How Families Can Get Involved With Charity

One of the most fun, rewarding and productive ways for a family to come together and do something worthwhile is to volunteer for community service projects. It is also an excellent example for children to learn from a young age to support your local community. Here is how families can get involved with charity.

How to Get Your Family Involved With Charity

You will find loads of websites with information about different volunteer opportunities. You can also get in contact with your favourite hospital, charity, or church to find out about their needs and how you can support them. Or, you can contact the local volunteer clearinghouse that brings together community organizations and volunteers to locate openings at non-profit organizations near you.

Bear in mind that it can be a bit of an uphill battle at first to find a volunteer position that is most suited to you and your family. You need to be flexible and keep searching if the organization you were referred to is not a good fit for you. Once you find the perfect organization to support, it will be worth it.

An Excellent Charity Organization to Support

Maryvale Community Service Programs has been supporting communities since 1856, providing services to underprivileged kids and families. Maryvale is one of the oldest children’s charities in Los Angeles and their services include early education services, after school programming, community education, as well as other community based services like mental health and wraparound services and short-term transitional housing for different populations that are in need.

This charity is committed to helping those in need irrespective of the background, adversity, or beliefs. For them to continue the good work, they need donations and the support from the community, as around 84 percent of the families and kids they serve cannot afford to pay for the services at all. There are various ways that you as a family can support them, through donations, supplying items on their wish list, volunteering, and more.

3 Excellent Reasons To Get Involved With Charity

• It is Highly Rewarding

The pride and satisfaction that come from assisting others and making a difference are good reasons to volunteer. Once you commit your effort and time towards a worthy cause or non-profit organization that you feel passionate about, the feeling of fulfilment is priceless.

• It Strengthens The Community

Agencies and organizations provide essential community based services at low or no cost to families and kids who need it most. When the community as a whole fairs well, the people within the community are better off as well.

• Your Family Bond Is Strengthened

Volunteering is an excellent way for you as a family to have fun and to strengthen your family bond. It is sometimes tricky to find the time to volunteer. So, figure out free time that all members of the family can allocate towards charity. You can just find one or two projects per year and start a new family tradition. For instance, making and donating care packages to care facilities for old age homes around the holidays.

6 Ways How Children Can Benefit and Learn From Volunteering

When your children start volunteering at a young age, it will become a natural part of their lives, something they want to keep doing.

Volunteering can teach them:

• Responsibility From a Young Age

Children and teenagers learn what it involves to make and keep a commitment. They learn how to allocate time towards a worthy project, do their best, and reap the rewards from making a difference. Ultimately, they also learn that we are all responsible for helping our communities and improve the overall wellbeing of everyone involved.

• That One Individual Can Make A Difference

An empowering and wonderful message for children is that no matter how big or small, their contribution matters and can impact the life of someone else in a positive way.

• The Advantage of Sacrifice

By giving up some of their toys to children that are less fortunate, kids learn that it is sometimes worth sacrificing and that there are more essential things in life besides ourselves and our needs.

• Important Work Skills

Community service can assist young individuals to decide on their future career paths. If they are interested in the medical industry, they can join volunteer programs at care facilities or hospitals. If they have a passion for politics, they can work as volunteers for real campaigns of local political candidates. In addition, working as a team member, teaches them leadership roles and working towards project goals. Both skills can be learned through volunteering and will be beneficial to them in future.

• Tolerance

When teenagers and kids work in community service programs it connects them with people from all walks of life, different ethnicities, abilities, income levels, education, ages, and more. They learn that even the most diverse people can be brought together by common goals or values.

• How To Allocate Time Productively

If your children are not involved in conventional after-school activities or curriculars, an excellent alternative could be community service programs.

Ideal Volunteer Opportunities For Families And Children

There are many volunteer projects where families can get involved. Even your smallest child (under adult supervision) can help with picking up trash at the beach, park, or playground. You do not even have to take on a large project that involves extensive effort to bring your family together by doing volunteer work.

You can also consider getting involved in renovation and repair efforts for residents with low income. Younger children might not be able to do large jobs, but they can help with holding nails or tools, fetching paint brushes, or doing other small tasks. Many people work at local food banks or soup kitchens as a family. You can look for an agency that serves the elderly and take food parcels to those who are homebound. Young children can brighten up a lonely elderly person’s day by visiting them and bringing them some treats. Another great volunteering opportunity is helping out at your local animal shelter.

Conclusion

There are so many ways how families can get involved with charity. No matter what you choose to do, doing community service and volunteering can benefit your community as well as your family. Why wait? Get involved today.