Summer idea for kids: Sign them up for volunteering

Summer break can be a frustrating time for parents eager to keep their kids occupied beyond screens. Volunteering for a local charitable cause is a great way to help young people stay engaged and active.

But there’s an art to picking the right activity.

Nonprofit organizations often have strict age requirements for volunteers, or they ask adults to serve with kids. But many are making it easier to engage young people.

“We’ve set up different opportunities for collecting supplies for the people in our programs, which kids can do at home,” says outgoing Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge vice president and chief communications officer Allison Traxler. “There are also opportunities to serve our clients directly.”

VOAGBR operates several different facilities in Baton Rouge that support adults with developmental disabilities, low-income seniors, children in foster care and other individuals.

With a little planning, it’s easy to help young people find ways to give back. Here are a few ideas.

• Collect nonperishables and other supplies to be distributed to VOA’s homeless outreach program, foster homes and low-income senior facilities. voagbr.org

• Clean out closets and donate items to Connections for Life, a thrift store run by women rebuilding their lives after prison. connectionsforlife.net

• Sort and package food at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, where teens 14 and older can serve without an adult. brfoodbank.org

• Donate surplus fresh produce from neighborhood gardens to a food pantry like Hope Ministries. hopebr.org

• Hold a lemonade stand and donate proceeds to your favorite charity.

This article was originally published in the June 2022 issue of 225 magazine.