Children Need to Help Others

From the earliest time I could remember, I accompanied my mother on her weekly rounds to the local nursing home. We would visit with three or four ladies each week. My mother busied herself tidying their rooms, organizing their closets, drawers, filling up their bird feeders and anything else that the residents needed help with. I would sit down quietly and let the ladies squeeze my cheeks and tell me how pretty I was. As the years progressed, I became more involved with helping my mother and eventually began to bring my own children to the nursing home just as my mother had brought me. Those early years of community service instilled in me a passion to help others and leave the world a better place; something, which I feel, is kind of like a lost art these days. Here, are three reasons why I feel community service projects with children are essential to solid character development.


Community Service Widens a Child’s Eyes

It is especially hard for children to think about a world beyond themselves. From the time they were born they were catered to, and that sense of “its all about me,” is exceedingly hard to shape in a child. Exposing children, early in life, to community service activities expose children to the world around them in a way that makes a lasting impression. If children are part of a consistent community service effort, from an early age, they are profoundly aware that they are not the only ones in the world that have needs.


Community Service Helps a Child Develop Social Skills

My children can talk to anyone, not just children their own age. I credit their ability to sit and chat with people of all ages and cultures to their active involvement in community service. The development of social skills is essential to success in life. Children who have strong personal skills are generally more confident and less likely to fall prey to peer pressure. There is nothing more pleasing to me than seeing my children merrily carrying on a conversation with a 95 year old, or communicating with a victim of dementia.

Community Service Develops Responsibility

My children know that the residents at the nursing home look forward to them coming each week to play cards, sing songs or just chat. To the residents, our visit is the highlight of their week. This puts responsibility on my children to be sure that they make their weekly visit. Other things in their schedule may have to wait because they have people depending on them. They know how valuable their visit is and how sad the residents will be if they miss. Being depended on by others helps children understand cause and effect and learn to put their own interests aside for the welfare of others.

My advice to parents is that they actively engage in community service projects as a family. Every opportunity that your child has to see the “bigness” of the world and sense the impact that they can make on the lives of others helps them to experience the joy of giving and become better people in the process.


About the Author

Susan Patterson – Is a homeschooling mother with an avid interest in her community and social issues in the United States. When she is not tending to the needs of her family or community Susan freelances as a guest blogger on a variety of topics, including social service software.

Community Service Activities – Getting Involved As a

With after school activities, sports, traveling teams, summer camps, friends, plus computer games, iPods and cell phones, our children are busier and more disconnected than ever.  As a parent, it seems we are always looking for ways to connect with our children, but also to make sure they spend some of their time on meaningful, productive activities.  To raise compassionate members of society, it’s important that we instill a sense of community, volunteerism and social consciousness in our children now.  There’s no better way to do this than by volunteering together as a family.

It is important to note, if you have a child in high school who will be filling out college applications in the near future, community service is a key component of being a well rounded student.  Colleges do not rely solely on good grades for admittance.  Admission boards want to see that a student has volunteered time to a worthy organization, are involved in extra-curricular activities, all the while maintaining a high G.P.A.  This is another great reason for a young adult to get involved in community service.

Before you commit time to an organization, it’s important for you to sit down with your child and talk about the issues that he or she is really passionate about.  If you find something that your child is truly interested in, he or she will be more excited to be a part of it and want to continue participating and volunteering in the future.

If your child loves animals, he or she may enjoy volunteering at the local animal shelter.  Shelters always need help walking dogs, petting cats, cleaning out cages, doing laundry, etc.  However, depending on the age of your child, many shelters have minimum age requirements (some may require a parent or guardian to accompany a child of a certain age).  If your child is too young to volunteer at the shelter, there are still ways to help shelter animals.  Shelters are always in need of food for the animals, kitty litter, clean bedding, toys for the animals, cleaning supplies and of course, cash donations.  Call the shelter to find out exactly what’s needed.  Then, you and your child can head a collection.  Make signs to post around your neighborhood as well as send out emails to family and friends with a list of items you’re collecting.  Then, make a big donation to the shelter.

Perhaps your family’s passion is feeding the hungry.  There are many food banks all across the country.  Some are run by the government, while others are run by churches and different organizations.  Food banks always need volunteers to help out stacking items on shelves, packing bags and unloading trucks.   Again, if your child is too young to volunteer at the food bank directly, he or she can start a food drive.  You and your child can collect canned goods and non-perishable food items from neighbors, family and friends and then donate them to the food bank.

