Reasons Your Family Should Volunteer for a Charitable Organization

Giving back to your community is a great way for you and your kids to spend your time this year. Many people only think about charitable works during the holidays. Overcome by the holiday spirit, they donate food, clothing and toys to those less fortunate. But what about the rest of the year? People continue to need assistance after the holiday decorations are put away and the last piece of turkey is eaten.

Consider making volunteering a priority for your family the whole-year round. It doesn’t take a huge amount of time or money. In fact, your family can do as much or as little volunteering that fits into your schedules. Award-winning children’s author Michael Thal invites you to find out how you and your children can make your community a better place, just by giving a bit of yourselves to those in need.

Reasons to Volunteer

Volunteering to help those less fortunate provides you and your kids with a wealth of benefits. Of course, the people you help receive much needed assistance, but volunteers benefit as well. Global Vision International reports that volunteering boosts your self-esteem, makes you healthier and allows you to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Volunteering makes you a happier person, and when you volunteer, you are doing your part to improve the world.

According to Kidshealth.org, volunteering strengthens the family and helps kids understand responsibility, teaching them the importance of making a commitment and keeping it. Kids learn tolerance and appreciate the differences of people from various backgrounds, ethnicities and education levels. Giving to others helps them learn to be unselfish and make sacrifices to benefit the community.

Finding Out Where to Help Out

Throughout your community, there are charitable agencies looking for volunteers of all ages. A good place to start is local places of worship in your neighborhood. Many churches provide food and clothing to people in need. They may need help organizing yard sales or volunteers to help serve the homeless. And they may also provide information about other organizations that need donations or volunteer work. 

Go online and search for nonprofit organizations seeking volunteers of all ages. Charity Navigator, VolunteerMatch, and Points of Light are all great online tools to find reputable charities and volunteer opportunities. Residential facilities for foster children, nursing homes, arts organizations, food pantries and other agencies are also looking for volunteers on a regular basis. And of course, many charities offer both in-person and online volunteer opportunities. A simple online search can help you find a volunteer opportunity that’s perfect for your family’s interests.

There are many benefits to volunteering online, since it opens your options both in terms of what you do for a charity and what charity you choose. If you’re using the internet to help a charity, a fast, reliable connection ensures you can fulfill your commitment to the organization you select. If an internet upgrade is in order, a quick search will help you sort out what’s available in your area.

You Can Start with Food Insecurity or Animals

Hunger is one of the most widely supported causes, helping to feed the millions of Americans who lack adequate food and nutrition. It is a popular area for young children and teens to volunteer their time, whether it is organizing a food drive, delivering care packages, or spending some time at the local soup kitchen. While hunger is most certainly a worldwide issue, it is also a local issue. You and your children can bring awareness to the issue in your community, and take steps to deliver help and hope.

If you and your children love animals, consider volunteering at an animal shelter. Shelters always need volunteers to play with the animals, groom them or clean the kennels. They may need you and your kids to take the dogs for a walk or help with pet adoptions. If you and your children can’t give time, you can always gather items to donate to the shelter. Animal shelters constantly need old towels, blankets, food bowls and other pet items to make animals comfortable until they find their forever homes.

Take It a Step Further

Depending on your family’s fervor for volunteering, you may find a cause that’s so near and dear to your heart that you feel compelled to start your own charitable organization or nonprofit. This is a big undertaking, but with a careful approach and an understanding of launching a nonprofit, you can make this happen. Practice due diligence to understand what it takes to create a charitable organization, tax implications, staffing, and the potential for whether you need a business structure like an LLC. 

Don’t limit your family’s volunteer efforts to the holidays; consider volunteering throughout the year to help benefit your community. Take your children along so they can experience the joy of helping others. Volunteering for a charitable or nonprofit organization helps your family be a part of something bigger than yourselves. It provides a boost in self-esteem, makes you healthier and allows you to contribute to making the world a little brighter. 

About the Columnist

This is Penny Martin’s third blog post on Pop’s Blog. She’s a huge advocate for rescue dogs. Her goal is to inform people of what to expect and how to react to their dog so that the relationship always retains love. She created fureverfriend.info to help new owners prepare themselves for new furry friends.

Michael Thal recently finished his sixth novel. He has a masters’ degrees in Education from Washington University, St. Louis and California State University, Northridge. Previously a middle school teacher, after suffering from a severe hearing loss leaving him near deaf, Michael redefined himself to become an award winning writer. Check out his award-winning books here!