Generation SERVE

Generation SERVE has given my kids the chance to engage with non profits in a meaningful way. They now love to volunteer and are much more aware of the world around them. I am so thankful GS exists!

Generation Serve makes it so easy for busy parents to find volunteer opportunities to participate in as a family. There are so many activities to choose from, your children are bound to find something they will want to do over and over again. Great quality time with the family!

Generation SERVE is a small yet mighty nonprofit that connects youth and families with meaningful volunteer opportunities. By offering a diverse range of opportunities, kids of all ages are able to engage in volunteerism and find age-appropriate ways to give back to their community. I am proud to serve on the board for such a mission-focused organization.

Generation Serve is a phenomenal organization that provides opportunities for children of all ages to engage in various community service activities in their communities. They create community connections to other nonprofits of all missions and sizes and then provide age appropriate opportunities for families to try different acts of service. My children have engaged as volunteers with Generation Serve since they were 4 years old and now as teenagers they actively believe volunteering will always be a part of their lives. It opened their eyes to various social issues as well and allowed them to ask questions and develop their sense of morals, empathy, giving and leadership through their experiences with Generation Serve. It is an amazing model for a nonprofit and we are so lucky to have this organization in our community. Generation Serve is developing future generations of empathic community leaders!

Generation SERVE introduces youth to volunteering and provides opportunities for kids as young as 3 all the way through high school. I personally don't have children, but volunteer my time to lead activities for the organization. I appreciate the diversity of events they create and the opportunity they provide for youth to learn and participate in supporting our local community.

This is a top notch organization. Generation SERVE has provided our three boys with a variety of volunteer options and keep asking to do more. Not only are they giving back, but we have met many great friends as a result.

6 years ago I wanted to volunteer with my kids, and simply searched "volunteer opportunities for kids in Austin." Generation SERVE popped up and is EXACTLY what I was hoping for. 6 years later, volunteerism is a part of life for our 11 year old, 9 year old and 8 year old. Each month, we pick an activity from the volunteer calendar and just show up ready to serve. Generation SERVE has all of the supplies at each activity site, and an activity lead to guide us through the activity. GS is also diligent about keeping the activity to the advertised time frame - usually 1 to 2 hours. My kids truly enjoy it and each have their own favorite activities - appropriate for each of their respective ages. Thank you, Generation SERVE!

Thanks to Generation Serve, my 3 children can't remember a time in their life when they didn't volunteer! Generation Serve allows families to volunteer together - from tots to teens - and serve a variety of non-profits in the Austin and Houston communities. Through volunteerism, children learn to be the change-makers our world so desperately needs. Through this hands-on experience of volunteerism, children learn to live their lives as community-minded leaders. Generation Serve has programs for toddlers to teens with a leadership path as well. This organization has dramatically impacted our family's ability to serve others and we are so grateful to the founder and her vision.

I found Generation Serve in 2019 and was thrilled to see so many opportunities for family members of all ages to serve our community. The calendar is always changing and each month offers new ways to connect with different organizations. It could not be easier to get your entire family involved in volunteerism in a meaningful way. Thank you Generation Serve!

Generation SERVE offers age-appropriate volunteering opportunities for children age 3-17 and their caregivers. Generation SERVE works with over 150 nonprofit partners to offer a wide array of options, from working with shelter pets to helping the unhoused. Teens can volunteer on their own at Teen Service Days or can work side by side with their siblings and parents volunteering together as a family. Generation SERVE's activity leads are always there to help explain the activity, introduce the nonprofit and the work they do, and explain why the work is so important. It's always a great experience!

Your volunteer activities provide my granddaughter with an excellent opportunity to contribute to others. The sense of pride and level of caring she receives from the activities is priceless, and is giving her a strong foundation of service and caring for others in her community.
D. Wertz

Generation Serve is a wonderful asset to the Austin Community. Having participated as a staff member, volunteer, community liaison, and now a parent I can attest to the incredible work of this organization. Bringing together organizations and creating opportunities for our kids to learn about the value of service is a gift. I look forward to participating for years to come!

Generation Serve has been able to provide kids and families an outlet to help the community and build leadership skills. The events are community focused with partnerships in different arenas! Serving in the board has helped me gain an insight on the staff that’s dedicated to learn and grow the mission. I truly love what Generation Serve does.