Whatever activity you decide on, be sure to stress to your child that no matter how small or young, he or she can make a big difference in the world.  Setting a good example by volunteering as a family will help you raise a caring, compassionate, socially conscious member of society.

Yvone Kon is a freelance writer, blogger and mom.  She frequently writes about many different topics including weddings, fashion, childbirth, recycling, volunteering, animal advocacy and social service software.  She is the author of the blog EventSpiration, providing inspiration and ideas for weddings, parties and holidays.

How Can You Help the Homeless?

Homelessness is a very real and tragic situation that affects up to 3.5 million people every year (roughly 1% of the entire U.S. population).  Homelessness affects people for many different reasons – some people are out on the streets due to mental or psychological issues, some people are there due to drugs and alcohol and many are there after running and hiding from spousal abuse.  Sadly, more and more families are finding themselves homeless after losing their incomes and homes after foreclosures due to the poor economy.  Whatever the reason a person or family ended up on the street, the situation is truly sad.  Those of us lucky enough to have a roof over our heads every night and food to eat at every meal need to help our fellow human beings.  Because of the stigma attached to the homeless, many people are reluctant to reach out.  But there are ways to help the homeless, while remaining safe, even if you don’t have much money yourself.

One of the easiest ways you can help is to donate your used items.  Rather than throwing your old things away, set aside used clothes, shoes, coats, blankets, toys and household items.  You can then donate these items to homeless shelters who will distribute the items to those in need.  Some shelters will even take donations of canned goods and non-perishable food items.

If you’d like to be more hands-on in your approach to helping the homeless, you can donate your time and volunteer at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, battered women’s shelter or for an organization that assists the homeless.  Shelters always need people to help out with day to day activities, whether it’s serving lunch, helping to clean the rooms or working in the office.

Another way to help the homeless is to use your specific talent.  For example, if you’re a lawyer, you can offer free legal services.  If you have a knack for teaching, you can help teach someone to read, or help prepare someone to take their GED test.  Doctors, nurses, dentists and those in the medical profession can offer medical assistance or help set up clinics.  Everyone has something to offer.

Sadly, families make up a large portion of the homeless population.  Many homeless parents struggle to find safe and appropriate childcare for their children while either looking for work or going to work.  You can offer babysitting services to homeless families so parents can go to work and know their children are being cared for properly.  In turn, the parents are able to make a living and provide a better life for their children.  While babysitting, you can offer to tutor the children, help with homework, feed the children dinner or even do laundry for the family.

With the popularity of social networking, it is easier than ever to educate others.  Many organizations rely on sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get their messages out to the public.  If you are computer savvy, you can offer your time as a social networking expert for organizations and charities that advocate and collect donations for the homeless.

Regardless of the reason that caused a person to become homeless, it is up to us to help out our fellow human beings.  Whether you are interested in taking a hands-on approach or prefer to work on the sidelines or behind the scenes, everything you do will help make a difference for those affected by homelessness. 

Author Bio

Yvone Kon is a freelance writer, blogger and mom.  She frequently writes about many different topics including weddings, fashion, childbirth, recycling, volunteering, animal advocacy and Social service software.  She is the author of the blog EventSpiration, providing inspiration and ideas for weddings, parties and holidays.

Get Your Children Involved in Community Service

Community service participation can help your children become well-rounded individuals. Children develop a deeper understanding of the world around them when they participate in community service. Community service can help children develop leadership and organizational skills. Typical service organizations have fundraising projects, work days, and organizational meetings. Children can lead projects and work on projects with others. They learn teamwork and have multiple opportunities to experience success.

Beyond Sports

Parents often seek to get their children involved in sports, but balancing physical activities with community service provide children with precious opportunities to serve others and see their work make a difference. Community service can take many forms. The children can work with and help protect animals. They can work on projects to protect the environment, complete clerical tasks, like inputting data into information and referral software, or they can develop programs for the elderly.

Align Service with Interests

I think that it is best to align a child’s interests with potential community service projects and organizations. Suggest that your child attend meetings of some of the community service organizations in school, and get calendars of events from each. Some organizations help a variety of causes, so the child can participate in different projects. From this experience, the child might hone in on a specific cause that he or she would like to support in the future. Community service organizations are not all work and no play. The organizations might have parties or social gatherings for members. These events are often organized as an incentive for ongoing participation in the group.

Learning about the various projects that the organization has will also help the child choose a community service organization that has positions or projects where he or she can use specific talents. Children who enjoy creating artwork can make posters to advertise the organizations’ projects. That child might lead an art auction to raise money for a cause.

