How do you (and your family) volunteer or give back?

[kayte]

Before my daughter I always belonged to at least one volunteer organizations--sometimes several at a time--everything from Junior league, Head Start (teaching English at night) to a docent at historical farm museum--giving school tours in a crazy turn of the century farm wife outfit.

Since DD I have spent my time devoted to staying at home with her. And although we have been fortunate to be able to give money to charities and volunteer organizations I am missing a little bit of the sense of doing good for someone else.

I am wondering what everyone else does to volunteer --maybe even with their young kids--or maybe their creative solution to childcare while they do it on their own. BTW DD will not be going to preschool until next fall.

I have found this organization Good For Girls on a blog I read http://www.goods4girls.org/ and since I like to sew I thought it might be good fit for me.

[StantonHyde]

I am an outreach speaker for Planned Parenthood. I usually give 2 presentations a month (one 2 hour block so I only have to go once). The kids are in school or daycare on that day so I have coverage.

I am wanting to learn to knit and give scarves or hats or something to charity (I have a ton of yarn from my mom that I will not use but would like to give back with it--and finally learn to knit as a legacy to my mom).

[Ceepa]

I am wanting to learn to knit and give scarves or hats or something to charity (I have a ton of yarn from my mom that I will not use but would like to give back with it--and finally learn to knit as a legacy to my mom).

Rebecca, I found some good tips on this site. I'm a novice but am trying to learn more about this too.

http://www.knittingforcharity.org/

[WatchingThemGrow]

We don't do nearly as much as we wish we could. We often participate in volunteer events our church organizes - like for a pregnancy resource center (like organizing their clothes closet), making meals for the homeless shelter, or sending boxes to children in other countries (with toothbrushes, soap, toys, etc). There is a nearby neighborhood I've really wanted to offer help to, but it just hasn't panned out yet.

[pb&j]

I volunteered this summer as a coach for an all-women running race that benefits the Breast Care center at the hospital in our town. Until recently, I spent 1 lunch hour per week reading at Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. DH is a professional photographer, and does a ton of pro bono work for non-profits in the area. For me, the key to volunteering regularly is finding something that I like doing. I always said about my Recording gig that I almost felt guilty b/c I love doing it so much!

When DS is a little older, we hope we can go as a family to the ASPCA and walk dogs or otherwise care for the animals, b/c we know it is something he'd really enjoy.

[Asianmommy]

We donate money and used items to our favorite charities, plus food for food drives. I used to volunteer at the local hospital and at blood drives in college. Now, I just volunteer at the preschool (reading with the kids and reshelving books in the library) and at the grade school (handing out food in the cafeteria). Ha!--I'm a cafeteria lady! Never thought that would happen. :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I have lost track of the number of hours I have volunteered just since this July at ds1's school. It is a brand new charter school and there is so much to do to really make it a great school. I am a room parent, I volunteer in the office, I ran the book fair, do lunch duty and basically whatever else I can reasonably fit into my schedule (and some that I can't!). I like what I am doing there but I would love to branch out to a few other things. I would like to volunteer at the birth center where I had ds2 and have signed up to be notified of volunteer needs there (I'm just not contacted often). I also want to sign up to work at a non profit play center.

Beth

[MontrealMum]

I have been volunteering since I was a child. It's something my family has always felt strongly about. My dad volunteers at the food pantry using his rusty Spanish and does literacy work, my mom works with special ed. kids and holds preemies at the hospital. My grandmothers used to knit for "the poor kids", as they called them, and were active in lots of local charities. When I was in junior high/highschool it was a requirement that each student do 15 hrs./semester in order to be able to attend my school. I was a member of Alpha Phi Omega in college and did everything from cooking at shelters to timing the men's swim team (woo hoo!)

Most recently I was a volunteer cook for Meals-on-Wheels at my church, which I did for 10 yrs - I loved it, and miss it, and my fellow volunteers dreadfully. I would still be doing it even with DS except the program was cancelled due to difficulty in getting volunteers :( It's a huge problem these days, so I'm sure whatever you decide to do, even if you bring DC with you, you'll be welcomed. I haven't done anything (except donate money) since DS was born, so I know how you feel - I really feel like I should be doing something. This has been quite a year for us, but I need to get proactive about finding another way to give back.

