We Make A Difference

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Summer is just about here and what are we going to do with our children? How about volunteer in our community? This is a fantastic opportunity to share with our families how we can volunteer and help others in our very own community! We have Heather Jack who has founded the incredible Volunteer Family website. She and her family live just west of Boston, Massachusettes and shares with us how we can make a difference.

As a mother, Heather began to see and understand how family and community are both interrelated. She started to volunteer simply by making dinner for an elderly woman in her neighborhood and brought her young daughter with her. Now, years later, she still brings meals and her children have now grown up with this warm woman who is now a part of their lives.

Heather’s daughter made this incredible statement that summarizes it all, “I feel so big when I volunteer…” Indeed! You can read this sentence any way you wish, because whatevery age you are… you DO feel BIG! Big hearted, big spirited, big ALL OVER!!! I just love that what she said!!!

We know that it is hard to find places who will allow you to volunteer with your children, so Heather decided to make this wonderful resource for families. She has over 30,000 volunteer opportunities in over 40 states! All you have to do is log online to www.volunteerfamily.org and type in your zip code. She has cleverly arranged her site to your family’s interests. She has sections according to parents and teachers, elderly, animal lovers, saving the earth/environment, and the list goes on. What I love best about Volunteer Family is that it covers just about everything! Out of all the sites that are out there, Volunteer Family is one of (if not THE) best website, resource for our families to take that step to incorporate volunteerism as a family.

I’ve volunteered with my family for the past three years and the children have learned SO MUCH!!! Heather shares with us how we can start at home. For example, your children and you can make cards at home for the ill children in the hospital or make a welcome mat for a family with Habitat for Humanity! Or you can go to a nursing home and have a sing-a-long! How about a grandfather and his grandson going to the cemetary and replacing the flags on the veterans’ grave sites?

Other stories are siblings making a blanket for families who suffered from Hurricane Katrina or sending candy to troops in Iraq. Or how about sending teddy bears to foster children or playing with the children at a homeless shelter?

Heather reitereates that when you discuss this with your children as a family, you will discover some really incredible ideas to help others in your community!

When I asked Heather how we can help her, all she wanted was for you to share your volunteer stories with her on her website. Also, you can donate to her organization which helps her help others in need. She is another example of a parent who had a desire to help others.Her passion has translated into a phenomenal resource for families all over the nation to use and to begin the dialogue with their children on how volunteerism makes a huge impact on others.

Volunteering as a family teaches your children about diversity, generosity, resourcefulness, and loving all humanity! Imagine what our world would be like when our children understand these basic concepts at an early age!!! Please log onto www.volunteerfamily.org and share this with everyone you know! I guarantee this is one thing your children never will forget and will thank you for doing this for them!

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