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Send cards

Words of encouragement, handmade cards, or coloring pages are a great way to brighten a soldier’s day and show your appreciation for the sacrifice they are giving for our country. This is a great way to talk to kids about soldiers, veterans, and our country’s freedom they defend. Nursing homes also appreciate delivery of items like these for their residents.

Help a four-legged friend

Animal lovers will enjoy volunteering at a local animal shelter. Typically shelters need help walking dogs, cleaning cages, and giving lonely animals attention. Often times shelters can also use donations of food, cat litter, bedding, and cleaning supplies. Contact your shelter to see if there are things your family can donate as well.

Give back to mother Earth

Kids who love nature may enjoy volunteering to clean up a local park, adopting a street in your city, or cleaning up the green space in your own neighborhood. Contact your local school or church to see if there is landscaping that needs attention. Kids can help plant trees, flowers, pull weeds, and lay mulch. They will see the beauty of their hard work in no time.

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Donate proceeds

Do you have a budding entrepreneur in the family? Consider hosting a lemonade stand, garage sale, or bake sale and donating the proceeds to the charity of your choice. This is a great way to teach kids money management and business skills while helping others in need.

These are just a few ideas of how you can serve your community, there are countless others. When parents take the time to serve others, their kids will see volunteering as a priority and will develop a desire to give back as they become adults.