When Cami Teacoach’s three-year-old son decided to make Valentine cards for seniors, she discovered a world of volunteer possibilities that would change their family’s life.
The Birth of VolunTOTs
After reaching out to many organizations, most declined to accept a toddler. Determined, Teacoach founded VolunTOTs in Pittsburgh. The group creates service opportunities for children as young as three, including packing 500 grocery boxes for families in need, playing bingo with nursing-home seniors, and making dog treats for an animal rescue center.
Parents report that their children feel proud helpers, which improves behavior. “They feel so good about themselves, they were a helper, and that translates into better behavior,” Teacoach said.
Expert Advice on Family Volunteering
Polly Lagana, executive director of Volunteer New York!, notes that nonprofits often require helpers to be at least 18, making family projects hard to find. “There’s a million different ways to help people and volunteer. So many families want to do this and literally just don’t know where to start,” Lagana said.
Sapreet Saluja, executive director of New York Cares, highlights children’s detail-orientation. “I’ve been very impressed with the detail-orientation and the precision and the following of directions and the care that some kids I’ve seen, as young as six, take to the tasks that they’re doing,” Saluja said. “They’re more detail-oriented than the adults, which I think is very inspiring.”
Lagana advises parents to give children agency: “Let them know what problem you’re trying to fix in your community, and maybe one or two options of how that problem can be fixed,” she said. Saluja adds that curiosity opens dialogue: “Kids are unbelievably curious. They ask questions about what they’re doing, what they’re seeing, what they’re feeling, what they’re hearing, and it opens up a dialogue.”
Real-Life Stories of Young Volunteers
Aviva Davis, now 17, began delivering Meals on Wheels in Denver at about eight with her brother Brendan. Initially riding in the car, they later drove themselves. “It definitely opened my eyes to what the world is like outside of our bubble,” Davis said. She remains a school volunteer resource and continues monthly deliveries.
Seth Davis, Aviva’s father, says the activity provides quality family time: “It’s a great chance for us to catch up as a family. When we’re not all on our phones, you get some pretty cool quality time.”
Bonnie Davis, mother, notes that time together shrinks as children grow: “The older they get, the harder it is to get that time together.”
Stephanie Bernaba’s family launched “Tough Cookies,” baking and delivering cookies to veterans during her son Matthew’s eighth-grade service project. Michael Bernaba, 14, recalled, “Going up to the houses, it was very nice, because they’re mostly living alone. A lot of their family or friends died.” He added, “They were very happy, especially for someone to bring them treats like that.”
Matthew, now 15, admits he was shy at first: “We went to the first couple of places and I was really scared, because I’m more of a shy person.” He found that continued deliveries opened conversation and stories.
Bonnie Davis organized a menstrual-supplies drive and turned part of her son’s graduation party into a bean-soup-assembly project. “It’s a win for everybody. You get quality time, you’re raising your children with what feels like good values, and people benefit,” she said.
Making It Fun with Friends
Children are more willing to try new activities with a buddy. Lagana suggests inviting other families to collaborate on projects like clothing donations or snack-pack assembly in living rooms. Friends can make volunteering enjoyable and reinforce community bonds.
Key Takeaways
- VolunTOTs offers 3-year-old children meaningful volunteer roles.
- Experts emphasize child detail-orientation and agency in choosing projects.
- Real stories show families gain confidence, skill, and quality time.
Volunteering with kids may seem challenging, but with creativity and community support, families can create lasting positive impacts.
