How to Give Back This Back-to-School Season
If you watch TV for ten minutes or even walk down the street, you’ll be bombarded with back-to-school shopping. And of course now’s the time to get your growing littles clothes that fit to keep them comfortable in the classroom, but that’s not what’s most important. Make your new back-to-school tradition finding ways to give back as a family. Whether you want to make a volunteer trip out of it or you want to keep the kids focused on doing good in little ways on a regular basis, we’ve rounded up our favorite ways to do good.
Donate school supplies to your local Salvation Army
Since you’re already going to be taking the kids out to buy school supplies, this is an easy way to show your littles just how good doing good feels. Get a few extra sets of the main supplies — pencils, notebooks, folders, crayons — and bring them to your local Salvation Army. For students who don’t have access to new supplies or schools where funds are low, this can be the difference that allows young kids the opportunity to get the education that they deserve.
This is another way that the family can come together to make sure that kids in your area have the supplies that they need to go back to school. This is a fun way for your little ones to really get involved with the process since you can choose to fill a backpack for a kid that’s their age, and in the end they get to see their hard work all come together in the filled backpack. Just check out your local chapter and find the supplies list so you know what to look for.
We love letting our kids work to raise money and help us give back, but there’s nothing like taking the entire family out for a volunteer weekend where your kids can see first-hand that sometimes the most important thing they can give to others is their time. And Feed My Starving Children is one of our favorites. There are permanent sites for packing in Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, and Texas, but they also have MobilePack events nationwide. Just find the closest site and sign up for the two-hour shift that works best for you.
Make sure your little ones know the power of a good book by letting them see that they can donate books that they’ve read so they can share the magic with other kids their age. This is a great way to get ready for the school year, since you can also clean out your bookshelves to make space for more challenging reads to keep your kids learning more and more each day. Contact your local library to see if they’re accepting donations, or you can also find a list of organizations that accept used books here.
Volunteer at your local animal shelter
If your kids are animal lovers, this is a fabulous way to give them those puppy and kitty cuddles, especially if you don’t have a pet of your own. It’s a good way to teach them the responsibilities that come with having a pet, since they’ll get to feed, clean, walk, and play with the animals that are up for adoption. Contact your local animal shelter to find out if there are any age requirements, and be warned that you might fall in love with a few four-legged angels while you’re at it.
Happy giving and happy back-to-school season! If you have other favorite ways that your family gives back, comment below and let us know, so we can get involved, too. Otherwise, check back with us for more tips for sustainable living and eco-friendly shopping!