Participate with Your Child

Participate in community service projects with your child. Determine some of the needs in your community and get involved. Volunteer to feed the homeless. Tutor children in the community or donate items to a local charity. Usually, if a child sees a parent’s involvement in the community, the child will wish to participate, too. Do not force your child to participate, but tell your children why you believe that volunteering is important.

If you feel that your child exhibits entitled behavior, you can expose your children to areas where people are struggling to survive. Of course, make sure that your children are well-supervised, but during the visit, discuss things that the average person can do to help others. I think that it will also help for children to see how specific services help our neediest citizens. It’s also important for children to learn that volunteer opportunities arise every day, not merely around the holidays. You can also consider rewarding children who participate in community service activities, but your children must understand that they should not volunteer with an expectation of receiving something. The joy lies in giving. Your support and guidance will encourage your child to continue unselfish acts as an adult.

How Homelessness Affects the Education of Children

A young boy sits in the back of the classroom, he is in the 6^th grade, but he can’t read the words in the book that is front of him. As the other children read silently, he tears bits of paper that he found in his desk, and he holds his head close to the book. He wonders what he’ll do when the teacher asks for the written assignment, which accompanies the reading. He doesn’t have a pencil or pen. He doesn’t have the correct paper, and he doesn’t have the skills that he needs to complete the assignment. The boy hopes that this teacher will be nice. As the other students read, he tries to cough to mask the sound coming from his rumbling stomach.

Why Are Children Homeless?

This young boy, like thousands of others in the United States, is homeless. These children live in motels, shelters, vehicles, or they are shuffled to relatives’ homes. They may live in abandoned homes, buildings, or on the street. The rising number of homeless children has been attributed to poor economic conditions and foreclosures, but there are countless scenarios and stories that explain why we have children who do not have stable homes. Sometimes the children have fled with a parent who left an abusive relationship. Children who have a caregiver who abuses drugs could find themselves homeless for periods of time.  Oftentimes they are separated from their parents and siblings, and it is common that they miss several days from school. When they do go to school, they might be hungry, have poor hygiene, and lack appropriate clothing.

The Secret Life

It is not unusual for these children to fall behind in school. It is difficult to concentrate when you are hungry, tired, frustrated, and worried. Children might also have difficulties forming friendships with other children. The homeless children are never quite sure how long they will be in a certain place, and when they do make friends, they find themselves uprooted once again. Many homeless children live in a perpetual state of secrecy. Their parents are afraid that if authorities find out that they are homeless, the family will be separated.  So, the children are forced to keep this secret while they are in school. They do not open up to teachers or other children. I think that this is one of the reasons why authorities state that the number of homeless children in America is underreported. Information and referral software can help us keep track homeless children who move from place to place.

Closing the Gap

Sometimes homeless children find it too difficult to keep up in school, and they drop out. These children might also find it difficult to relate to other children their age. They feel as though they live on the fringes of society at an early age. When they struggle to stay in school, gaps in education can make it difficult for the children to earn the skills that they need to support themselves. Some children imagine college as an out-of-reach fantasy. Patience, acceptance, encouragement, and extra support from teachers can assist homeless students when they are in school, but the children still need a stable and comfortable home environment, so they can focus on their studies.

The First Lady’s Quest to Support Military Families

The Census Bureau says that there are approximately 23.4 million veterans in the United States.  The Republicans dominated this demographic in the 2010 mid-term elections, seeing most of their gains in the districts that had the most military veterans.  Right now Republicans control more than 75% of the 218 congressional districts that have large concentrations of veterans and active duty military members.

One of President Obama’s challenges will be to convince military men and women that slashing defense spending would be a good idea.  Although that could be a tough nut to crack, probably the best plan to help active military members’ families and veterans would be to create jobs, help the economy to grow, and to cut down on wasteful government spending.

First lady Michelle Obama released a new video in March 2012 in which she asked United States soldiers and veterans to help her husband get reelected in November.  While talking about the ninth anniversary of the war in Iraq, she said, “Nine years later, we remember those who gave their lives and honor the sacrifice of all the brave women and men who served our country.”  She continued, “In 2008, Barack made a promise that as president he would bring the Iraq war to a responsible end. He kept his word.”

She went on to say that the president has done everything he could to support military veterans and their families, including ObamaCare, increased funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and tax credits for businesses that hire wounded members of the service.

On April 11, 2012 the first lady opened up another front in her campaign to support military families.  On that day she announced that she planned to push for more jobs on and near military bases.  She also announced that she planned to mark the first anniversary of the Joining Forces campaign with a four state tour.

