It’s the time of year when families gather for meals, celebrations, and … volunteering. Family Volunteer Day falls on the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year to celebrate and encourage families to give back, together.
United Way of Rhode Island hosts an annual literacy kit-building event on Family Volunteer Day. Literacy kits are comprised of a children’s book and a collection of related objects, games or other activities. They can encourage a love of reading that puts young children on the path for success by providing families with activities, supplies and books that stimulate learning and build pre-literacy, math and social skills.
At last year’s event 80 adults and children created sock and paper bag puppets and kits that included tips for parents to read with children and how to use 2-1-1 for a wide range of assistance. The kits were donated to Books Are Wings for distributing to families in need.
United Way of Buffalo and Erie County has hosted families on Family Volunteer Day to assemble non-perishable meals and “Bags of Caring,” containing snack bars and toiletry items. Stepping Stone Support, another New York nonprofit organization, offers family activities like wrapping toys as holiday gifts for families in need. United Way of Greater Portland (Maine) has invited families to make centerpieces for a local hunger Community Thanksgiving meal by creating colorful centerpieces from canned goods.
Looking for a family-friendly volunteer opportunity? Your local United Way can point you to activities now and throughout the year.
There are many great reasons to volunteer during the holidays. What are yours? What volunteer projects bring your family together?