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  doing good togetherBringing Holiday Cheer By Robin Sauerwein The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year for non-profits looking for volunteers to help them fill the needs of the season. Grandparents and grandkids can partner together to help fill these needs by volunteering at many organizations. What better way to celebrate the season and share the joy than by doing community service with your family. Below are a few places looking for your help with age appropriate activities that you and your grandkids can do together. HandsOn Twin Cities Metro Meals on Wheels According to Katey Davern McCabe, Marketing Communication Director, Meals on Wheels has family-friendly activities especially during the holidays. The easiest way to participate is by volunteering to deliver meals. There is no time requirement and you can sign up for a location near you. Call and let them know which day(s) you’re available and take the grandkids along with you on your route. Other ways for the kids to help include: decorating oven mitts, birthday cards, and placemats. These are activities that can be done at home. Another popular project is the no-sew blankets that are distributed to recipients during the colder months. Some volunteers even combine care packages with useful items like hand warmers or mini first aid kits. No food is allowed because of dietary restrictions but these are wonderful tokens for homebound clients. “Volunteers are like the post office,” McCabe said. They deliver in snow or sleet. If people need a meal, it doesn’t matter what the weather is like. McCabe said that especially during the holidays, having that human connection (a smile on a child’s face) can really lift a client’s spirit if they have no family nearby. In July, Meals on Wheels held a “School is Out, Family Time is in” program. 64 volunteers brought kids and grandkids with them on their route. McCabe said that this program was a success connecting the younger generation to their organization. For more information, call 612-623-3363. Staff will help identify which program serves your area. You can also go on their website www.meals-on-wheels.com and click on the tab “volunteer.” Bundles of Love Charity This is a perfect activity for grandparents and kids of various ages. Groups meet at various areas in the Twin Cities and Southeastern Minnesota. Kids help by putting on snaps for sleepers, cutting fabric and stuffing toys. And adults can help even if they do not know how to sew or knit. For more information and to schedule a time, contact Teresa Wilts at 763-783-7876. Note: HandsOn Twin Cities partners with Bundles of Love the 2nd Monday of the Month to work on projects. There is a 20 volunteer limit and minimum age for this project is 10 years old. Salvation Army But if you don’t feel like being out in the cold, there are other things to do. Go to their website - www.thesalarmy.org after September 15 and you will find a list of volunteer opportunities for the holidays. Pay close attention to the age requirement for each opportunity so that it will be a good fit for your family. One popular activity is the annual unstuff the bus event. KS95 collects donations each year at Sam’s Clubs and Wal-Mart’s and on a Sunday evening, volunteers help unload and sort the donations. The actual date will be listed on their website. This is another good event that kids enjoy. Although the Salvation Army does exceptionally well for volunteers during the holidays, they expect an increase in clients and individuals needing to be served this year. Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery Editor’s Note: It seems that this column, Doing Good Together, shares its name with an established Twin Cities organization committed to promoting family volunteering opportunities. While not sponsors of the column, they share our goal of inspiring and making it easy for all the members of families to Do Good Together. Visit them online at: www.doinggoodtogether.org (click on projects – holidays for more ideas). Or call you can call them at 612-822-6502. |