I am a teen volunteer with Generation SERVE. I love working with them. They work hard to provide me with a lot of opportunities to help change my community. They have a cool teen program too. Get involved today!

Great organization! My family loves to volunteer and help our community and chose Generation SERVE because of the opportunities they provide and the support they provide to other nonprofits. Highly recommend!

I have been volunteering with my daughters for over 8 years now with Generation SERVE and it's a great way to spend time together as a family. I love that it's quality time together, giving back in our community and all the activities are tailored to their age group. It has built a sense of pride and awareness in our oldest and continues to build a sense of wonder with our youngest.

Amazing organization that makes family volunteering simple and easy for busy families. Lots of creative opportunities for families to volunteer in Austin and Houston with meaningful impacts. We love this organization and the work they are doing to expose families to a wide variety of community issues which in turn helps kids build empathy, compassion, and connection - such important skills for our communities’ future leaders!

My daughter loves volunteering with Generation SERVE! Being able to help so many different organizations is amazing!

Great organization with a meaningful and impactful mission. My family and I love volunteering through Gen Serve and will continue to do so. They offer nvaluable lessons in community needs and opportunities to help.

I love taking my kids to volunteer at the Generation SERVE activities. Having a place that makes it fun, enchanging and meaningful plus helps me talk about community issues is so helpful!

Wonderful program with an invaluable mission. my family will be volunteering over and over!!

What a powerful and impactful organization! Helping instill volunteerism in our next generation, thank you Generation Serve for streamlining this process for families.

Our family has been volunteering for over 7 years with Generation SERVE, which means that our children can't remember a time when they didn't give back to their community. We have been exposed to over 50 local non-profits, and our children know how they can give back in so many different ways. "How can I/you help?" has become a regular part of our family discussions, and our children know that it is part of their responsibility as community members to help others. Beyond our family, we are amazed at the impact of Generation SERVE on the Austin community at large. The amount of hours and help GS gives non-profit partners, and the way the Generation SERVE small but mighty workforce helps other non-profits grow is truly inspiring and why we support this important organization that helps empower the next generation of volunteers through opportunities for age and interest appropriate opportunities.

I've been involved with Generation SERVE for the last 6 years. We joined when my oldest child was just 5 and found that the variety of activities continued to keep him interested. The advancing levels of the program for older children has succeeded in investing him in his responsibility to contribute to our community and help others. My time seeing the full impact of the org as a Board member (and additional journey with my youngest getting involved) has really solidified the role of service in our family life.

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.

A wonderful experience for my son! Extremely organized team that makes it easy to volunteer!

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.

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.

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.

We had our first experience with Little Helping Hands this past weekend, and it was a great one! Not only did my daughter and I learn some new things, we also got a chance to connect with like-minded people. My goal as a mom is to inspire a sense of community in my children, and this orginization is a great way to do that. I plan on signing my family up more in the future.

I love that my two active toddlers can get their wiggles out while helping others. We usually choose outdoor opportunities, since the boys are so young ( 3 and 5). The LHH leaders are organized and cheerful, and very supportive helping kids learn the value of helping others.

Wonderful, well-organized and supported opportunities for children as young as three to volunteer.

Upon retirement, I took the opportunity to move closer to family and grandchildren. Volunteering with the grandchildren with Little Helping Hands has been a meaningful way to spend time together while also introducing me to the non-profits in the city. By volunteering together, the grandchildren know that helping others is valued and can be a lifelong endeavor. Volunteering with Little Helping Hands is helping my grandchildren grow up to be thoughtful, compassionate and competent.

Having just moved to Austin, I've been looking for family friendly volunteer opportunities so I could plan activities for my kids to do with me, like I've always had to do before since volunteer orgs usually only serve adults, sometimes teens. How tickled I was to find a volunteer organization focused on children, working with their family. The sign up process was seamless - just click the activity you want to participate in, fill out a little bit of info, and you're set. I then received an email with all the details. I especially loved the link to "table talk" a quick overview for parents to use to explain the project and it's significance to my kids. When we arrived, there was 1 form to complete (it was our first event with Little Helping Hands), and a super warm welcome by the staff and other volunteers. My kids felt instantly comfortable. There was no confusion or wasted time. A fun, quick orientation showed us what Mobile Loafs and Fishes does and we got to work. Not only did the kids do a great job stocking the truck, taking such pride in their work, but their sense of accomplishment was priceless. They really felt like they were part of something bigger, helping the homeless in a significant way. They can't wait to go back.

