My son is on the autism spectrum and went through a long period of getting in trouble at school even though his grades were great. He started volunteering with GenerationServe one summer and discovered a whole new world: people outside his family appreciating his contribution, a strong feeling of self-worth. He's been at it for about 3 years now and is always up for volunteering. Inspired by his experience, I have incorporated family service projects into the programs at the YMCA where I work.
We love Generation Serve. We have been volunteering with them for about 5 years. They have opportunities for kids of all ages and are always adding new programs to help families volunteer in the Austin area. My kids have participated in several service learning projects and learned so much about the needs of our community and the organizations that serve them.
Generation Serve is AMAZING and everyone there is nice and it is a great way to give back to your community
I have been volunteering with Generation Serve for almost 3 years and it has been such a valuable experience. Before Generation Serve, volunteering wasn't something that I was interested in or really cared much about. But, after I started with this program I became more aware of the problems that society faces and have come to love volunteering. Generation Serve activities are some of my favorite things to do. This organization has given me leadership experience, made me more philanthropic, and helped me meet so many amazing people in and outside of my age group. I love it! - NS
Generation Serve is a really helpful organization that provides volunteer opportunities for children as young as three. One of my favorite activities is the homeless helpers activity where you make bagels for the homeless so they can be passed out the next day. Another activity that I love doing the the YMCA senior helpers activity where you go and play games with senior citizens. Overall I really enjoy working and volunteering with Generation Serve and it's defiantly worth trying out.
My kids loved working at the Foindation Communities back to school event stuffing backpacks. What a great way to find family friendly volunteering events.
This is an extremely well run non-profit, which does great work for the community, as well as for the tiny volunteers.
LHH is a great organization to work with! My kids keep asking when we can go back and volunteer again. We all enjoy our time together as a family working with area organizations to meet their needs. As a mother I want to provide opportunities for my children to help those in our community who are not as privileged as them in hopes that they will be appreciative of what they do have. But also, I want the opportunity to volunteer as well and with young children I would need to arrange for a babysitter. I love that with LHH we can all volunteer together!
This is an amazing nonprofit that my children and I have had the privilege of volunteering with for many years. The staff are so friendly and great with kids, the organizations that Little Helping Hands work with always have age-appropriate activities, and the benefits are great for both the organizations seeking assistance and the families. My kids have learned a great deal at every job that they have volunteered to do. Some are more fun than others, but as my kids get older I can see that they are beginning to understand the importance of every job. It is wonderful to discuss with them how their work helps others during and after each activity.
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A few years ago, I was looking for volunteer opportunities for my young daughter. Little Helping Hands provided the perfect activities for children her age, and allowed us to volunteer as a family. Over time, Little Helping Hands has offered countless ways for me, my husband, and my two children to help animals, the environment, and those in need. My children are developing a better understanding of what it means to give, that giving of their time is just as valuable (maybe more so) than monetary donations. Little Helping Hands is just a wonderful organization!!
I cannot say enough positive comments to accurately convey how wonderful this program is. I would encourage parents to
Take your kids to as many different offerings as possible - my kids learned they loved volunteering with the elderly and the outdoor clean ups / gardening but didn't love some other volunteer activities but each experience made them realize how fortunate they are and they always feel good after an activity. It is important to introduce kids to the cycle of giving back and making the community a better place for everyone. If one activity doesn't fit then try another.
The team at LHH are always great at explaining what is expected and making sure everyone has fun in the process.
Fantastic organization that helps us as parents show our kids the importance of contributing
Thank you LHH for helping me be a better parent and for providing wonderful role models for my children.
Great organization and people. Kids learn how to help, why people need help, and about why it is important that they are the ones to step forward and do it. Luckily we are not living in those situations everyday, so it also gives the kids a chance to step into it, learn about it, and not be afraid or hateful of those who are there. The groups are small enough to feel as though they are contributing, and organized enough to not let the kids get bored waiting. Much respect to the people who make it happen.
