The benefits of volunteering as a family is something me and my wife has always wanted to embody into our marriage. When our Freedmen family started to grow, we knew we had to make a concerted effort in sharing with our kids the benefits that come through volunteering. It could be through their school, assisting our elderly, working in community services, helping out at your local boys and girls clubs, or politically during election time and after. The importance of staying active to better our Freedmen communities means so much, here are a couple of ways me and my family stay active through volunteering.
Volunteering at your children’s school
One active benefit is building a relationship with the school your children attend, making it a point to join the schools PTA group, chaperone on school field trips, sponsor a club or an activity that is related to a skill or talent that you may have, like playing a musical instrument, or maybe drawing is your talent. Whatever the skill set is your family can work together by helping to organize plans for all the categories mention. We are in tremendous need of building relationships with our Freedmen schools through volunteering as a family, helping at your local school is a way of getting the experience firsthand. Someday it will be our Freedmen children making it a purpose to teach our grandchildren and beyond.
Volunteering helping our elderly
A second way your family can benefit though volunteering is helping our elderly, rather it be helping out at a local retirement home, or visiting our grandparents, aunts, uncle's, while helping them out with things like, cutting their grass, removing trash from areas where needed, or a thorough house cleaning. Whatever their needs may be at that particular time, that's our opportunity to show our appreciation to the elders in our families. My wife and I grew up in a very tight Freedmen family. We were taught at a very early age, volunteering and respecting our elders should be continued throughout our family's generations.
Community outreach volunteering
The choice of being able to volunteer in my community has always been a deep passion of mind. What better way of helping others through community service outreach, and giving back to those who are in need. When me and my wife introduced this to our children, teaching them the values of what it means by collecting to donate food, clothing, blankets and various hygiene items to local shelters and also the homeless regularly. They are learning the valuable benefits of volunteering. This is so important for my less fortunate Freedmen brothers/sisters, but it also helps our spirit by giving to those in need.
Volunteering while keeping our kids active.
This is definitely a great way to stay healthy and fit, all the while keeping your kids active through volunteering.It could be at your local boys-n-girls clubs, parks and recreation centers, holding events at your local library, all of them have lasting benefits as we engage or set up different activities that our participates in. I am a father who volunteers at coaching my fourteen year old son’s unisex basketball team . Not only helping him, but also mentoring other young boys and girls is a valuable way in building the future leaders of our communities. My wife gives free cooking classes with the help of my two daughters through the parks & recreation center. Creating great food and learning ways to eat healthy is vital, not only for us as parents that are getting older, but teaching our children life learned lessons through exercise and healthy eating which is an essential part that is needed in our communities.
The importance of of political advocacy
In today’s climate you probably can make this one of the most important values when we discuss the benefits of volunteering as a family. My belief is there is no better way to show my children the importances of political advocacy through volunteering such as working at a voting registration site, joining a candidate's campaign team, or working with a local organization that shares your views to help implement policies and resources for your community. There are so many things our children can help us parents with, especially with today’s technology playing such a large role on political platforms, and changing the way us old souls helped out decades ago, working as volunteers with our parents and family members.
I am sure i missed other ways we can benefit as a family through volunteering, so leave a comment with your greatest examples you can think of, and don’t forget to follow us at captaskforce.org on our social media sites. Until then i send blessings and positive vibes to all my Freedmen brothers and sisters.