Chances are your kids are thrilled about the upcoming holidays, looking forward to sweet treats and special presents. With consumerism everywhere, it’s easy for little ones to get caught up in thinking about what they want this holiday season, which can obscure the most important holiday focus of giving to others, coming together as a community, and reinforcing your family beliefs.
For these reasons, this time of year provides a great opportunity to do community service with your kids. It’s not always easy with little ones, but even if you start a small project it’s a good way to reinforce that an important part of the holidays is giving to others. Here are 10 ways to do community service in Boston this year, even with little ones in tow. (Of course, you might also want to volunteer on your own or with older kids, leaving the little ones with their favorite babysitter or nanny.)
‘Adopt’ a Family With ABCD
Contact:
- Email: give@bostonabcd.org
- Phone: 617-348-6559
Ages: All ages
“Adopting” a family is a popular option for families looking to give back during the holidays. Typically volunteers are paired with a family in need and purchase gifts and requested items, often around Christmas. ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development), a community development organization that aims to empower people in need, has a wonderful adoption program that is a bit different from most.
First of all, the program is not tied to a specific holiday, making it a great option for people who have various (or no) religious beliefs. Participants are paired with a family and asked to supply a winter care package, which can include everything from gifts to winter coats. The average package costs about $360, ABCD says. If you enjoy supporting the family, you can become their year-round sponsor, supplying a package every three months. Let the kids help shop for the package and show them that giving is a year-round endeavor.
Prepare Meals at the Boston Rescue Mission
Contact: Fill out a volunteer application
Ages: All ages, but best for older kids who can help in the kitchen | All volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Feeding the homeless is one of the oldest forms of community service, and sadly there is a huge need for volunteers to help this population throughout the city. The Boston Rescue Mission, located at 39 Kingston St. in Boston, provides three meals a day to about 175 homeless adults, so the organization is always looking for help in the kitchen. Kitchen shifts are from 9 a.m. to noon and 3 to 6:30 p.m. Volunteers help set up, serve, and clean up after the meal.
This is a great opportunity to volunteer on your own or with older kids who can help in the kitchen and complete tasks that they’re directed to do. There is some interaction with the homeless while serving the meal, so kids should be comfortable with that before volunteering. Sharing food is a poignant way to teach kids about the many people in need living around us.
Give to the Military With Operation Troop Support
Contact:
- Email: operationtroopsupport@gmail.com
- Phone: 978-774-5983
Ages: All ages
We like to think that our troops abroad have everything they need, but the minds behind Operation Troop Support know that isn’t true. In fact, military service members often lack for things as basic as warm socks and yummy snacks. Danvers-based Operation Troop Support aims to remedy that situation by sending care packages to the thousands of U.S. troops currently deployed.
Print out the list of items that Operation Troop Support asks people to donate, and let the kids choose what they would like to send to the troops. Donations can be dropped off in person or mailed to the organization’s headquarters. In addition to teaching kids to give back, this is a great opportunity to teach them about military service.
Send a Note With Love for the Elderly
Contact:
- “Contact Us” Page: Click here
- Email: contact@lovefortheelderly.org
Ages: All ages
Everyone loves getting a letter in the mail, and it can be even more exciting for seniors who are home-bound or isolated. That’s why Love for the Elderly connects seniors with letters and pictures sent in from all over the country. Your letter can be long and meaningful, or just a picture with a few words, and kids’ letters are always welcome.
Not only is this an easy community service project to complete at home, but it’s also extra special for families, since Love for the Elderly was founded by a kid. Seventeen-year-old Jacob started the organization after his grandfather passed away. Although the organization isn’t Boston based (it’s in Cleveland), anyone can submit letters from around the country. Check this page for more details.
Sort Care Packages at Cradles to Crayons
Contact:
- Application: Fill one out here
- Email: volunteerboston@cradlestocrayons.org
Ages: Kids age 5 and older can volunteer with their parents, and families are encouraged to volunteer together.
