Kids who start volunteering at a young age are much more likely to continue the practice into adulthood, helping them to become kind and caring adults.
How to Teach Your Kids to Volunteer for the Right Reasons - Star Tribune
Here are some ways you can help those in need during the coronavirus pandemic - Twin Cities Pioneer Press
As the novel coronavirus has spread throughout the country, it has forced people indoors and ground daily life as we know it to a near halt. Healthcare workers on the front lines face a shortage of supplies, and the virus has forced the mass cancellation of events as well as the closures of schools and business, leaving many out of work.
In this time of need, here is a running list of some ways you can help.
"Bigger Push Needed to 'Grow' Caring Kids" - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Eleven years ago, Jenny Friedman crafted a vision for a new kind of volunteering.
Parents and other caring adults wouldn’t leave their kids at home when they performed acts of kindness. They’d bring the kids along, tapping into youngsters’ innate desire to help others.
Instilling the spirit of giving in our children requires more than an occasional project, Friedman has learned. It must become our family’s day-in, day-out philosophy, our way of life.
And it’s never too soon to start.
"Practicing Kindness During the Holidays" - VolunteerSpot.com
Amid so many messages of wanting and getting, so many wish lists and shopping lists, we all deserve to make time for giving back. What better opportunity than at the events already on our calendars?
Whether you involve immediate family or host a boisterous group of friends and neighbors, these ideas will add more meaning to your holiday parties and may become annual traditions that teach your children the values of compassion and empathy.
"How Kids Can Volunteer From Home: Host a Playdate with a Purpose" - Mommy Poppins®
The next time your child asks to have pals over, consider organizing a simple and fun service project that can be done at home to help people in need. It's a great way to keep the kids entertained while teaching them the importance of giving back to their community—and reminding them of how lucky they are to have a room overflowing with toys!
"10 Fun Community Giving Ideas" - Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine - 2013
“A lot of parents feel overwhelmed by the idea of community service,” says Jenny Friedman, Ph.D., executive director of Doing Good Together, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that helps families find ways to volunteer together. ... But projects like Marin’s prove that it doesn’t take a lot to make a big difference. The best way to get kids excited about taking on a new project? Start with something they already know and love.
"Volunteering with Kids in Boston" - MommyPoppins Boston
Doing Good Together encourages family volunteerism and reflection on social issues. The website has a page of ‘Kitchen Table Activities” – things you can do together as a family at home to improve people’s lives, heal the Earth, fight poverty and take social action.
"Volunteering: Education Outside the Classroom" - Metro Family Magazine
“There are enormous benefits for kids and parents who get involved in community service,” Friedman explains. “In addition to the good that it does in the community, volunteerism can build both academic skills and self esteem in young people. Ultimately, it tells our youth that they matter and can make a difference in the world around them.”
"Twin Cities schools' family service nights bring students, parents together to volunteer" - St. Paul Pioneer Press
The concept of a school family service night was developed by Jenny Friedman of Minneapolis, founder of an organization called Doing Good Together. Six years ago, Friedman worked with parents at Cornelia Elementary School in Edina to come up with the model: stations where parents and kids complete easy activities to benefit local nonprofit organizations.