Your Hug, Your Way

Nov 14, 2024

The November my daughter Madison was 5, she and I were talking about the upcoming holidays, and I mentioned how this is also a time of year when we try to find ways to be generous toward people we don't actually know in person.
 

Madison: “What does "generous" mean?”

Me: “It means taking some of what we have that is extra, stuff that we don't really need, and finding a way to make it do good in the world."

Madison: “Why do we do that?”

Me: “We want to live in the kind of world where people look out for each other. It feels good to watch what happens when a little bit of our time or effort or money goes a long way beyond just ourselves. So we do our part, and it feels good. Being generous seems like it’s for others, but it’s really for you.”

Madison: “Just like...a HUG?”

Me: Yes. Just exactly like a hug.

Our readers often reach out asking about family volunteering opportunities, especially around the holidays. So we added a category that allows the organizations that post to KidsOutAndAbout.com to indicate if they offer kid-friendly community service options. Our Communications Director, Katie Beltramo, has also created a helpful article on Volunteering With Children, packed with practical tips for nurturing kids’ gratitude and generosity. At the end, you’ll find a list of local organizations with available volunteer opportunities; simply click through to their websites for more details.

We’re here to help make it easy for your family to spread local kindness as it works best for you, to show your kids how each person, young or old, can wrap their arms around their community to make a difference. If you’re aware of organizations that welcome volunteers but aren’t yet listed, please email me back to let me know, and we’ll gladly invite them to post to the list.

—Deb