As for mom, to be able to click to select a project, then just show up and help. Wow! That was easy.

There are so few organizations that allow children to volunteer, so the have an organization that organizes all these activities is absolutely priceless. Each coordinator is helpful and knowledgeable about the activities. It is amazing to see the difference volunteering has made in my children's lives.

myself, my daughter and my granddaughter spent time with senior center residents making crafts. It was very enriching experience for all of us. The focus on family involvement in community and teaching our young ones at early age to give their time and talent to be good citizen of the community is very important. Little helping hand organization gives this opportunity in our city of Austin, TX and we feel blessed by it.

An amazing organization. Love that the focus is on helping as a family - A really wonderful way to get the kids involved and focused on helping others and making a difference!

Little Helping Hands is an amazing organization that provides parents the tools to guide their children into a lifetime of volunteering. They offer a variety of events that allow the children to support and learn about the many different types of non-profit organizations that rely on volunteers. In addition, Little Helping Hands goes the extra mile by providing "talking points" about each organization hosting an event to further discuss the mission of a particular organization and who they are helping by volunteering.

Wonderful organization that does amazing things within the community helping those in need (e.g. Caritas, Shelters, Parks, etc.) Best of all the focus is on the children providing the support and learning what it truly means to "help thy neighbor."

I love that we can volunteer as a family! This is a great organization - extremely well run and rewarding activities!

What great model and organization. I try to fit in an event at least every two months with my three kids and it really helps them learn to be positive members of their community and help those less fortunate at an early age. Great organization!

What a wonderful experience for my 12 year old daughter and myself. We spent part of her day off from school stocking and organizing the food pantry at El Buen Samaritano. We went with 2 of her friends and their mothers--a great, fun activity that did well at the same time. The Little Helping Hands employee was organized, friendly and helpful, and I felt like our hour and a half of volunteer time was extremely well used and useful. We'll definitely participate again!

I was so happy to learn about this organization earlier this year. It has been a great activity for me to do with my 7 year old, our middle son. Volunteering together gives us great one-on-one time and, of course, teaches him important life lessons. He eagerly looks forward to each activity.

My 6 year old son and my wife and I have volunteered 5 times through LHH. It is such an incredible experience! Every event we have been to has been a well oiled machine. They take the time at the begining of each event to explain why we are there and how we are helping make a difference. They have excellent tasks for the kiddos. We love LHH and plan on volunteering with them many more times.

One of the very best organized, most meaningful volunteer experiences I have ever had, not to mention my children. I am so very impressed with the quality, quantity and organization of volunteer opportunities. Thank you to LHH for exposing our children to community service in such a perfect way.

We just started volunteering with LHH and it was a great experience! Well organized and fun. I'm very happy to have this opportunity to volunteer with my kids.

I can't say enough wonderful things about Little Helping Hands! Our family has been volunteering with LHH for three years now and it has been a wonderful way for us to show our son how important it is to us to give back to our community and instill that value in him! He REALLY enjoys every activity (which are extremely well organized) and our volunteer opportunities have generated some great conversations and given him a better understanding/appreciation of many non profit organizations in our area.

LHH has been great to work with. We have worked at Goodwill's Electronic Recycling center a couple of times. I think the 1 1/2 hour time is just right for this age, and LHH is great about making it an enjoyable experience, from being friendly, informative and helpful, to having snacks and drinks at the end to take on our way out.

My only complaint is that it is very difficult to catch an open spot. The spots fill up immediately. My hope for the future would be LHH growing and offering more opportunities. It is possible to get first-pick if you donate money to LHH, but the required donation amount is too high for me. While I can see their logic on generating donations that way, it feels like paying for the privilege of donating my (and my kids') time. It's not necessarily a bad way to go as a strategy, but something about it feels off-putting, and perhaps it could be done in a better way.

Mainly, I just wish we could volunteer with LHH much more often than we are able to. If I happen to be at my computer when the calendar is sent out for the next month, I can get us signed up before it is full, but if I am not... we're out of luck. It's probably been nearly a year since we started with LHH, and we have only worked twice.

Philanthropy has been part of my life since I was a young child thanks to my parents, who encouraged our family to volunteer and to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Instilling that same value in my own children is important to me, and I feel so fortunate that Little Helping Hands is here to help me do so. Not only do my daughters enjoy their Little Helping Hands projects, but they are also learning about the needs of their community and doing their part to help meet those needs.

