amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Morgansma · 10-30-2005, 11:03 PM

I have so many ideas in my head. I want to do all these things but don't have enough time to spare. If you had the time to volunteer, what would be your top picks?

I used to work for a company that had a yearly charity drive. I would cook and then serve meals to families in shelters. We did the highway clean-up and holiday toys for kids too.

I'm thinking of getting involved in something again now that my dd isn't so little. Maybe something with the elderly.

tracey · 10-30-2005, 11:44 PM

I've been volunteering with La Leche League for nearly 8 years. I'm now not directly helping moms or doing Group-work so much as work at the Area level here in Georgia, as needed. I'll be speaking at the Georgia Conference in April and possibly at a conference for other Leaders in SC in July next year.

I am also looking to have my dog certified as Canine Good Citizen so we can volunteer as a family together with him, for animal education through our Humane Society. They have volunteers take animals (their own) into the schools to help teach kids about the care needed for animals. The same group also does some work at local hospitals and nursing homes, visiting the patients.

Several times a year we pay forward our blessings by helping various people/organizations as we can. This holiday season we'll be doing quite a bit bc of recent help we received.

Empathic~Heart · 10-31-2005, 02:08 AM

I'm a chronic volunteer.

I'm currently on hiatus from working in the state women's prison teaching nonviolent communication and mindfulness, but I've done that for the past 2 yrs.

I am a Spiral Scouts leader, and much of our focus is on community service. We are working on a Yule Tide food and toy drive for the local pagan community and planning to do the SOLV beach clean-up in the spring.

Our family is just beginning to foster Golden Retrievers through www.goldenbond.org - the org we got our sweet dog Levi from. It's amazing how many people give up these amazing companions...you can't find a sweeter breed than Goldens.

With more time, I would enjoy working with domestic violence victims, wolf rescue and other ecological preservation orgs.

Nutmeg · 10-31-2005, 02:28 AM

I volunteer at shelters and in retirement homes, I love to take the children as well. I think it teaches them so much.

beanandpumpkin · 10-31-2005, 06:07 AM

I volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters for a couple of years before I had kids, and I just signed up to do it here as well. I like having a one on one relationship with a needy child, and feel like I can really make a difference in one child's life.

OnTheBrink · 10-31-2005, 06:45 AM

I volunteer with LLL as well. That takes a lot of my time!

Before Emma was born I worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters as the Director of the Mentoring Resource Center. I was a volunteer as well. (My husband and I did it together, as a couple's match) with one child. It was very rewarding! You can do the traditional match where you take the child out and do stuff together. You can do an hour a week at a school one on one. There are lots of options. I encourage you to check it out. BBBS is a very well run, high impact organization!

kas · 10-31-2005, 07:28 AM

i would volunteer with respite care for the terminally ill.

i'm not afraid of death, and embrace it as a part of life, and would pass on that lack of fear to whomever i assisted.

norasmama · 10-31-2005, 07:31 AM

I used to help teach adults to read in a literacy program. I'd love to do that again.

Gaga · 10-31-2005, 08:02 AM

I would like to do some word at a local "hospital" that has wards for head injury, altzimers(sp), MS, and hospis care. My mom was a resident there for the last 2 1/2 yrs. of her life when as a family we could no longer give her the care she needed as the ms progressed to no standing, no control of body functions etc.. The people there including the volenteers made her life so much more full and easy that I would love to do some work there in return.

LatteLover · 10-31-2005, 09:10 AM

Well, my volunteering is completely self serving. LOL I am going to start spending some time working with the Women's Business Center and the Small Business Development Center, mostly because my degree (I am almost done, finally!). Not to say I don't like volunteering, I volunteered heavily in high school and early college, but not only is this where I have the most to offer, it will help me achieve my goal of becoming a new venture business consultant.

Sacha · 10-31-2005, 09:43 AM

I would, but DH says to volunteer my time to our family. GRRRRRRRR...

That said, I am filling in for one of the sewing guild members at the Boys N Girls Club today teaching sewing.

Daniel's Mama · 10-31-2005, 10:08 AM

I would love to volunteer at the local Hospice organization.

it would be emotionally challenging, but worth helping families through a difficult time.