Here at Points of Light, we’ll celebrate Global Volunteer Month in April – and with good reason! We’re
all
part of a global community and when we volunteer, we make that community stronger. Of course, our global community includes everyone – children, adults and families – and when families volunteer together, they share a special experience with a very special impact.
As anyone who’s tried to plan volunteering events for young people or for families knows, it can be hard to get it right! Making time is tough for busy families. You have to make sure there’s something for little ones, teens and adults to do. You have to make the most effective use of time – and resources – that you can. And you have to communicate, communicate, communicate so that everyone knows where to be, what to expect and how they’re making a difference.
I’ve definitely been there!
I was once tasked with putting together a service project showcase for students in Chicago. I needed a space for 2,000 students and their families, their teachers, chaperones and volunteer judges. I also had to develop an on-site service project for the group to complete while they waited to be judged. My team and I had to be creative about programming and about budgets. (Hint: If you plan for an outdoor event to save on rental costs and don’t have a rain plan, it will rain.
It’s just a fact.)
There were several times during the three years that we put on the event that I could have benefitted from some guidance. Creating meaningful events for young people and families requires a different approach and a different set of planning considerations.
At Points of Light, we also know in addition to the different needs for family volunteering projects, this can be an even larger challenge to smaller schools or nonprofits, or those who are new to working with families.
Mother and daughter volunteer in Hong Kong on Family Volunteer Day 2018.
With that in mind, Points of Light recently partnered with Disney Parks to create a guide for small organizations for working with family volunteers. We interviewed 1,000 participants of organizations under a $1 million revenue who have participated in the Disney Family Volunteering Rewards Program to understand how to encourage schools and non-profits to engage families in volunteer activities. We wanted to know how to create programs that work for families, how to recruit families to participate and how to make it easy – and fun! – for them to volunteer.
Here’s what we heard from project coordinators we surveyed about how to engage families and young people in volunteer efforts:
Include Youth Voices in Planning: Talk to young people about why volunteering matters. Let their excitement help make it a family priority. Let them describe what they’re doing – they use simple words – and can quickly explain how they’re having an impact.
Communicate via Multiple Methods Well in Advance and with Reminders: Send an email and a text. Remind volunteer families several weeks before, a week before, day before and the day-of. People are busy and reminders help to ensure they fulfill their intention and their commitment to volunteer. If you can, keep your events at the same time of year – so families can plan.
Create a Family-Friendly Environment: Ensure families know that their children of all ages are welcome. Make plenty of age-appropriate activities available and create opportunities for little ones to help. Make sure there are plenty of kid-friendly refreshments as well.
Reward Volunteers: Create incentives for your volunteers to want to come back, and make sure they know about the impact they’re having. Offer student volunteers extra hours if they bring a parent or feature students with families who volunteer on social media.
Start Early, Plan and Be Organized: Make sure people feel as if their time is being used well. If they have a great experience, they’re more likely to return. The organization I worked with didn’t have a lot of success doing several small family volunteer events throughout the year in a city where there were so many competing interests. However, doing an “end of the year” project where students got to show off their work and win prizes combined with the group volunteering experience resulted in higher attendance and participation each year. We used their time – and ours – efficiently and it worked well for everyone.
Family and youth volunteer projects are so impactful – and getting them right makes a huge difference for families and for the people and organizations who benefit from their service!
. And to learn more about the Disney Family Volunteering Reward Program – which rewards eligible schools and nonprofits with up to 20 Disney Parks tickets per year for hosting family volunteer projects – visit
Charissa Townsend is the vice president, Recognition and Youth Programs at Points of Light. Her career focus for the past 20 years has been on out of school and out of work youth, experiential education, and social justice. She has completed this work through nonprofits, local government and colleges and universities.