Before Little Helping Hands, finding the right volunteering fit for me and my kiddos to participate in was time consuming and challenging. Now, with Little Helping Hands I am presented with a variety of hands on volunteering options that are well organized and age appropriate. My three girls love the opportunity to give back to their community and I am delighted to see community service find a place in their hearts at such a young age.

As soon as my family started volunteering with Little Helping Hands, I knew it was an organization we would support wholeheartedly. I had struggled to find family volunteer opportunities that would allow my young kids to participate -- or that would provide them with a meaningful experience when they were allowed to come along. LHH does just that. With LHH, my kids have cooked and served meals to people in need, worked in a food pantry, made beds for kittens at the animal shelter, delivered meals to elderly homebound people, helped train therapy dogs, and much more. They learn about service and it gives us an opportunity and a framework for discussing a wide range of issues. And it's fun! My whole family looks forward to our volunteer activities with Little Helping Hands.

I have been involved from the sidelines in Little Helping Hands since its founding in the Spring of 2009. What started out as a small grass-roots non-profit has today become the driving force of family volunteerism in Austin. This recently shared factoid from Little Helping Hands illustrates this: "Through September of this year (2012), we offered 37 volunteer opportunities each month on average, providing 1,400 families and 2,400 children with service activities..."

I have had many fantastic opportunities to volunteer with my grandchildren, ages 6 and 10, through Little Helping Hands. I appreciate it so much!

I cannot begin to explain how wonderful LHH is for our family. It used to be hard finding a way for my 3 children to volunteer and give back to the community but with LHH it's been so simple. Thank you for making volunteering something my children love and look forward to doing!

Little Helping Hands is a fabulous organization that helps teach children the importance and benefits of volunteering in their community. Volunteer activities are well planned and just the right length for children.

Little Helping Hands is an awesome organization that does so much in getting kids involved at a young age in the community. There are so few charities that allow kids to volunteer and LHH really helps to fill that need. My daughter and I started volunteering with them about 3 years ago when she was 4 years old, she is now almost 7 and still loves the projects. I would highly recommend their programs to anyone with children from 3 years and up. Great people!

What better way to teach your children the importance of volunteering in their community than by standing next to them as they do! I love this organization for the great opportunities they have provided my family to make our city a better place to live.

I support this nonprofit as a donor because it provides families the opportunity to introduce their children to volunteerism at a young age. I wish i had had access to an organization like this when my children were toddlers and young people. LHH is run in a smart efficient way using the internet and Facebook to organize and promote its activities and to inform its supporters of the results of contributions by young people and their families. This nonprofit deserves to be listed on the Top-Rated Nonprofits List.

The activities that we have done through Little Helping Hands have been so wonderful and inspiring for my children. Everything is very well organized and done with a purpose.

This is such an amazing organization. Opportunities for young children to volunteer and learn about giving back to their communities are not easy to find. Little Helping Hands does a fantastic job in organizing these activities, communicating with volunteers, and maintaining excitement and motivation among the kids. My kids love participating in these activities, and as they get older they are beginning to understand the impact of their work.

We love Little Helping Hands! Our family has gotten so much out of the activities we've done. They make it easy and fun to share with your kids the importance of helping others.

Great opportunity to serve the community while teaching our kids to help others.

My daughter and I have been volunteering with Little Helping Hands for a couple years now. It is an awesome organization for so many reasons! The activities are always well-organized, age appropriate, hands-on and the purpose is always clear. LHH makes sure the kids know what specific impact their volunteer contribution is making and a little bit about the nonprofit they are working with. My daughter and I are building great memories with this organization, while helping the community. What a win-win!

LHH is an amazing organization! My children have gotten the chance to experience the true joy that comes with serving others in the community. The staff is always helpful and friendly, and the events are organized in a very professional (but fun) manner. We will continue volunteering as long as possible!!

This organization is pure gold. They help instill a life-long love of volunteering in kids who are just in their most formative years. They are led by energetic and friendly staff and a fully engaged board who work hard to create new and engaging volunteer opportunities every month.

Little Helping Hands has been playing a vital role in my children's development for 3 years now. They are learning about people in need, the environment, and just how to be better citizens. LHH provides our family with fun, safe, educational ways to volunteer in our community. There are all sorts of volunteer opportunities for middle and high school children, but very few for the pre-school and young elementary school age child. LHH is an invaluable resource for any parent of young children.

