July 19, 2019
9:00 AM
We know you have lots of plans this summer, but do you have volunteering on your family bucket list? It’s important to teach your kids about giving back and now’s the perfect time for you all to participate in these local volunteer opportunities this summer.
RELATED: 19 family volunteering opportunities in Chicagoland
Run a lemonade stand.
If your kids have the drive to run their own business, then they should give the old-fashioned lemonade stand a try. Give it a spin though by donating all the money to a charity of your child’s choice. We suggest planning a lemonade stand through Alex Lemonade’s Stand, a non-profit organization supporting families and raising awareness to help cure childhood cancer.
Help clean up local wild places.
If you enjoy a good beach day, then do your duty to take care of beaches and other local habitats as well. Shedd Aquarium hosts Great Lakes Action Days at multiple locations each month where volunteers will clean a beach, monitor wildlife and more.
Sign up for a family volunteer event.
The Honeycomb Project‘s mission is to engage kids and families to give back to their communities. This summer, they have various family events you can volunteer at from growing fresh produce to helping shelter animals.
Participate in a kind project.
Here’s another reason to visit Northbrook Court. Located in the mall, The Kindness Connection is the destination for volunteering and they offer drop-in hours all summer long to make a special project for charities. Some past project examples include making a teddy bear for a hospitalized child and creating flower magnets for a nursing home.
Photo Credit: Kido
Encourage your kids to have a voice.
We want our children to advocate for things they believe in. If you have a little activist at home, then encourage them to speak out. Attend special events and protests where they can use their voice. If they want to express themselves through their fashion, you can buy them Kido’s new Free The Children tee, where 20 percent of proceeds go to RAICES Texas, an organization providing aid to detained immigrants on the border.
Pack items for children in need.
Through Cradles to Crayons Chicago, your children can help children in need. Participants as young as five can visit The Giving Factory where they’ll get hands-on experience to packing everyday essential items for kids. Since the back-to-school season is almost here, your family can also help by collecting the organization’s most-needed items.
Run a 5K.
If you want to get your whole family moving, sign up for 5K. The best part? You can run for a good cause! We’ve rounded up the best races and walks for kids.
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