Summer Volunteer Activities for Families

Just a few more days and most of the schools will be recessed for summer break – those long, lovely weeks of having your children home and beside you every day. How wonderful to have the time together to create lasting memories of the fun days spent enjoying another summer. But those long lazy days still need to be filled with creative activities, with interesting entertainment, and with educational opportunities. Why not add altruistic service to others to the list? Summer is a great time to not only teach our children to be of service to their family, friends, community, and country, but to teach by example and get the whole family involved in local community service.

Here are some great summer volunteer activities for families that will provide fun filled ways to spend those summer days and help out those in need in the process.

Paint fire hydrants or sort, clean, and box books at the library.

Save the Family needs workers to pack sack lunches,  and Learning Baskets.     Or make Just For Me bags for the Arizona Children’s Association.

Maybe you would like to help feed people. There are opportunities at Feed my Starving Children and at the Food Bank to pack food boxes.

You can help serve food at Paz De Cristo and help with food distribution at Chandler Christian Community Center.

Want something more active? Why not help at Summer Kidz Kamp  or Swim for  MS?

For an activity that brings smiles and joy to others, make homemade greetings and welcome cards with a little bit of artwork  at Editha House Artwork. The kids will be coloring anyway, right? Why not brighten someone’s day with a home lettered smiley face greeting?

There are many fun opportunities for teenagers. A summer volunteer job looks good on college resumes, provides references of good character, and shows initiative  and maturity to future employers. Some volunteer work can be leveraged into paid positions or lead to lifetime careers. Here are some fun ideas to get you started. (Most are suitable for age 15+)

Library volunteers help with everything from boxing books to helping in the computer centers. Check out your closest library.

Be an event volunteer with Mesa MacFest,  Falcon Field Airport Special Events, or Chandler Center of the Arts.  Volunteers can be ticket takers, or ushers, or work concessions, gift shops, and galleries.

Spend some time with the Fire Cadets. Most cities including Mesa and Chandler have programs.

Want more suggestions? Try Volunteer Match for more summer volunteer activities.

Have a great summer. Spend it together. Spend it helping others.