We are so fortunate to have an organization like Little Helping Hands. When my daughter was 8, I began looking for volunteer opportunities for our family. It was difficult as most agencies want the children to be at least 10 years of age. That is when a friend told me about Little Helping Hands and we have been hooked ever since. Marissa Vogl has created a well organized community service for Austin families. Her staff is wonderful and we have met so many nice families. The only downfall each month is there are more volunteers for the opportunities offered. But that is also says a lot for our community as we all want to be involved and create learning opportunities for our children. My daughter is going on her second year volunteering and she loves it!! Thanks Little Helping Hands!

My kids, ages 10 and 6, and I are already looking forward to our next Little Helping Hands activity! We recently spent an hour at Caritas preparing macaroni & cheese and cutting fruit to be served at lunch the following day. From the minute we arrived, we felt as though we were doing something worthwhile and meaningful. The LHH coordinator explained the mission of Caritas in ways that the kids easily could understand and appreciate. We were busy but not overworked, and all of us left there thinking that we would like to come back and help again soon. It was especially neat to take a tour of the kitchen and dining facility and have an opportunity to meet the woman responsible for cooking lunches for about 350 clients every day. She was busy mopping the floor (I'm sure everyone who works there wears many hats), and she thanked us profusely for the work we had done. It made us feel good that we were able to help someone who works as hard as she does. One day soon I will drive my kids by Caritas around 11:30 am and let them see the long line of clients in need of a nutritious, hot lunch. I'm sure it will make a lasting impression, just as Little Helping Hands does with every volunteer opportunity.

This charity provides relevant, worthwhile opportunities that are age-relevant for children. I am Si very thankful to have discovered this well-organized group of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to facilitate service learning for young children in Austin.

Austin is so fortunate to have an organization like Little Helping Hands. Before I discovered the organization, I often lamented the lack of volunteer opportunities for young kids. Most organizations have an age minimum b/c it takes some effort and creativity to find -- and, mostly, to PREPARE for -- activities with the younger crowd. LHH does the work. The Austin community and my family are the beneficiaries. I love that my daughter will not remember a time that she wasn't regularly volunteering to help others. It is just a part of who she is now. And she is such a compassionate little girl that I have to believe it is due, in part, to this fabulous organization. EVERY community should want to start their own LHH!

I did an activity with my 10 year old step daughter. We had a fantastic time at the Ronald Mcdonald house making meals. I am so grateful to have found an organization that encourages helping others and includes our kids. It is so important!

My children and I have been volunteering with Little Helping Hands from its beginning. I cannot tell you how much volunteering with LHH has affected my young boys lives and our family's overall. The activities are always very well-organized, age-appropriate, and fun for all involved while at the same time helping out the community. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved!

I can't brag enough about Little Helping Hands. Not only is it a fabulous way to teach young children about community service, but it also provides us with quality, fun family activities. I am so happy that our family is involved with this fantastic organization. We look forward to each of our LHH activities and are alwasy impressed with how organized and well thought out each activity is.

Our family has had so much fun volunteering through Little Helping Hands. I wanted my children (age 3&6) to learn the importance of helping others at a young age. LHH gives us a chance as a family to give back and show our kids this important lesson. We appreciate the opportunity and always have fun.

This is an amazing organization. I think every big city should have one. I am a first time stay it home mom of three small boys. I had previously worked full time and worked year round. This past summer I decided not to work and the boys were going to stay home. I was trying to find activities that would keep them busy. I also thought volunteering would be great. In trying to find things to do I found this great organization. They realize that little hands can do BIG things. My boys look forward to the activities and are able to communicate what there impact is doing. We really feel like we are making a great impact. The best part ( the ice cream award is great) is seeing the impact they have on the world. My one son received the community award at school. My other little guy helped pick up trash at a local park without being asked. This is an organization that helps are family show are children that everyone can help. I cannot say enough of the impact this organization has had on our family. We just moved to Austin and this is my favorite part of living this city. I think that says a lot.

Little Helping Hands teaches children about giving back in a fun environment. We assembled food for a pantry that gives to the working poor and the homeless. I believe it is so important for those who have to give back and it is never to young to understand this concept. We had a great time and plan to do it on a regular basis.