Meet the Aguirre Family: The First-Ever Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Aguirre family from McAllen, Texas, were announced today on Good Morning America as the first-ever Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Aguirres were surprised live on-air with a special visit from Mickey Mouse and GMA’s Will Reeve, who invited them to a week-long vacation at Walt Disney World Resort, where they will be the guests of honor at a super celebration for Family Volunteer Day. Plus, they received $10,000 for the organization that nominated them, San Juan Diego Catholic Regional High School — and a surprise additional $10,000 for their own nonprofit, Emily’s Meals.
The Aguirres, parents Coni and Rick and daughters Emily and Erica, started their volunteer journey four years ago when a then 6-year-old Emily saw a homeless person for the first time and asked her parents how they could help. That question prompted the family to create Emily’s Meals,
which now provides food to 40 homeless people every day. Learn more about the
, were featured on Good Morning America ahead on an online vote to find the winner.
Today the other finalist families were surprised with the news that Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Bob Chapek — so impressed with their volunteer work — is inviting them all to Walt Disney World Resort, too! In addition, Disney will give each of the families’ organizations $5,000 to continue their important work.
All five families will join Points of Light and Disney parks and resorts around the world in celebrating
on Nov. 18 for more information on Family Volunteer Day global celebrations and how you can join in, and tune into Good Morning America on Friday, Nov. 29, to catch up on all the excitement of the families’ trip to Walt Disney World.
If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can
and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.
Meet the Bell-Wallaces: Finalists for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Bell-Wallace family from Pickerington, Ohio, were announced this week on Good Morning America as one of the five finalists in the running to be named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Bell-Wallace family’s volunteer story began 17 years ago when Kevin and Carey Wallace approached
to ask if they could offer a therapeutic horse program for their 4-year-old daughter Morgan, who had been diagnosed with autism. Kevin and Carey were so impressed with Morgan’s progress, they have been dedicated to supporting the program ever since. Morgan’s grandparents, Darlene and George Bell, also joined as volunteers, with Darlene going on to create a new program to help support veterans experiencing PTSD. Now, every event at Dreams on Horseback features the volunteering efforts of all three generations of the Bell-Wallace family!
The Bell-Wallaces were one of thousands of families across the country nominated for the
featured on GMA this week, sharing the stories of their incredible volunteer work, followed by a nationwide online vote starting on Oct. 11 where you will be able to vote for your favorite family!
The winning family will be announced on GMA on Nov. 1 and will receive a dream vacation to
on Nov. 23. The nonprofit or school that nominated the family will also receive $10,000 to continue their important work in the community.
Make sure to tune into every day this week to meet the rest of the incredible Top 5 families, and stay tuned for more updates on the competition and details on how you can vote!
If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can
and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.
Meet the Nepolas: Finalists for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Nepola family from Pembroke Pine, Florida, were announced this week on Good Morning America as one of the five finalists in the running to be named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Nepolas have volunteered with
since 2015. Parents Justin and Jackie, with daughters Mia and Ava, work tirelessly for the projects they volunteer for, whether they’re building gardens, distributing school supplies or packing meals for families in need. Recently, the family took on two big events as project leaders, Night On The Streets and the Florida AIDS Walk. Due to inclement weather, the two events were rescheduled to the same day and, without hesitation, the Nepolas kept their word to handle both, despite the extra work this would require. This example, and many more like it, shows the family’s dedication to serving their community and making the world a better place!
The Nepolas were one of thousands of families across the country nominated for the
featured on GMA this week, sharing the stories of their incredible volunteer work, followed by a nationwide online vote starting on Oct. 11 where you will be able to vote for your favorite family!
The winning family will be announced on GMA on Nov. 1 and will receive a dream vacation to
on Nov. 23. The nonprofit or school that nominated the family will also receive $10,000 to continue their important work in the community.
Make sure to tune into every day this week to meet the rest of the incredible Top 5 families, and stay tuned for more updates on the competition and details on how you can vote!
If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can
and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.
