Volunteerism

Volunteerism is the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without being motivate by financial or material gain. Volunteers may have special training as rescuers, guides, assistants, teachers, missionaries, amateur radio operators, writers, and in other positions. But the majorities work on an imprompt basis, recognizing a need and filling it, whether it be the dramatic search for a lost child or the everyday giving of directions to a lost visitor.

Ideas From - The Volunteer Family Organization

• Make pillows, cards, games, or stuffed toys for children who are sick in the hospital
• Make booboo bunnies for children to receive at a health clinic or at school
• Collect items to make baby bags for poor mothers who recently had a baby -- can contain diapers, baby bottles, pacifiers, burp rags, formula, baby food, etc.
• Plan and share craft projects with other children
• Plan a special event outing or field trip for kids in a low-income preschool
• Bake and decorate cookies with children
• Read with children at a local hospital or wellness center
• Help children at an after-school program develop their talents -- have rehearsal time and hold a talent show
• Hold a drive to collect sunscreen/flip flops/healthy snacks/school supplies for children
• Teach children a special skill or recipe
• Hold clothing drives and donate clothes that are in good condition to those in need
• Re-paint or rebuild playground equipment
• Teach music lessons to children in need
• Lead a craft project with children that will help elderly in a nursing home
• Have a birthday supply drive to give a child in need the party supplies necessary for a birthday party
• Make, buy, or donate toys for children in orphanages or shelters
• Sort through clothing, toys or books others have donated for children in need
• Play basketball or other sports with children in need
• Write letters to local and governmental leaders about the need to protect children from abuse and neglect
• Donate your hair for children with cancer or other medical conditions
• Read books to a sick child
• Befriend a disadvantaged child
• Put together a baby layette for new moms
• Help new mothers with the first 12 weeks postpartum
• Make a first-day-of-school package with school supplies
• Conduct a fundraiser to help send a child to summer camp
• Make care packages (i.e. sunscreen, stationery, stamps) for children at camp
• Talk as a family - and with other families and children - about what it means to be “safe kids”
• Write letters to or for sick children
• Organize a teddy bear drive
• Draw pictures for Save the Children
• Donate and sort books, clothes and party supplies for disadvantaged children
• Select and wrap gifts for the holidays
• Teach computer skills to children
• Donate your favorite (healthy!) snack to give to children in need

This information was borrowed from www.TheVolunteerFamily.org
Find this and many other wonderful voluteer sites under our Links section.

How This Blog Got Started

I was given a letter by a neighbors child - Coat Collection for the homeless.  I was excited I ran through the house looking for coats then I started realizing each year we do something with the kids around the holidays and I wanted to see if there were any can food drives going on like when we were young or any volunteer opportunities locally.

So, I went online and finding myself somewhat computer literate did a Google search and found nothing locally going on except two things.  Well then I went to church the following Sunday and wouldn't you know the sermon that Sunday was on Serving!  I tried to listen intently and what I got out of it is that we are all capable of making the world a better place we don't have to be perfect or rich or even in a high leadership position to make a difference. 

So why the blog?
I became frustrated with my Google search so I figured why don't I simplify it for others as well as myself create one place where people could go to get fresh ideas on how to teach our families how to volunteer, where to volunteer and what is needed locally.  What a way to serve!!

Join me in my mission to spread the word about volunteering...

Share your ideas about how you and your family like to serve or what you would like to do this year to make a difference.  Remember it's not only the big things you do in life that count - from one seed a whole tree of opportunities can grow. 

Keep coming back to this Blog as it too will continue to flourish with ideas and through those ideas we can make things happen!!