November 2010: Strengthening Families While Helping Communities
Family Volunteer Day: November 20, 2010
A prelude to National Family Week, Family Volunteer Day is celebrated on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This day of service is a powerful way for families who volunteer to support the communities in which they live and work. Volunteering as a family provides quality time for busy families, strengthens communication, and promotes working together to impact local communities across the nation. Learn more about family volunteering and its benefits.
A number of resources exist for families and volunteer organizations to use when developing and planning projects for this day of service — or any day:
- Visit www.FamilyCares.org for project ideas, educational materials, games, and more. This website is for families who want to volunteer together and organizations that are looking for resources for family volunteering.
- Find a family volunteering opportunity. The Volunteer Family website provides a database of opportunities from volunteer centers across the nation. Serve.gov is another great place to find opportunities.
Video: The Volunteer Family
National Family Week: November 21-27, 2010
Observed during Thanksgiving week, National Family Week embraces the premise that children live better lives when their families are strong, and that families are strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic opportunities, social networks, and services. Sponsored by the Alliance for Children & Families, National Family Week activities support civic engagement efforts, connect individuals to local resources, and honor those who advocate for families.
Need a great project idea for National Family Week, but don't know where to begin? Here are some creative and different projects that can be done by families or groups:
- Craft activities using recycled materials.
- Paper craft ideas with printable templates and patterns.
- Animal project ideas organized by age.
- Recipes for cooking with kids.
- Calendar of ideas to use throughout the year.
Here are some National Family Week celebration ideas for organizations:
- Hold a family summit. Engage families and key leaders in meaningful dialogue about challenges impacting children, families, and the community. Develop a follow up plan for addressing these issues.
- Host a policy forum that allows key community leaders and policymakers to discuss practices and policies that effectively strengthen children and families.
- Organize a community-wide family festival/information fair. Partner with local groups to host the fair. Offer resources from local organizations, activities, entertainment, and on-site support to families.
Agencies wishing to participate in National Family Week can access tools and resources — a toolkit, media templates, brochures, a poster, and more — on the National Family Week website.
MORE RESOURCES
Effective Practices
- Volunteering as a family: 20 tips
- Using family clubs to maintain community well-being
- Involving families in tutoring programs
- Increasing parent attendance at family night activities
Online Library Items
- Volunteer Connections: Family Volunteering - Making It Official
- Family Volunteer Day Guidebook
- Family-Friendly Volunteering: A Guide for Agencies
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
