Volunteering as a Family
Volunteering as a family can help strengthen your family
and bring you closer together. It’s also a great way to introduce your
children to the benefits of giving back to their community and will teach
them values such as respect and kindness. And, you’ll have fun! Whether
your family chooses to help build a playground or a house, clean up a
local park, or volunteer on your next family vacation, you’ll be
surprised by what you can do and by the positive impact you will have on
your community.
Ideas
Here are a few ideas, but don't feel feel limited by this list. What
is your family interested in? How can you give back to your community
while pursuing your interests?
Finding a Service Project For You or Your Child
You can find a service project for you or your child by contacting your
local volunteer center, library, place of worship, senior center, police or
fire stations, park service, or Citizen Corps council. Additionally, you
can search for volunteer opportunities through the USA Freedom Corps
Volunteer Network at www.usafreedomcorps.gov. The
USA Freedom Corps Volunteer Network is the largest on-line clearing house
of volunteer opportunities ever created.
Supporting your Child’s Service Project
Your support for your child’s interest in starting or participating in a
service project is vital to their success. However, your commitment need
not be a financial one. Instead, you can support your child’s project by
being involved in their planning, helping to line up financial and in-kind
sponsors, or loaning them materials to help them complete their goal.
Youth Service America’s Project Plan-It! is a great tool to help you and
your child get started. This on-line project planning tool will help young
people develop a custom made plan, timeline, budget, funding proposal,
press release, and other helpful resources. You can find the tool kit by
visiting http://www.ysa.org/planit.
Help Your Child Earn an Award From the President!
Earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award is easy and is
a great way to encourage your child! You can help them earn the Award by
helping them keep track of their hours using our Record of
Service Page. Keep track of your own hours, too and earn the
Award together!
When your child earns the Award, they will receive an official President’s
Volunteer Service Award pin, a personalized certificate of achievement, a
note of congratulations from the President of the United States, and a
letter from the President’s
Council on Service and Civic Participation.
Earning the Award is easy! Youth 14 and younger can earn the Award by
completing 50 or more hours of volunteer service in one year, adults earn
the Award by completing 100 hours or more, and families earn the Award by
completing at least 200 hours of service as a group, as long as each member
completes at least 25 hours.
Plus, the hours you volunteer now will bring you and your child closer to
the President’s Call to Service Award, which recognizes those who have made
a sustained commitment to volunteer service by dedicating at least 4,000
hours over the course of their lifetimes.
Contact USA Freedom Corps
USA Freedom Corps' office is located in one of the historic
townhouses off Lafayette Park just north of the White House. Our building
was home to President Theodore Roosevelt while the White House was
remodeled in 1902. To read more about the history of our building, click
here.
If you have a story or an idea you’d like to share, let us
know. Our address is:
USA Freedom Corps
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20502
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