Little Helping Hands is a top notch organization. They offer a variety of volunteer opportunities for parents and children to do together. The website and sign up process are clear and concise. The volunteer activities are age appropriate, efficiently organized and show children that they can make a difference in our community despite their youth.

What a wonderful organization!! LHHs has been such a blessing to our family. It has given us the opportunity to volunteer as a family. I was so impressed with the management of th organization that we decided to include them in our annual charity giving.

My eight year old daughter and I volunteered through Little Helping Hands in Austin, Texas for the first time this weekend. What a rewarding experience! My daughter met some great kids and really enjoyed packaging baby formula for children in need. The volunteer coordinators are so organized and made everyone feel comfortable and welcome in the group. We plan to do many more community service projects through Little Helping Hands in the future!

This is a most wonderful organization! It's one-stop-shopping for finding great volunteering opportunities that you can do with your children... which are often very difficult to find. Our entire family always leaves an activity feeling better for having helped out our community.

I have been a volunteer, along with my 6-year old son, with Little Helping Hands for one year. In a nutshell, Little Helping Hands coordinates and matches up families to volunteer activities in the Austin community that are age-appropriate for children.

What’s so great about this organization is that is instills in children at a very young age the importance of helping others and giving back to our communities. Currently, the organization coordinates about 20 activities a month, but the demand from parents is so great that the schedule for the next month (once posted) usually fills up within 12-24 hours, leaving many parents and children without an opportunity to participate. Additional funding would help support so many more volunteer activities (and help our community even more)!

I feel very passionately about this organization and highly recommend it to any parent who cares about the community and our environment, and to the children of those parents, who will hopefully grow up to follow in their footsteps with the same values!

Our family is very grateful to have found LHH. We have been doing volunteer events with them for a year now and my children have learned so many valuable lessons about giving back and about how lucky they are. We have also learned a lot about our city as the events are in a different place each time. I had really missed volunteering like I had before I had kids. It was hard to take the time from them to get out to volunteer. LHH has allowed us all to volunteer together which is even more fulfilling than the volunteering I was doing alone.

It is very important to me to teach my children the importance of giving back to the community & helping others. Little Helping Hands has helped me communicate this message to my son. He is only three and we can already participate in volunteer activities together because of LHH! LHH makes giving back fun for the kids. It is really filling a huge need in our community.

My family has participated in many volunteer oppportunities with Little Helping Hands. Without this organization, finding places for our children to volunteer would be difficult to do. I love that we are able to choose to from a variety of volunteer activities among many different non profits. This gives our kids a big exposure to all the different needs out there. The staff at LHH are all wonderful and are good with the kids. The organization from when you sign up, to all the reminder/informative emails, to when you arrive at the event and when you leave is outstanding. I would and have recommended this to others.

My seven year old son loves LHH! He can't wait to sign up each month, and learn about the activity we're doing, and most importantly how we are helping. As his parents, we are thrilled with the service LHH provides by organizing community activities that teach us all how important and how much fun giving back is. We would never be able to expose our son to the same level of service as we can through LHH.

Little Helping Hands is extremely well-organized and understands the interests, abilities, and needs of children and families. My 6-year-old son and I have learned a great deal about local non-profits that are improving our community, and we have been able to join in that effort. It is very rewarding. My son's favorite activity is taking apart computers for recycling. It helps him learn about computers and increase his manual dexterity. There is a huge variety of activities to choose from.

As parents, we talk to our child about being a good citizen and how to develop qualities to be one. Volunteering together with our 6 year old in different Little Helping Hands activity helps us put some of those words into practice and is kind of a family bonding opportunity. All the Little Helping Hands activities we have volunteered for in the past 9 months have been so much fun and my daughter has learnt so much from them that when we tell her we have a volunteering opportunity on that weekend, her response is "Yaaay.. Come mama lets go." Even eating breakfast is optional :). We are much indebted to Little Helping Hands for organizing so many varied activities in such a wonderful manner. Volunteering for a noble cause by itself is good motivating factor to get out and do something - but when it is also so much fun, it just becomes an addiction, I guess :).

Little Helping Hands does an amazing job at meeting a need in the community. Like most parents, I found it very difficult to find opportunities to volunteer with my small children. There was very little to do beyond delivering meals and visiting nursing homes. Little Helping Hands has opened up such a great variety of opportunities that were not open to a single family working alone. The fact that the opportunities fill so quickly shows just how desperate parents are for this kind of organization.

