Ideas to Get Children Involved in Volunteering

There are also plenty of opportunities to help those in need. 

So during this Thanksgiving season, spend a few moments while filling yourself with turkey and the works and clean our your own cupboardI know I have quite a few things in there that I will never eat. Perhaps it is time to donate my few impulse buys to people that will actual use them. 

If you children have toys in good shape or a coat they've grown out of, get kids involved. Have them look through their own belongings for items they have out grown but are willing to gift to others. 

When I go grocery shopping, I give my children $1 so they can choose an item to put in the food pantry box at the front of the store. Sometimes stores have a 10/$10 sale so the item costs less than a cup of coffee. Every $1 helps. 

I don't hunt. I did not grow up hunting and I don't even eat meat. That said, there are plenty of other people that do. (Thanks to Leo Roth at Democrat and Chronicle for this tip.)

In New York State an organization known as Venison Donation is finding ways to put food on people's tables. "Since 1999, the Venison Donation Coalition has been highly successful in its goal to feed the hungry throughout New York State. They have processed 337.51 tons of highly nutritious venison or the equivalent of 2,700,800 meals served."


These are just a few ideas to help get children and ourselves involved in helping others. I want my kids to grow up thinking of others all year long, not just to "look good" when they go meet Santa. 


What do you do to engage your children in altruistic behavior? 


Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! 

© Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities) for the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Jay/Upper Jay, Wilmington, Keene/Keene Valley which is available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the second guidebook in the four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities.

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