Even before having our boys, my heart would swell when I saw families volunteering together. It’s always been my hope that one day that would be us. Now that I have two babies of my own, I’ve realized that a heart for giving and serving is something they 1. learn by example and 2. develop through practice. It’s truly something I have to work on in my own heart – to think outwardly and love others as I would love my own self and more.
50 Ways to Serve and Give as a Family
BY VICTORIA SCHNEIDER
Even before having our boys, my heart would swell when I saw families volunteering together. It’s always been my hope that one day that would be us. Now that I have two babies of my own, I’ve realized that a heart for giving and serving is something they 1. learn by example and 2. develop through practice. It’s truly something I have to work on in my own heart – to think outwardly and love others as I would love my own self and more.
It can be hard to think of ways to get the whole family involved or to really have little’s grasp the concept of giving, but they are learning and watching everything you do and it can leave a lasting impression on them. Here are 50 ways, big and small, to give and serve together with children young or old, or just as an individual.
1. Make and deliver cards to neighbors or mail to soldiers.
2. Make a dinner and deliver it to someone in need.
3. Donate fleece blankets, gloves and hats to your local shelter.
4. Visit a nursing home or retirement center and deliver cards and sing songs.
5. Make small kits with snacks, hygiene products and essentials to hand out to the homeless you see while driving.
6. Serve dinner at your local shelter or soup kitchen.
7. Volunteer for your neighborhood cleanup together. Or clean up an area nearby that may need some extra love.
8. Write out a list of people to pray for with your kids and set an alarm at the beginning of each hour to pray for someone on the list.
9. Fill shoeboxes for Operation Shoebox that goes to children in need.
10. Bake cookies for the people you see every day. Whether that’s the Starbucks barista, Chick-fil-a member or grocery store cashier.
11. Have each person in your family pick out a gift from the Samaritan purse catalog instead of a gift for themselves. Or choose a gift together as a family.
12. Draw a picture or a craft and deliver it to someone who could use a smile. Bonus to deliver it with cookies or a coffee.
13. Leave treats at the front door of your neighbors.
14. Fill a basket with water bottles and treats and leave it on your doorstep with a note for local postal and delivery men and women.
15. Rake your neighbors leaves or clear their driveway during snow days.
16. Give your children a budget and have them pick out toys to give to another child in need.
17. Leave random notes of kindness or bible verses. Put them on the shelves at target, on the table at Chick-fil-a or at the grocery store.
18. Find out what needs your child’s school or teacher have and donate some items to help.
19. Make activity kits or cards and deliver them to your local children’s hospital.
20. Deliver cookies or snacks to your local fire or police station.
21. Have your older children volunteer for story time at a local library or school.
22. Have your kids volunteer to set out your neighbors trash can and put it back for a few weeks.
23. Pay for the car behind you at your local coffee shop or food joint.
24. Look for a service man or woman at the grocery store, or someone who may need some extra love and pay for their groceries.
25. Give your kids each a dollar and tape it somewhere in the dollar store with a happy note.
26. Clean the house of someone who is sick or pregnant.
27. Clean out your toy boxes and donate them to a family in need.
28. Practice speaking words of encouragement to at least 5 people every day.
29. Go through your clothes and donate to a family or shelter.
30. Offer to do yard work for a an elderly neighbor or someone who needs help.
31. Donate cards or board games to a shelter.
32. Offer to babysit for a family or single mom who may be struggling.
33. Organize or participate in a local food drive.
34. Organize a board game night at your local retirement center or nursing home.
35. Pick or buy flowers and leave them on someone’s doorstep.
36. Write thank you notes to caregivers, nurses and others who are serving.
37. Find out which kids in your children’s class may need some money for books or supplies and buy them for them (anonymously). This also goes for older female students who may not come to school because they can’t afford tampons/pads.
38. Have monthly birthday parties for your local nursing home or retirement center.
39. Buy diapers or donate unused ones to a local pregnancy center.
40. Draw a happy note on someone’s driveway with chalk.
41. Propagate plants with your children and then give them away.
42. Invite someone over for dinner and teach your kids how to cook, clean and serve them.
43. Have your children write notes to people who they are thankful for or who invest in their lives.
44. Make crafts or cards and mail them to grandparents.
45. Adopt a grandparent or an elderly person who may need some extra love due to loss.
46. Have your children write and illustrate books and then read them to younger children or in retirement centers/nursing homes.
47. Do someone else’s chores.
48. Take a mission trip as a family and do a service project together.
49. Plant a garden and share the produce.
50. Volunteer in your local church together as a family.
Article and images by Victoria Schneider. You can view more content by Victoria on her blog thesoutherntrunk.com and on her Instagram here.
Hi there! I’m Victoria Schneider and I’m from Atlanta, Georgia. I married my best friend and heartthrob, Ian, and we have two little boys named Cove and Jettson.
I cry a lot (95 percent of the time it’s happy tears). I’m a drink hoarder, Chick-fil-a fanatic and my treat of choice is always dark chocolate. My hobbies include frequenting bagel and coffee shops with my boys, watching sunsets and traveling as much as possible.
My boys are my heart and my joy. Being a homemaker is truly a gift. When I’m not taking care of/or with them, I enjoy documenting and writing about life, faith, fashion and styling on my blog, The Southern Trunk. Blogging is something I’ve found so much joy in over the past few years. I have loved being able to connect with so many people and having the opportunity to document this life we’ve been given. Even though it’s considered a job, I see it as more of a passion project.
You can read more over on The Southern Trunk here or on Instagram here.
Visit our contributor section for posts on beauty, family and more.
The Importance of Family Dinner & 5 Ways To Make it Happen
Family
One of my favorite parts of the day, by far, is when we all sit down together as a family for dinner. There is something special about us all being together with no distractions, just enjoying our time together. When we were first going through pre-marriage counseling, one of the things they told us was to make it a priority to have dinner together as much as possible throughout the week.
0 comments | Join the Conversation