Every event that we have attended has been meticulously organized and so very thoughtfully prepared - from the discussion sheets sent beforehand, to purell and snacks at the event, to pictures sent after the fact.

Little Helping Hands is an amazing nonprofit. They are playing such an important role in getting children, at a very young age, to understand the importance of giving back. I had been looking for a place for my young children to volunteer for a couple of years, but couldn't find anything until LHH. The activities are so well organized and give children a real sense of accomplishment. LHH makes it so easy for kids and their parents to volunteer. The organization is incredibly well run. One of the best nonprofits I've seen.

Little Helping Hands ROCKS!!!! Marissa Vogel, the director and most organized person I have ever met (and I am numbers cruncher by profession) , took a leap of faith in starting this little 501-C3 2 years ago. Her hard work, dedication and perseverance are paying off. Every activity is age appropriate for my children, fun, and life changing. Our family has been participating for the last 19 months and we can't get enough. With LHH, we are able to serve in many different capacities....from feeding the homeless to cleaning and beautifying Lake Bird Lake to everything in between. Just the other day, we did a Memorial Day arts and crafts project at an Adult Day Care Center. My children have already asked to go back to see how their new friends are doing. Marissa provides a Table Talk sheet which is a conversation starter with your chidlren. The form defines the project, describes the organization in which we are serving, how we are to be helping, the skills we will learn or use and what a volunteer is? My husband and I use this with our children before and AFTER the activity to continue the conversation and to keep re-inforcing the important role the children are taking in giving back to others, the community, and the world around them. If you have not signed up with Little Helping Hands, do not wait...it will be the one of the best gifts you have ever given to your family...a life of loving and serving others!!!! www.littlehelpinghands.org

My daughter and I have had wonderful experiences with Little Helping Hands. Every time we have volunteered, we show up and everything is already organized. If it's food-related (for a Caritas meal, for example), the ingredients and an easy-to-read recipe are on the table. I think the highly organized nature of these opportunities makes it MUCH easier to complete the task with children who don't have the longest attention spans. I am so thankful to be able to give my daughter the experience of volunteering and helping out those less fortunate. LHH is the only organization that I have found that sets up volunteer opportunities for children - it is truly an underserved area of volunteering. Teaching young children the importance of giving back and helping others is so important but if the opportunity doesn't exist through an organization, it's hard to figure out how to help. It is easy to sign up through their website, the other volunteers are great, and working with Melissa Vogel is always a pleasure. I can't say enough good things about LHH. We are thankful to have the chance to be a part of it!

This organization is AMAZING. They have found a way to get kids out in the community volunteering. Not just in one place, but ALL over town. Amazing. My kids loved cooking for the residents of Ronald McDonald House and can't wait for their next assignment. Way to go Little Helping Hands in Austin, TX!!!

I love being able to teach my children to give back. This organization is wonderful start to finish. Grace is fabulous at explaining and talking to the children about what we are doing and why. Helping make sandwiches for those in need of food, is an amazing lesson for all, children and adults. My kids have a fantastic time every time we volunteer.

I wanted to get my 4 year old volunteering to show him that he can make a difference in our world but I wasn't sure where we could go. I was so happy to find LHH! We just signed up last month and my son loves it! He broke down computers at Goodwill and is learning about recycling. He made mac n cheese and ham n cheese sandwiches at Caritas to feed the homeless and less fortunate and we also painted over graffiti in east Austin. It's so easy to sign up and everything is very organized. They also send frequent reminders so you don't forget what you signed up for. I highly recommend LHH to any parent wanting to get their kids involved.

LHH is a great organisation that has helped us approach volunteering in a whole new manner. I had been looking for volunteering opportunities where we could involve our 4 year old daughter. LHH provided the perfect route for this - especially making the activities very age appropriate, yet tying the impact to real service.

I longed for an opportunity to give back to our community
One that my whole family could get involved.
I found Little Helping Hands, spread the word to all my friends
And am excited at how it’s evolved.
We’re teaching our kids values, giving back is great
And I love the planning and organization.
It’s not only our guidance that will help our kids grow,
Volunteering is an indescribable foundation.

-Leah Ann O.
Mother of three (all under four years of age)

This is a fabulous organization with stellar leadership. I have seen Little Helping Hands in action at Austin's Ronald McDonald House preparing meals for our guest families. The adults are well organized and the children work hard and are well behaved. They provide a tremendous service to our families who are facing the hospitalization of their child and very challenging circumstances.

