The Benefits of Community Service and Volunteer Work as a Family
My five year-old daughter was surprised this past Christmas when I told her that as a child I wasn't allowed to open any Christmas presents until well into the afternoon. After I had her attention I explained why. My parents always made arrangements for our family to work at a downtown Rochester soup kitchen on Christmas morning. My five siblings and I would work with our parents and other volunteers to serve breakfast to the hundreds of people who stopped in to get warm and full. After breakfast we passed out gifts to all of the children in the crowd, and I still remember thinking, "This is Christmas? Sitting at a fold-out table in this huge room with a bunch of strangers… and having some kid your own age hand you a toy?" This world was different from ours in every way, and we usually drove home in silence, each of us wandering through our own impressions of the morning. I credit my parents for instilling the notion of social responsibility in me at an early age. Besides learning the importance of contributing to the world outside my home, volunteer work exposed me to people, places, and needs I may not otherwise have discovered. I know many parents who strive to teach their children the principle that "from those to whom much is given, much is expected." Luckily, there are countless opportunities to volunteer in and around Rochester. Whether you have a lot or a little of time and talent, you can find your niche in community service. Ava and Tim Plasko of Victor find that community service reinforces their family values with their three boys. "We talk a lot about how blessed we are as a family, and how we have a responsibility to give back," say Ava. "But having the boys participate in service to someone else really drives home the meaning of sacrifice. It teaches them the value of doing without something they want so that someone else can have something they need. We want them to grow up knowing that they have the ability to help someone else improve their life."
One of the keys to success is to find a good fit between community service and your lifestyle. If you struggle to find enough family time, try choosing a service project that you can all do together. Everyone old enough to walk can help pick up garbage and outdoor debris. You can spend some time cleaning up at the park, playground, or beach. Sending cheer to nursing home residents is another way everyone can participate. Younger children can draw pictures or make finger paintings, and older children can write letters and stories or make collages to deliver. I have yet to meet a nursing home resident who can resist smiling at a friendly, colorful card from a child. Baking for a bake sale, donating toys, and weeding a community garden are all things your family can do together to benefit the community.
If you doubt that you have the skills necessary for volunteer work, let me assure you that you do. Here are a few questions to help you identify your "hidden talents" and find the community service that fits you best.
What do you like to do?
• What do other people tell you you're good at?
• What would you like to learn more about?
• What do you live near? (A hospital, nursing home, zoo, theater, library, recreation center, church, playground, etc.)
• Do you have reliable transportation?
• How many hours a week or month do you have to volunteer?
• Are you interested in making an ongoing commitment (such as Compeer, Big Brothers/Big Sisters or stocking a local food cupboard) or are you looking for occasional opportunities (such as Habitat for Humanity, a neighborhood cleanup, or collecting for a diaper drive)?
• Whom or what would you most like to volunteer with? (With children, teens, senior citizens, pets, livestock, music, art, gardens, books, hospice, etc.)
• Why do you want to volunteer?
Once you've decided to become a volunteer you may wonder about the best way to find opportunities. The Internet is a great place to start. www.VolunteerMatch.org is an online clearing house that can help you find local organizations that need volunteers. www.CrayonProject.org and www.CommunityWishbook.com are two other sites with more opportunities than you can imagine. If you have a favorite charity or cause, contact them and let them know you'd like to help. Most churches and religious communities either have needs themselves or can put you in touch with those who do. Your child's school, the local library, the Red Cross, Salvation Army and animal shelters and rescue groups are other great places to contact.
If you're passionate about the arts, maybe you'd like to volunteer at the Eastman Theater or a community playhouse. Call and inquire; chances are there is a need for people to collect tickets, usher, construct sets, or solicit program advertisers. The Charles family of Ogden designate one day a month as Community Service Day. "Sometimes we join an organized event like Crop Walk or a charity bowl-a-thon, and other times we do something on our own," say Helen Ogden. "It doesn't matter whether we're making dinner for a neighbor who had surgery or building a house with Habitat for Humanity. The point is to stretch beyond our own lives and do something that benefits someone else." Indeed, volunteering is a great way for kids to learn a sense of responsibility for their neighborhood, their community, and the larger world. Our whole society benefits when individuals understand that we all affect each other and even small acts of service can make a big difference.
Honestly, community service isn't just about helping someone else. It makes us look at our lives differently and it makes us feel good. Many children, especially tweens and teens, look for things to do, places to "belong," and ways to feel good. Kids who volunteer never run out of things to do. It also gives them opportunities to meet new people and develop friendships. Kids who are active in community service have less time and energy to become involved in unhealthy behaviors, and some of them make decisions about "what they want to be when they grow up" based on volunteer experiences early in their lives. When you volunteer you elevate our entire community, and bonus – it can strengthen your family, too!
Sally Bacchetta is a contributing writer to Rochester Area & Genesee Valley Parent Magazine. She lives with her family in Webster. You can contact Sally through her two websites, www.SallyBacchetta.com and www.TheAdoptiveParent.com.
Enjoyed this information? Share it with a friend!
