Volunteer opportunities for families abound in the San Antonio area. These are excellent experiences to help children cultivate empathy for those in different socioeconomic, health, or familial circumstances than what is typical for your family.
Volunteerism teaches us to think outside ourselves, a component parents often strive for in raising their children. In addition to fostering quality family time, volunteering lets parents act as role models, demonstrating skills and abilities children may not see from them at home. GenerationOn reiterates this in saying:
“The combination of ages and generations within a family means they have everything needed to make meaningful change in the community: energy, creativity, passion, knowledge and experience, as well as different perspectives and skills.”
As your family considers how you might impact your community for good, talk through the following questions:
- What interests us?
- What skills or talents do we have to share?
- What projects are suitable for our time constraints?
- What benefits do we hope to offer with others?
Let your family’s answers guide your choices. Love the outdoors? Consider park or waterway cleanups. Have construction experience? Connect with your local Habitat for Humanity. Feel passionately about connecting people to their food resources? Weed the community garden or help staff a farmer’s market. Enjoy sharing a love of learning or artistic talents? Try community theaters and local libraries. Sports enthusiasts? Look up the Paralympics or coach a recreation league team.
No matter how your family chooses to participate, volunteering together will strengthen your own bonds and help you demonstrate your shared values and beliefs.
Here are some great options available right now in the San Antonio area:
Help Kinetic Kids, Saturday, January 21, 2017
WOHO will provide volunteers for the Kinetic Kids annual Walk.Run.Roll 5/10k race at the Wheatley Heights Sports Complex! Volunteers will help with course guidance, as well as an obstacle course hosted for the kids.
Basura Bash, Saturday, February 18, 2017
Basura Bash is a one day, all volunteer event to clean the San Antonio Water ways. Join Councilman Saldana and District 4 in cleaning up Indian Creek. Volunteers will pick up debris along Indian Creek drainage channel (Ray Ellison to War Cloud). Volunteers are asked to wear closed toed shoes and comfortable clothing. A light breakfast including fruit and breakfast bars will be provided at registration, and lunch will also be provided. Water will also be available for volunteers.
Parent’s Night Out
Educate and entertain children (aged 6 months-13 years) with special needs and their siblings at CAMP’s Boorda Center on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio one Friday evening each month.
Must sign up and complete a background check two weeks prior to the event. Register at campcamp.org to see all dates.
Food Bank
The New Braunfels Food Bank’s mission is to fight hunger by feeding hope. We are in search of volunteers to work with our clients on a one-on-one basis. The volunteer opportunities that we have available include: helping stock the pantry, putting together emergency boxes and new client intake.
We have flexible hours for volunteers, are open on Saturday, and also welcome groups!
Jump in and help make the world a better place with your family!