Joining Forces had said that it already has gotten commitments for more than fifteen thousand jobs, mostly from customer support and telemarketing companies, over the next few years.  These types of jobs will enable veterans and the spouses of people in the military work from home.

These kinds of mobs can be especially helpful for military families because they tend to move about ten times more often than most other families in the United States.

In a conference call with reporters Mrs. Obama said, “We’re trying to meet these spouses where they are… This will make such a huge difference… When the next set of orders comes in for these families and they have to move across the country, they’ll be able to move these jobs with them.”

Mrs. Obama said that so far the jobs aspect of Joining Forces has exceeded her expectations.  She said, “The country is stepping up in ways both large and small.”

Meanwhile, although roughly eight percent of the general population is veterans, almost twenty percent of the homeless population is veterans.  The VA (Veterans Affairs) and HUD (the Departments of Housing and Urban Development) estimate that on any given night there are more than 67,000 homeless veterans.  And, over the course of a year, there are about twice that many. 

Some of our vets are standing in long lines, waiting to be processed with 211Software, so they can spend the night in a homeless shelter.  Hopefully whoever is elected in November will do whatever is necessary in order to bring the number of homeless veterans down.

Homelessness is Destroying the Youth of Our Country

The National Center on Family Homelessness says that more than one out of every fifty children in the Unites States is homeless.  According to our government, child homelessness is higher now than any time since the Great Depression.

Being homeless is causing a devastating impact on the youth in our country.

·  The average reading and math scores of homeless children are sixteen percent lower than the scores for all students.

·  Less than twenty five percent of homeless kids will graduate from high school.

·  Approximately fifteen percent of homeless children suffer from moderate to severe health conditions.

·  Roughly five percent of homeless children are part of a family where adults throw things or hit people.  Is it surprising, then that seventeen percent of homeless children are suffering from emotional disturbances?

Why is this happening?  Why is it getting worse? In most cases the answer is quite simple.  These kids parent’s incomes are decreasing because of the economy.  A combination of government ineptitude and corporate greed has promulgated the widespread loss of value adding jobs from America.  What were heretofore middle income jobs are being shifted to pretty much any country in any part of the world that promises lower service costs and lower production costs.

Consequently, our middle class, which had been the backbone of America, is disintegrating.  People who used to enjoy having a satisfying lifestyle, especially those who used to work in factories, now are either jobless or they are working jobs that pay them a lower than livable wage.

A good part of our population is falling from the middle class into the ranks of the poor.  The gap between the rich and the poor is growing by leaps and bounds.  The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has said that, “income inequality in the United States has risen to historically high levels… and has been increasing for more than 30 years.”

Although the government denies it, anyone who shops is finding that prices are increasing.  Consequently, our purchasing power is plummeting.  Although it may not have much of an impact on the well-to-do, inflation is crippling the poor.  A report recently released by the National Center on Family Homelessness said that, “Between 1979 and 2005, the income of the richest Americans more than tripled, rising 228% ($76,500) per household, while the income of the bottom fifth rose only 6% ($900).  As a result, many low-income families no longer have the purchasing power to sustain their households.”

While incomes and purchasing power for the formerly middle-class has been falling housing costs have been rising.  The supply of affordable housing has shrunk, forcing many people, who in their wildest dreams would not have ever thought that they could be homeless, are out on the street – along with their children.

A lot of people are now paying more than thirty three percent of their income for housing (the level that housing costs are considered to be affordable).  As housing costs have risen many millions of Americans have been forced to choose between having a home to call their own and life’s other necessities.  Those who are paying more than a third of their income for housing have had to let medical care, transportation, and wholesome food fall by the wayside.

Consequently, many other good folks have had to try to find shelter for themselves and their families in homeless shelters.  They’ve been subjected to having to deal with waiting in long lines, being interviewed by social workers, having information about them input into 211Software, etc., all in the hopes that they could have a roof over the heads of their children and themselves for the night.

Corporate greed and being subjected to the whims of inept politicians must stop.  Elections are coming up.  Perhaps if the right people are voted into office this despicable situation might end.

Reaching Out to the Homeless

When I was young, walking up and down the streets of cities like San Francisco, I would see homeless people and wonder what had gotten them to that point.  My heart always ached for these individuals.  I’d invent stories in my mind as to what they’d gone through to find themselves in that position.  I always wanted to give my allowance to these people, so I’d go to a store and break my allowance down into dollar bills and pass them out.  I was always disappointed when I ran out of dollar bills, because there were always more people to help.  I was always hurt that I couldn’t help them all.