Meet the Jeevanayagams: Finalists for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Jeevanayagam family from Suwanee, Georgia, were announced today on Good Morning America as one of the five finalists in the running to be named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Jeevanayagams have been volunteering with
for more than six years. Parents Nicky and Jacob, along with twins Luke and Hannah, exemplify what it means to give back and are always the first to show up whenever there is a need in their community. Including their son, who has autism, in their volunteering work not only provides him with valuable experience, it also helps others see that everyone has the power to make a difference, regardless of ability. The Jeevanayagam family’s volunteer work includes fundraising, organizing events, recruiting new volunteers and leading the way by inspiring others in their community with their commitment to service.
The Jeevanayagams were one of thousands of families across the country nominated for the
featured on GMA this week, sharing the stories of their incredible volunteer work, followed by a nationwide online vote starting on Oct. 11 where you will be able to vote for your favorite family!
The winning family will be announced on GMA on Nov. 1 and will receive a dream vacation to
on Nov. 23. The nonprofit or school that nominated the family will also receive $10,000 to continue their important work in the community.
Make sure to tune into every day this week to meet the rest of the incredible Top 5 families, and stay tuned for more updates on the competition and details on how you can vote!
If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can
and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.
Meet the Aguirres: Finalists for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Aguirre family from McAllen, Texas, were announced today on Good Morning America as one of the five finalists in the running to be named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Aguirre family’s journey to volunteering began almost five years ago, when daughter Emily noticed a homeless person for the first time outside their local grocery store. Emily had lots of questions about the man and, after her father, Rick, explained that he did not have a home and lived on the streets, she asked if they could give him some food because he looked hungry.
That week, the Aguirres decided that instead of giving up something for Lent, they would instead feed a homeless person every day for the following 40 days … and they have not stopped yet! Today, the
team feeds 40 people every day, rain or shine. They also link individuals experiencing homelessness to numerous local health services, social service agencies, and even help coordinate pet care.
The Aguirres were one of thousands of families across the country nominated for the
.
Now five amazing finalist families will be featured on GMA each day this week sharing the stories of their incredible volunteer work, followed by a nationwide online vote starting on Oct. 11 where you will be able to vote for your favorite family!
The winning family will be announced on GMA on Nov. 1 and will receive a dream vacation to
on Nov. 23. The nonprofit or school that nominated the family will also receive $10,000 to continue their important work in the community.
Make sure to tune into GMA every day this week to meet the rest of the incredible Top 5 families, and stay tuned for more updates on the competition and details on how you can vote!
If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can
and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.
Meet the Orlandos: Finalists for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Orlando family from Castro Valley, California were announced today on Good Morning America as one of the five finalists in the running to be named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!
The Orlandos volunteer together at
where they organize a clothing closet for children and teenagers entering the foster care system. All of Rendy and Don Orlando’s children were adopted and at one point received a bag of clothing similar to the ones they now help prepare for other children in need. Every one of the Orlando children help in the clothing closet, from the 18-year-old college student who volunteers on her school breaks to the 6-year-old who comes along to help her mom pack the bags. Together the Orlando family truly embodies the spirit of giving back to their community!
The Orlandos were one of thousands of families across the country nominated for the
.
Now five amazing finalist families will be featured on GMA each day this week sharing the stories of their incredible volunteer work, followed by a nationwide online vote starting on Oct. 11 where you will be able to vote for your favorite family!
The winning family will be announced on GMA on Nov. 1 and will receive a dream vacation to
on Nov. 23. The nonprofit or school that nominated the family will also receive $10,000 to continue their important work in the community.
Make sure to tune into GMA every day this week to meet the rest of the incredible Top 5 families, and stay tuned for more updates on the competition and details on how you can vote!
If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can
and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.
Creating a Caring Community for Volunteers of All Ages
“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” HandsOn Hong Kong, a Points of Light Network affiliate, brings to life these words from Helen Keller – tackling their most pressing social needs by mobilizing and empowering every member of their community to make a difference through volunteer service.
