What will you give?

Hey Y'all:
Thanksgiving is right around the corner (post about that to come) and I wanted to share something that is really near and dear to my heart. Volunteerism and community outreach! As a member of my former church my mom was the head of the Outreach program, she was instrumental in the bi weekly soup kitchen (but they didn't get soup, man those folks were eating fried chicken, mashed potato and corn), the food pantry and clothing drive. One Thanksgiving we all went down to the church cooked and served, it was really a great feeling to give back to the community in that way.

Recently I had the opportunity to get involved again. I participated in a volunteering program through BP Rising to repaint a tennis court in Harlem! I had a blast…. It started out kinda shaky because we didn’t have the correct supplies to get the job done, but it ended great because all the people that volunteered were so excited about giving back to the community! We pitched in and bought the correct supplies and did a wonderful job at restoring a tennis court at the Fred Johnson Park, aka "The Jungle”.

I mention all of this because I think it’s really important that as parents we encourage our children to participate in volunteering projects. It can be something as simple as instituting a food drive where they collect canned food to give to a food pantry or sort through their old (gently used of course) clothes/toys to give away to children less fortunate. My little ones aren’t quite old enough to get the concept but I’ve made a vow to myself that when my oldest is 5 we are going to spend some time at a local soup kitchen so he understands that there are people in the world that are really less fortunate then him. This will teach him that it’s his responsibility as a citizen of the world to give back.

Of course it is during this time of year that we thinking of giving back but there is a need for volunteers all year long, in so many capacities. 2010 is going to be a huge focus for Volunteerism and now is a perfect time to figure out what you will give. I've compiled a list of volunteering opportunities that I think are really interesting and figured I'd share them with you! Disney Starting Jan. 1, 2010, when you sign up to volunteer a day of service with a participating organization Disney will give you one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® theme park, FREE! Check it out here and pass the word on to your friends here

VolunteerMatch strengthens communities by making it easier for good people and good causes to connect. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. Our popular service welcomes millions of visitors a year and has become the preferred internet recruiting tool for more than 73,000 nonprofit organizations. www.volunteermatch.org

BlackPlanet Rising will inspire you with ways you can make a positive difference in your community, whether it's through donating your time, money, or expertise to a worthy cause. BlackPlanet Rising exists to provide you with the tools and resources you need to get involved in causes you care about and spread the word www.blackplanetrising.com

Until next time...
MUAH!