[kijip]

Not as much as we used to or want to.

Currently both my husband and I volunteer at T's school. My husband in the classroom 1-2 a week and me for special events and calling parents. We both go to the PTA meetings as well.

My husband also volunteers at a food bank nearby picking up food from coffee shops every week.

I sit on the board of a local non-profit.

Additionally, we belong to a community grant making foundation which is a mix of financial and volunteer support. We also lend a hand to church activities as they come up.

We definitely have shifted to more check writing and less time consuming activities because of work, school and parenting. We used to lead parenting groups for newborn families together and I led one (with some help from J) from June-September but obviously, we won't be doing that for a bit. As we will be joining one in January, LOL.

[niccig]

I volunteer with an archaeologist at a museum as her research assistant, and I've started at the university's Human Remains Lab doing detailed inventory on excavated remains as required by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Both of these though are for my personal interest and possible career. I had a babysitter one day a week and at first it was errand day, but then I changed it to volunteer day, so I was doing something for me. DS is in preschool now, so I volunteer on a preschool day.

I need to do something for the local community, and find some way for DS to be involved too. We do things through DS's school as it comes up and help a friend with a Toys for Tots drive at Christmas. I used to volunteer with an organization on skid row helping people write resumes and apply for jobs - that was a good feeling when someone got a job that you had helped them apply for.

[crayonblue]

Right now I am not doing anything except taking care of Carmen and Lauren. However, a few years ago I volunteered for Head Start and LOVED it. I was a volunteer in two different schools and enjoyed it so very much. The children were so lovable and so grateful. We had family style meals for lunch everday that the kids served and it was fun. Food like baked chicken, green beans, carrots and Ranch, etc.

I also volunteered at a Children's Hospital. Sort of ironic considering how much time we have spent in a Children's Hospital.

A long time ago I helped teach a class for children with divorced parents. We helped the kids work through the stages of grief. As a child of divorced parents, I really appreciated this class.

I love kids so anytime I can volunteer, it will be with kids!

[lizajane]

i had to cut waay back when dylan was born so i no longer serve with any regular vounteer groups. but when we first got married, we ran a marathon with team in training to benefit the leukemia and lymphoma society. DH and i raised $10,000. That was 7 years ago and i felt like it was time to get involved again. so i just signed up for the Avon Walk for Hope. it is a marathon walk the first day and a 1/2 marathon walk the next day. my fundraising goal is $3,000. i am really excited.

at some point, i hope to foster a child.

[Puddy73]

We participate in numerous charitable programs sponsored by our church, including the local food bank, foster fairy (monthly gift bags for foster children) and angel tree (providing support for families of prisoners). This gives us several hands-on opportunities that we can involve the children in, such as picking up food and delivering gifts. The kids love it!

We are also very active with our local Make-a-Wish chapter. I'm on the advisory board, so we help organize fund raisers and we are also wish-granters. I haven't taken a wish in 6 months due to this pregnancy and I really miss it! Involvement with "wish kids" has made us have some tough conversations with DC about sickness and death, but they surprise me with their ability to handle situations that make adults uncomfortable.

[MamaKath]

I volunteer a lot through the school I work at. I am part of the chapel committee and help to keep the kids motivated in worship, recognize baptismal birthdays and help to track and keep them excited about offerings (we are going to build a school in a 3rd world country this year). I do stuff through the PTL. I am often involved in the things no one else wants to do, lol. DH and I both volunteer for the church as well. We also make donations to the compassion organization there regularly.

In the past I have done other things like public speaking about a variety of topics. At our last house I volunteered to teach a class for parents about using various computer applications. I miss doing both of those things. Someday, maybe the opportunity will arise again for either.

Oh, this weekend I will be participating in the Walk for Autism in Washington DC. I am looking forward to that and consider it a way to volunteer.