My 9 year old son has volunteered with LHH numerous times, along with myself and/or my husband. We absolutely love the organization! They are friendly, organized, and very informative. The small incentives for the kids (t-shirt, ice cream coupon) are great, but don't overshadow the real reward of contributing to the community. Volunteering once (sometimes twice) a month with LHH has brought our family closer and has opened up a lot of interesting/meaningful conversations for us. We tend to volunteer at the same location each month, and the LHH representative on site always remembers my son's name and chats with him as we're getting started; this makes him feel incredibly special.
It's also important to note that the opportunities are authentic volunteer events, not just cutesy excuses to get kids involved. My 9 year old LOVES that he is making a concrete difference, and I know that if the volunteer events were just fluff that he would grow disinterested. There are a variety of opportunities, and I love exposing our son to the myriad of ways that one can get involved in the community and help out.
My children and I volunteer through LHH about once per month. It's a fabulous experience for each of us, and we really appreciate that LHH brings opportunities for the little ones to help out. They also do a great job at each event of explaining to the children how their activities at that particular event are helping out the community. I highly recommend this charity.
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Our experiences with LHH has brought our family closer all while helping the community. Each activity has been positive and educational. Every representative from LHH has been professional, approachable, and kind. It has been extremely rewarding to participate with an organization that makes the world a better place. In fact, our only issue is that the organization is such a success that opportunities fill up quickly. I highly recommend LHH to all of my friends!
My 5-year-old daughter has participated in two volunteer events with Little Helping Hands (at Dell Children's Hospital and Habitat for Humanity). She loved them both and can't wait to be a "helper" again. LHH does a great job making volunteer events appropriate for preschoolers and school-aged children and makes it a fun experience for both kids and parents. I look forward to getting the calendar to sign up every month!
My seven year old daughter has been volunteering through LLH and absolutely adores it. She is excited to go and comes home afterwards beaming over her accomplishments. She also seems to have more compassion for differences and often asks if we can bring various things to the people at Caritas. Thank you for this opportunity.
My three children and I have been volunteering with LHH for the past several years. We've experienced a range of their activities---from making holiday crafts at a senior center, to making lunches for residents of a Foundation Communities, to picking kale at a local farm, and many, many more. Each time, we learn something new and it has been incredibly valuable for my children to learn about so many different aspects of our community. LHH is extremely well organized and I feel very lucky that we have such an amazing and much-needed nonprofit here in Austin.
Let me just start by saying I am so very blessed to live in the same city as LHH! When my son was 4 years old, I started looking for opportunities for him to experience the gift of giving and the fulfillment that comes with keeping our community beautiful. LHH was there to offer a variety of experiences. In his first year, we painted graffiti with the City of Austin; made meals for the families of The Ronald McDonald House; helped a food pantry plant a huge garden, picked up trash in our city's most popular park and bagged dog food for the pets of the homeless.
My favorite part of all these events is the conversations that happen when I explain the purpose of our efforts. Usually it's hard to keep back the tears. I remember when I was explaining how the Ronald McDonald House gives families a place to stay for free when they have a sick child in the nearby hospital and can't afford lodging and how we were going to help make dinner for them. My little boy says, "Mommy, they can stay with us in my bed if they need to."
He is 7 now and I know that his giving heart has blossomed over these past 3 years because of his involvement with LHH. My daughter is 4 and I plan to take her down the same path as her brother. She just had her first experience and was blown away when I told her we just made dinner for 22 families.
Thanks you, LHH, for doing what you do! I wish every city had the opportunities you offer to ours. I am so proud of you, Marissa, for bringing your vision to life! I wish you amazing growth and reach with LHH! Cheers to nurturing the giving spirits of our children!
This our first time volunteering with LHH. I have wanted to volunteer for months, the organization is SO popular that volunteer spots fill up quickly. We were able to get a Monday afternoon spot at Caritas.
Initially my 7 year old was hesitant to do the *work*, but she quickly got into the role of food prep, and genuinely enjoyed herself. Most importantly she understood why and whom the food was for. I think this was the first time that she didn't take a nibble of the food while we were prepping. Her self-control surprised me. It is amazing what one will do for a bigger cause.
Alisa (sp) was a great organizer, and made everyone feel welcome and included.
