Simple Ways Families Can Give Back During the Holidays

Parents who wonder how they can instill a charitable spirit in their children can employ some simple strategies this holiday season. Not only will they be giving back to their communities, they will be deepening their own family connections.
Of course, one key to developing this volunteer attitude is that giving back shouldn’t be reserved for just holidays.
"In the families we work with, charitable giving runs through their being," says Steven Moore, associate director for donor relations and regional giving for The Columbus Foundation in Columbus, Ohio. "It’s not a one-time event. It’s part of the fabric of their family. If parents want this to stick, it has to be a message that is repeated often."
Moore offers these other tips for family volunteering for children of all ages:
Set up giving banks. Children who receive an allowance can divide the money into spending money, money for savings, and money for charity, all to be kept in different banks.
Have conversations about being thankful. Promote the idea of giving back to the community.
Be a role model. Take your children with you when you volunteer. Talk to them about your donations.
Join an Adopt-A-Family Program. Provide a home cooked meal or donate some needed clothing items.
Host a giving party. Invite friends and neighbors over and have them bring "presents" for people in need—food or clothing items, toys for impoverished kids, money for relief efforts, or whatever is appropriate for your theme. Giving parties can also be held in lieu of kids’ birthday parties.
Gather unused toys to donate to disadvantaged children.
Really ambitious families can go on a volunteer vacation where families (with children as young as 10) travel to areas in need to volunteer their time. Many programs are international, but some exist stateside to assist Habitat for Humanity and Hurricane Katrina victims.
Online Resources for Family Volunteering
Family Philanthropy Toolkit
Local volunteer activities
Books on Family VolunteeringThe Giving Family: Raising Our Children to Help Others by Susan Crites Price, Publisher: Council on Foundations, 2003
The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving by Ellen Sabin, Publisher: Watering Can, 2004