Since its founding in 2007,
has been working to create service opportunities for every cause and volunteer. Whatever your passion may be, HandsOn Hong Kong makes it easy to search its inclusive volunteer calendar to find service projects for people of all ages. From homelessness, refugee and asylum seeker support, to disability inclusion and food insecurity, the organization is turning every day of the week into an opportunity for individuals and families to give back.
The organization is dedicated to making volunteering more accessible and rewarding in Hong Kong, where research shows that finding new family-friendly volunteer opportunities often feels limited, according to
. According to Catherine Dannaoui, head of communications for HandsOn Hong Kong, it is common for charities to prefer adults over children due to assumed physical limitations. The organization is combatting this misconception by pouring more resources and energy into their affiliates’ understanding of the power of family volunteering. With support from The Walt Disney Company, they give awareness talks and share family volunteering opportunities with schools across the community.
“Our youth are the future stewards of the city,” said Catherine. “If we don’t instill in them this stewardship of service, we can’t move forward. We want them to be the next generation of volunteers, and we want family volunteering to be important everywhere.”
Volunteers have responded with great support, especially on Family Volunteer Day — a global day of service that celebrates the power of families who work together to improve their communities and neighborhoods. This year, HandsOn Hong Kong led four Family Volunteer Day projects. At their biggest event at Kennedy School in Pokfulam, 180 volunteers upcycled unwanted materials like T-shirts into mats, keychains, potholders, coasters and a large community rug. The textile industry is the second biggest contributor to pollution in Hong Kong, and unwanted materials usually end up in overly populated landfills; thanks to HandsOn Hong Kong, these materials were turned into usable items that were donated to community centers and senior centers.
Each year, HandsOn Hong Kong engages more than 47,000 volunteers, and runs more than 100 volunteer programs each month. It works alongside nonprofit partners and community-minded corporations to create a caring community that gives its time and talent to transform Hong Kong. Opportunities to volunteer with the organization are many and varied, but key family-friendly programs are central to its work.
ImpactHK, is a nonprofit that HandsOn Hong Kong supports with volunteers almost every day of the year. Its mission is to support Hong Kong’s homeless through kindness with the aim of giving them a true second chance — the first step is to reach out to them through “kindness walks.” Every day of the week, up to 10 volunteers hand out water and snacks, and encourage homeless people to go to their local community center to start a plan towards reintegration into society. Volunteers are able to build trust, which is a pivotal step in helping homeless citizens navigate a path towards rehabilitation.
HandsOn Hong Kong also equips volunteers to give back to the elderly. In Hong Kong, one in three people over the age of 65 live in poverty and become more susceptible to depression, anxiety and loneliness. During the winter season, HandsOn Hong Kong connects volunteers with struggling elderly populations through its signature Soup for the Elderly program, spreading warmth and love to seniors through home visits and soup deliveries.
In addition to working alongside community volunteers and nonprofits, HandsOn Hong Kong helps corporations engage in service opportunities through custom volunteer programs. For example, the organization assists L’Oreal Paris with its annual Citizen Day program, a day-long volunteering event across the globe, by bringing numerous service projects in Hong Kong to life. They also connect employees from Fossil Group to schools where they takeover a school for a day and lead art workshops, create hygiene products and other educational activities.
And each year on International Volunteer Day, HandsOn Hong Kong hosts a breakfast to celebrate their volunteers’ efforts, share their values and promote their work among their community. The organization is raising awareness of Hong Kong’s pressing social needs – and ensuring inclusive access to volunteer opportunities, so everyone can take part in improving their community.
“We will do everything we can to empower and equip our community members with the skills they need to be lifted up and succeed,” said Catherine. “We will continue to support every kind of cause you can imagine.”
7 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference on Family Volunteer Day
Volunteering with your family can seem like another task to add to your to do list, but it’s easier than you think to fit it into your schedule. More important is the benefit of volunteering together, deepening your bonds with your community and with each other.