My daughter and I have been participating in Little Helping Hands (LHH) events for nearly a year now. There are so many different kinds of activities and they are always well organized. They are the perfect length of time for a young child's attention span and I very age appropriate. It is a great way to educate my daughter on the importance of volunteering and the reasons for helping others. It is also a great way for us to spend time together. Simply put, LHH is great for Austin, great for children and great for families!

I have two small children, and I am always looking for activities for them to give back and volunteer for the community. However, a lot of charitable organizations only want adults or older kids, so I was so happy when Little Helping Hands got started in Austin. My kids and I have participated in a half dozen or so volunteer projects specifically geared to active kid bodies& hands, and we have really enjoyed them all. LHH has a great website for signing up for activities and each activity has a LHH coordinator attending to make sure things go smoothly. I also particularly love that LHH provides cards for each kid that get stamped after each activity, and collecting stamps can earn kids ice cream or T-shirts. That's a great added incentive to get the kids enthusiastic about participating.

Little Helping Hands partners with Refugee Services of Texas to shop for and set up apartments for refugees resettling in Austin. LHH is always organized in it's volunteer recruitment, provides nutritious snacks for the volunteers, and provides a volunteer opportunity that is educational for the volunteers (part of the activity is involves a short discussion of what a refugee is, the process of how they get to America, the cultural challenges they face, etc.) and of great service to the community. In a community with an abundance of not-for-profits, LHH is unique and fills a great gap in opportunities for service for youngsters.

I was so glad that I found out about Little Helping Hands just at the point when I was thinking about family volunteering. The volunteer event we attended was very well-organized and every detail had kids in mind: the activities are the right length, there are a wide variety of ways to get involved in the community and I appreciate the handout to use as a conversation starter about the project the family is going to undertake. After a handful of activities, my son has offered unsolicited questions about those who are less fortunate, and I attribute this awareness to the work we have done with LHH.

I am always trying to find ways for my family to be active in our community and Little Helping Hands makes it easy. The activities are age appropriate, unique and fun! We have recycled old computers, picked up trash along a hiking trail and tagged water drains for no dumping. In each activity, the coordinator takes the time to explain to the children how they are making a difference and personally thanks them. My kids come away from the activity energized and proud.

We moved to Austin from the UK last year and were so lucky to have found Little Helping Hands. We wanted our kids to learn about the value of helping others within the community at a young age and LHH has definitely helped us to do that.
The range of activities offered (homeless, the environment, the elderly, underprivileged or sick children etc) means that you are sure to find an activity that is close to your heart.
The activities only last an hour and a half, which is just right to keep younger kids engaged.
We have enjoyed exploring new parts of Austin, spending time together as a family and meeting other like minded families!
Without this wonderful organization, we would have struggled to find suitable activities for both of our kids (aged 6 and 8) and we are so grateful to Marissa and the rest of the team for helping us to help Austin!

As a person who has always been involved in giving back to the community, I struggled finding ways I could continue to give back after becoming a mother. Little Helping Hand has made it very easy for our entire family to get involved in the community. My children are 4 and 6 and have been involved with LHH since inception and it is amazing to me how much they enjoy all the activities and the way it has made them more aware of the needs of others. We feel so blessed to have this organization in our lives and feel like it has provided a much needed tool for us to communicate and demonstrate humanity to our children. Hopefully they will grow up and continue to see the good in giving back to others.

On its face, Little Helping Hands is about creating volunteer opportunities for younger children. But for our family this has meant quality time doing something together that's about someone else's needs, not about the latest trendy putt-putt course or killer movie. It has meant conversations about how it must feel to be homeless and without someone to turn to. It has created a young boy who doesn't think twice about picking up trash in a park and finding a proper home for it. It has meant the world to us to see our boy grow into a community member who feels like he can make a difference in this world one small act at a time.

It is surprisingly difficult to find volunteer opportunities for families with young children - this non-profit provides an invaluable service by pairing families with service projects in which children are active participants. Not only does this benefit the immediate recipients of the services, it helps strengthen families and creates a new generation of community-minded individuals who care about those around them. As a donor and a volunteer, I feel fortunate to have found Little Helping Hands because it has provided my family a way to bond with eachother and the Austin community.