One time my mom and I went grocery shopping and passed a homeless family on our way.  We went inside, bought some extra groceries, and gave it to them.  I remember their faces, and their exuberant “Thank you”.   We still talk about that day, as it benefitted us more than it benefitted them!  A simple bag of groceries did so much!


As I’ve grown, I’ve realized that giving money to the homeless isn’t something I’m willing to do.  So, instead, if I see a homeless person I’m impassioned to help, I offer to buy them a meal, get them some food from a local grocery store, or if they need anything specific I can buy for them.  I always try to be respectful of them.  Look them in the eye, treat them as I would like to be treated.  We never know what leads to these people becoming homeless.  These individuals are someone’s child, someone’s sister or brother, or someone’s mother.  They are still human beings, and still deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

Once a year I help out with a local pancake breakfast for the homeless.  Thanks to shelters and kitchens, with the assistance of homeless sheltersoftware, they are able to track and care for homeless people.  Volunteering my time is free.  Helping a kitchen serve a few hundred meals is easy and very rewarding.  Many organizations go beyond just feeding the homeless.  They offer women’s services, care for homeless children, and much more.  If you’re a professional, some organizations offer haircuts, medical care, job training, interviews, and dental work to the homeless.  You can help enrich the lives of many homeless people with just a few hours of your time.  Just because they don’t have a home doesn’t mean their medical issues don’t bother them any less.

Instead of giving your unwanted items to goodwill, call your local homeless shelter.  Here’s a searchable directory of homeless shelters: http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/.  They are always in need of items.  You can donate anything to these organizations.  Many coupon users donate their extra toiletries to shelters. 


The homeless epidemic is widespread.  From major cities, to small rural areas, there are individuals facing homelessness everywhere.  It’s all too easy to ignore this issue, but with more homeless people every day, chances are you know someone who’s homeless, or very close to it.  If everyone would donate just a few hours of their time, our programs to assist these people would go so much farther.  The biggest misconception is that you can’t do anything about it.  We can each do something, one homeless person in need at a time!

The Far Reaching Problem of Homelessness

Moving from California to Kentucky was a huge move.  Not just the specifics of organizing a cross-country move, but also the culture shock that came with it.  My old town was the capital of the state.  I had my own tiny apartment.  I had a full time job in a 30 story building, and spent every day in a huge metropolis, surrounded by colorful people and businesses.  My new hometown doesn’t even have a stoplight.  We have more cattle than people.  More often than not, a traffic jam is caused by a tractor in the road.  Most of our businesses are agricultural producers.  One problem that both of these towns have is homelessness. 


Homelessness is on the rise.  Many individuals find themselves without work, their bank accounts dwindling, and bills coming due, with no foreseeable employment.  They find that they can no longer afford their home, and are forced to fend for themselves.


The perk, if there is any, of being homeless in a suburban area, is the availability of local resources like homeless shelters with homeless sheltersoftware to help those individuals get assistance.  There is a great need for assistance for the homeless in Rural America.


When someone is homeless in rural America, there are few stoops or bridges for homeless people to utilize for shelter.  Many end up using decrepit barns and sheds for shelter.  Occasionally these homeless people trespass into someone’s home.  In my local area a homeless man was shot after breaking into a home.  There are few resources for homeless people in rural America to utilize, and so many end up being community homeless people, leaning on other members of their immediate community for support.


Mental health in rural America is another issue.  With no behavioral institutions nearby, and no organization to contact, there are many times that those with special needs get left behind in society, and in rural America, this is a dangerous problem.  With no medical assistance for these individuals, they can become unpredictable and violent.  Many times these individuals are relatives of those that live in the area, and so those people never leave.  Our community had a problem with a mentally disturbed individual destroying three mailboxes and one gate.  His family would never step forward on his behalf to help him, or assist the community member in replacing the damaged property.  This individual has trespassed onto other farmers properties, and unfortunately, once you’re notified not to come onto property, the property owners have the right to use deadly force.  This could end badly for everyone in the community.  Living in a rural area means that law enforcement response time is impacted.


The social picture of homelessness is always based in a metropolitan area.  The homeless camps, the images of homeless people milling about a downtown area-all of these are only showing half of the real problem.  The homelessness epidemic is much more far reaching.  Rural communities are just as affected, if not more, by downed economies, and suffer these consequences on a more personal level.  The people that are affected are your family and friends, and just walking by these homeless people is not an option.