Q: [All Ages] I would love to spend some quality time volunteering as a family. But we have two little ones (4 and 6) besides their older sister, who is 10. Are they too young to participate? Are there any opportunities we could do together?
A: Even our youngest ones can discover they’re part of something bigger than themselves when given the chance to make a difference, and April is an especially great time to start. It’s designated as National Volunteer Month, dedicated to honoring volunteers and encouraging a growing movement of volunteerism across the country. As a parent myself, I believe one of the best things we can do for our children is to provide opportunities for them to give back, which helps develop empathy and gratitude from an early age. Plus, I can’t think of a better way to spend family time together!
To ignite a lifetime commitment to giving, as well as create life-long family memories, try selecting a cause that everyone can get behind. There are plenty of age-appropriate volunteer activities to consider, including donating toys to pediatric wards, beach clean-ups, assembling care packages for the homeless, decorating cards for servicemen and women overseas, or helping care for animals at the local pet shelter. Keep it simple so your children experience volunteering as both fun and meaningful.
Once you have identified your family’s areas of interest, you can research local nonprofits at Nonprofit Central (ocnonprofitcentral.org), the only comprehensive online database of nonprofit organizations in Orange County. You can also find family-friendly volunteer opportunities through OneOC (oneoc.org) and Orange County United Way (unitedwayoc.org).
And please mark your family calendar for the second annual i<3oc Giving Day (iheartoc.org), from 6 a.m. April 27 through noon April 28, 2016– 30 hours to give where your heart lives! The goal is to inspire our community to come together with extra-mile giving in support of the exemplary work of 400 local nonprofits, surpassing the $1.8 million raised through Orange County’s first Giving Day in April 2015. Don’t miss this special opportunity to show Orange County nonprofits your love!
Shelley Hoss has been working for good in Orange County for nearly three decades. She has served as president of the Orange County Community Foundation (oc-cf.org) since May 2000 and prior to that held leadership roles at Girls Inc. of Orange County and Orangewood Children’s Foundation.
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