Cradles to Crayons aims to give kids living in poverty the essentials that they need, free of charge. Each year the organization distributes toys, clothes, school supplies, and more to 35,000 families across the state. In order to make that happen, Cradles to Crayons relies on an army of volunteers to sort donations at the organization’s Brighton warehouse, dubbed The Giving Factory.
At The Giving Factory, volunteers work two-hour shifts putting together packages for specific children. The shifts happen Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and there are occasionally evening shifts available. Bringing your children to help compile packages for another family in need is a great way to open the conversation about giving back to those less fortunate.
Care for the Park at Boston Harbor Islands
Contact:
- “Contact Us” Page: Click here
- Phone: 617-223-8667
Age: All ages, as long as accompanied by an adult.
Now that it’s cold and soon to be snowy, you might not be thinking about a local gem: the Boston Harbor islands. However, if you’ve ever visited the islands you know how important they are for Boston families, giving kids the chance to get close to the ocean and learn about ecology and local history.
The Boston Harbor Islands also offer the opportunity to teach your kids about giving back to the local communities they love. The Harbor Islands host monthly Stewardship Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. During these volunteer days, kids can help with habitat restorations and science projects at the park. To see when and where the events are happening, check the park’s events calendar.
Bake a Cake for Birthday Wishes
Contact:
- Email: Contact Sarah at sarahd@birthdaywishes.org
Ages: All ages, but the main contact must be of at least high school age.
Kids love having birthday parties, and parents love throwing them. But for hundreds of homeless kids throughout Boston and around Massachusetts, a birthday party can be out of reach. That’s where Birthday Wishes comes in, helping homeless kids have the birthday parties they dream about.
Of course, one of the most important parts of a birthday party is the cake, and Birthday Wishes is looking for volunteer bakers to make a professional-looking cake each month. That means the decorating might have to stay with the adults, but the kids can help you find ingredients and mix. While they do, you’ll feel that you’re sprinkling in an extra dose of love teaching your kids to give back.
Spread the Love With Spread the Bread
Contact:
- Email: info@spreadthebread.org
- Phone: 774-286-9987
Ages: All ages.
If you and your kids like to bake but you do doubt their ability to make professional-looking cakes for Birthday Wishes, there is another great volunteer opportunity abreast. Wayland-based Spread the Bread invites families to bake bread — any kind of bread — for families in need and local heroes like the firefighters and police.
Best of all, there’s no need to sign up or register. You can just start this community service project whenever the mood strikes. For more information, check out the Spread the Bread starter kit, but remember that this organization is all about simplicity — showering someone with delicious bread, a kind note, and the knowledge that someone cares for them.
Join Kids Who Care at the Greater Boston Food Bank
Contact:
- Email: volunteer@gbfb.org
Ages: For kids age 10 and older with an adult.
Helping to feed people is a common thread in a lot of community service projects. If you feel that your tween is ready for something more hands-on than making food at home but less intense than feeding people at the homeless shelter, the Greater Boston Food Bank has the perfect program. Each year the food bank relies on 24,000 volunteers, so they know a thing or two about getting kids started.
As part of the Kids Who Care program, kids who are 10 and older help pack brown-bag lunches that are later distributed to kids, seniors, and families. The child volunteers will be with a group of 10 to 25 other kids, so this is a perfect way for them to learn that community service can be a rewarding social outlet.
Care for the Animals at the MSPCA
Contact:
- Email: bostonvolunteer@mspca.org
- Phone: 617-524-5708
Ages: All ages
If your little ones are animal lovers, they might like to dedicate their community service time toward helping the many animals in need throughout Greater Boston. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) has many volunteer opportunities available that are perfect for families with young kids.
One of the easiest ways to help the animals is to collect food, blankets, and other necessities that can be donated to the shelter. You can see the shelter’s wish list here. If your kids are a bit older, a fun way to get involved is to host a lemonade stand to raise money for the MSPCA. The organization even has a stand that you can set up at the shelter: just bring your own lemonade and baked goods. For more ideas about giving back to the MSPCA, click here.
Where will you volunteer with kids this year? Tell us in the comments below.
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