteering ideas

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Volunteering in America | Data Trends and Inspiring Projections

Exclusive Interview with Executive at AmeriCorps

As we celebrate World Volunteer Day today, Dec. 5th, we want to recognize the vast numbers of people across the globe who volunteer their time and talents in service to others.  This day, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on what we’re accomplishing at home – how men and women in the U.S. are making a difference in their communities. In 2010, volunteers devoted nearly 8.1 billion hours in the United States -- giving time, expertise and “sweat hours” valued at nearly $173 billion! 

IStock_000007716967XSmallVolunteers are working to tackle some of the nation’s toughest challenges:  tutoring students, preparing and distributing food, providing disaster relief, and helping veterans and families of active military. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), is the federal agency for volunteering and service and they have released new data on volunteerism.  Volunteering in America is the most in-depth report on national service – spotlighting: who volunteers, which cities have the highest rates of volunteerism, and how Americans are serving their community.


VolunteerSpot recently had the opportunity to chat with Robert Velasco, II, who was designated Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) by President Obama on May 27, 2011. CNCS is the federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in results-driven service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve.  
 

  • When it comes to service, we learned 62.8 million adults from all walks of life, from a variety of organizations and public and private businesses volunteered to address community needs.  We learned service also took place informally when people worked with neighbors to address or fix a community issue. In 2010, 8.1 percent of Americans, or 19 million individuals volunteered informally.
  • When it comes to ratios, we learned women play a critical role in using service to solve pressing problems in their communities.  Women continue to lead men in total number of volunteers (36 million to 27 million) and percentage who volunteer (29% to 23); women dedicated nearly 4.7 billion hours to helping their communities in 2010.  We would encourage everyone to go to Serve.gov to volunteer in their area. Regardless of how much time you have, or what your interests may be, there’s a service opportunity that’s right for you.

  • We it comes to parent volunteering, we learned busy moms and dads who volunteer aren't just improving their neighborhoods, but they also are strong role models for their children. Exposure to volunteerism at an early age instills compassion, empathy and the initiative to be part of the solution.  Parents are vital to volunteering in the United States, with more than a third of parents volunteering last year. That’s roughly seven percentage points above the national average.

  • When it comes to the specifics, we learned the leading service activities for women are fundraising (29%), food collection and distribution (27%), and tutoring and teaching (20%) - according to this year’s “Volunteering in America” report authored by the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Men topped women in general volunteer labor activities (25%) and represented lower numbers in fundraising (23%) and food collection and distribution (18.6%).
  • When it comes to paying it forward, we learned, people stick with volunteering when they can see first-hand how their service is making a real difference on an issue they care about. Women most often volunteer through a religious institution (35%), in education (28%), with a social service organization (14%) or at a hospital (10%). Parents are – perhaps unsurprisingly – most likely to volunteer at an educational institution (44%) than elsewhere in their community. 


Although the number of volunteers declined slightly from 2009 to 2010, the number of hours per volunteer actually increased– showing a strengthening commitment among those already engaged in service. Many people mistakenly think of service as selfless, but it’s often as valuable for the participant as it is for the direct beneficiary. Once people find the project, group or issue they can relate to, service becomes an enriching and fulfilling part of their life.

We invite you to CNCS on Facebook and Twitter, or learn how you can volunteer in your community at www.serve.gov!  And for even more information about Volunteering in America 2011, visit: www.volunteeringinamerica.gov. 

 

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: national volunteer data, national volunteer statistics, national volunteerism, U. S. women and volunteerism, U.S. female volunteer statistics, volunteer statistics, volunteering in america, women and volunteering

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Cub Scout Seasonal Activity Ideas

Turn Scouting Requirements into Compassionate Holiday Service!

By:  Carissa Rogers

I’m new to Cub Scouts. And my little boy won’t even be in the troop until next spring! I’m learning the new Den Leader ropes as fast as I can (a little selfishly) so I’ll be able to better help him when he’s part of the fun.

Cub scouts boys small (2)There are long lists of requirements for each Wolf/Bear/Webelos  badge, pin or belt loop. The requirements increase as the boys get older. 
Younger boys may only have to pass off a few simple tasks for a similar requirement, whereas an older boy might be expected to check off several more time consuming responsibilities.

 

TIP: Combining multiple requirements helps move the boys along on several awards at once.

Let’s use the Recycle Achievement as my example. So many of the requirements include things like: talk to the boys about _______. Tell a story about _______. And then more talking and ‘teaching’. But the thing is… IT’S BORING! I’m a grown up and I find it boring. These little guys are 8, 9 and 10! I’ve gotta find a way to get through to them about keeping ‘Mother Earth’ green and caring about the environment. And ‘talking’ to them just ain’t gonna cut it.

How to make the achievements fun and meaningful to a 10 year old boy?

I brainstormed up an idea. We’re covering this subject in December— the season of giving, right? Why not combine a compassionate service idea with the requirements for the recycle award? Two birds as they say… and a whole lot more fun than a lecture!

1)      Recycling & Sharing: The month leading up to the recycle den meeting, the boys will save all soda pop cans because we live in a state where the 5 cents is refunded. (Plus ask neighbors for their cans as well).

2)      Pick a Pal to Serve: The boys will help select a boy their same age, from a family in need, or maybe the local hospital children’s wing.. someone significant to them.

3)      Gift Box Scouts Doing Trumps Talking: Instead of just ‘talking’ during the meeting we will have a whole lot of ‘doing’. First, recycling the cans at a local store. Then when they cash in the money we will immediately buy and wrap a toy any boy their age would love.

4)      Secret Delivery:  Doorbell ditch the chosen family’s home, or sneak into the hospital wing and leave the gift on the front desk.

5)      End with Hot Chocolate of course! And all during the event explain and cover the goals of the recycle achievement. No need to discuss the act of service, the ACT will speak for itself in a language the boys are sure to understand!

What is your troop planning for November and December? Which achievements can you combine into an opportunity to creatively cross off requirements, serve your community AND keep boredom at bay? 

 

 

Mom and KidsAbout the author: 
Carissa Rogers is a VolunteerSpot team member and is a busy mom of 3. She blogs atGoodNCrazy.com and writes for other websites. When she’s not playing photographer, leading the PTO, or chasing kids to and fro she’s connecting, consulting, freelancing and lots of other -ings …a mom of all trades. Find her on Twitter asCarissaRogers.

Posted at 03:30 AM in Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: children service project ideas, cub scout ideas, cub scout recycling badge, cub scout recycling ideas, cub scout resources, kid service projects, seasonal cub scout ideas

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