Family Volunteer Day is this Saturday, Nov. 18, and it’s a perfect reason to get involved. Now in its 27th year, this global day of service, powered by generationOn, the youth division of Points of Light, and sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, celebrates the power of families who work together to strengthen their communities and build a brighter tomorrow!
If you want to volunteer with your family, but you don’t know where to start, we have 7 ideas that are short on time but make a huge difference:
1. Assemble “Birthday-in-a-Box” kits.
Fill a box with party supplies (think plates, balloons, candles, etc.) for homeless children in domestic violence shelters, motels and other locations that may not have the capacity to put on parties for children in their facilities.
2. Write cards to raise spirits.
Bring a smile to someone’s face by making cards with encouraging messages to patients residing in children’s hospitals, seniors in a nursing home or veterans who have recently returned home.
3. Collect board games for a nursing home.
Playing board games is a great way to stay mentally active. Collect board games and puzzles to donate to a local nursing home. Even better, visit the nursing home and play the games with seniors living there!
Help a food bank sort food donations or a soup kitchen prepare and serve meals. Either way, you can help provide someone in need a healthy meal. You can find different opportunities at www.generationOn.org/fvd.
Any of these projects are a great place to start giving back with your family — sometimes the smallest acts have the biggest impact.
If you’re looking for more ideas, visit generationOn.org/fvd for downloadable DIY project guides or to search for a project happening near you.
How to Respond to Tragic Events with Compassionate Parenting
This post is by Kathy Saulitis, senior vice president of external affairs at generationOn, Points of Light’s youth service division.
As parents, teachers and caring adults try to calm the fears of children and bring them comfort after the recent events in Paris and around the world, a particularly moving video of a dad explaining the attacks in Paris to his young son has flooded the Internet.
See how this father explains the Paris attacks to his young son in front of a Le Petit Journal reporter. Watch the video here.
French news outlet Le Petit Journal interviewed the unnamed child and asked if he understood what happened in his city and why the shootings happened.
“Yes, because they’re really, really mean,” the boy says. He then goes on to say, “But there’s bad guys, Daddy… they have guns, they can shoot us because they’re really, really mean.”
The dad remains reassuring and focused on the positive, which are both important in compassionate parenting.
He says, “They might have guns, but we have flowers.”
“But flowers don’t do anything,” the boy responds.
“Of course they do,” the father replies. “Look, everyone is putting flowers. It’s to fight against the guns.” (Watch the video here.)
It is not unusual for kids to feel scared and helpless after tragic incidents such as the recent events in Paris, Beirut and other parts of the world. Visit generationOn’s resources page to access a range of articles that offer advice for how parents, teachers and other caring adults can help youth process their thoughts and feelings during these times.
These articles suggest similar ways to help kids deal with tragic events – supporting kids to take action to help others, which can be as simple as a small act of kindness, to volunteering at a soup kitchen, or visiting with the elderly at a nursing home. Dr. Michele Borba, author and renowned parenting expert, gives this advice: “Empower kids with proactive ways to help and model compassion and involvement.”
And generationOn has two opportunities for parents, teachers and caring adults to put this advice to action:
Volunteer as a family on Family Volunteer Day, Nov. 21, and show the youth in your life that giving back to others and to their communities is one of the most important things you can do to help make our world a better place. With sponsorship from Disney Friends for Change, we have been able to organize 25 years of families volunteering together. Do our Seeds of Awareness project, specially designed to help kids work through recent events, or find more inspiring ideas at generationOn.org/fvd.
The Joy Maker Challenge, sponsored by Hasbro, Inc., encourages kids, teens and families to help those in need during the holiday season, from Nov. 23 to Dec. 23. Find projects like our Charity Bake Sale for Syrian refugees’ children or write kind cards to children in Paris with our Caring Cards project. Take action to make the world a better place at a time of the year when giving back is so important. Share your story and find more ideas at generationOn.org/joymaker.
