What Do You Or Your Group Do In Service Of Your Local Community

[mtblujeans]

Our 4H Group is making plans to get together this winter and make gowns for premature infants and donate them to our local hospitals.

What do you or your group do in service of your local community?

 

[miste76]

I work with an animal rescue group... and that takes up a lot of my time, I do my best to help families find the right dog for them, and find the right families for the dogs.
Our school (dental school) takes a trip to Jamaica every year... and I'm not talking about to the beaches... we go into the rural areas and provide free services to the people that live there and don't have access to any dentists.
I'd love to do more, but until I get out of school... I just don't have the time or the money. Only two more years

 

[mom2alix]

Last year, our group did a monthly dinner for the Rainbow House (it's like Ronald McDonald House) at the Children's Hospital here. This meant providing a meal for 30 people. We had a lot of fun planning, shopping and preparing the dinners. We also did Easter baskets for them with all kinds of toiletries, snacks, etc. The director told us that some of the families staying there were flown in on an emergency basis and had NO personal supplies, so they were really excited to get them.

We also did a school supply drive for a local charity in August.

One idea we found out about is that our local Make a Wish program needs people to help make scrapbooks for participants. If anyone in your group is into scrapping, this could be a really fun activity that they'd really appreciate. I thought it was really neat that they made these special memory books of those trips for the kids.

Personally - I volunteer at the library teaching beginning computer classes. Anyone can sign up, but it's mostly senior citizens and I just cover really basic things like e-mail, using the internet, etc. You wouldn't need to be a computer expert to teach these classes (I'm not, but I'm tech-savvy enough to answer the questions they have).

 

[VampHeartless]

I was always raised not to brag about helping others...

But, I give horserides to disabled children on Sundays, and organize a lot of the other on base activities, such as this years haunted house.

 

[grinningghost]

I radio read for print handicapped people. I enjoy it so much it doesn't even feel like volunteer WORK - it's just fun and it helps alot of people.

 

[mtblujeans]

Originally posted by VampHeartless
I was always raised not to brag about helping others...

I know what you mean.....but I want to hear some brags!! I want to know what good things are happening in the world. I am also hoping that these "brags" might give other people some ideas of things they can be doing in their own communities. (Think of it as sharing!) Let's hear some more brags.... and keep 'em coming!!

 

[tink29]

I belonged to a quilting group, and we would make "Baby Quilts" for the new borns at our local hospital.

Lately, I've been giving things to a local shelter. They will take anything!! It's for anyone who's lost their house, a spouse, their job, or anyone having a hard time to make ends meet. I especially like that they help abused women, you finally got the nerve to leave their SO!!

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I got pretty involved with the Red Cross for awhile. Now they call me all of the time, and it's a bit hard because I've gotten a little busier in some other areas of my life. I may have to cut back on the blood drives, but I still want to do the Holiday Dinners at the soup kitchen.

 

[barbeml]

We participate in fundraisers for the soup kitchen in the nearby city.

 

[disneysnowflake]

My boys and I volunteer once a week at the meals on wheels program in the AM getting food ready and in the local food bank in the afternoon.
We also go to a nursing home in our area on the weekends to visit with the residents. They all seem to be thrilled talking with the boys. My 10 year old can't believe how many lonely people there are.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Y'all are giving me such good ideas!

Our LIFEgroup recently volunteered packaging discount school supplies for a local ministry here in town together.

We are trying to come up with other things we can do on a monthly basis together.

 

[Fire14]

I volunteered at Local Hosp during HS and College as I was training to be a nurse.
I go into nursing home where I work and vist with residents on my days off. I also will take res out for a meal once in awhile ( yes I have Family's permission)

 

[Crankyshank]

I donate to the local Beagle rescue. I volunteer a few hours a month to the Adult Literacy Center. I used to volunteer for a battered women's shelter/rape crisis center but I haven't had much time recently. I do donate items to them, though.

 

[Otto's Doll]

DH and I run the reading incentive program at our school, and we also volunteer at our food pantry (as a family) once a month. We have also chaired a White Gifts program at Christmas for those families in our community who need extra help, as well as for folks in two of our area nursing homes. DH is a volunteer Firefighter as well.