Volunteer opportunities in NOVA for 7th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, I cannot believe you are asking this question, this is so freakin easy! My 7th grader already has over 50 hours. But here you go, since you’re not capable of googling it yourself:

Public libraries
Church
Community centers
Sports rec teams
Retirement homes
Soup kitchen
Neighborhood cleanup

Not hard. I think it’s pathetic only 20 hours are required. I’m making my kids double that minimum every year. This generation needs to get off their goddamn devices and give back more of their community. Maybe they wouldn’t all be such selfish a-holes then.

I'm assuming you work in the nonprofit space or something? We reached out to our local libraries and community center and they don't have any availability, and our Church only has sporadic opportunities over the year for kids DD's age.

Sports rec teams won't qualify I'm pretty sure.

Retirement homes -- I will look into that, I volunteered at one when I was a teenager, but in my home state you had to be 16 because of the oxygen tanks and fall risks and related liability for children.

Soup kitchen is definitely not letting a 12 year old handle food.

"Neighborhood cleanup" -- I mean to get credit I don't thinks he can just wander around picking up trash and logging it, maybe at your school?

I am a big proponent of volunteering, and actually ran a major service project for a home for developmentally disabled when I was a teenager, tutored homeless children as an adult, but its actually harder to volunteer now since there is a huge supply of Jr/Srs in high school all desperately vying for the same volunteer slots for college and high school requirements.

And we all know a young volunteer is almost more work than the labor they provide, with training, liability, etc.

I’m the PP who listed all the above places.

My child has volunteered at THREE local libraries in Fairfax Co and Loudoun Co (tutoring kids, setting up for special events, restocking book shelves)… if you don’t live in either county, drive to one in these counties.

My child volunteers for every major holiday event at church: stuffing, eggs, for Easter, decorating the chapel for Christmas, organizing food donations for Thanksgiving, writing letters to elderly who are alone on holidays. If you can’t find a church that does this, you are not hard enough. This is literally what churches do. She started volunteering at age 10, so they will certainly allow a middle schooler to do these things.

We have 2 community center near us: both welcome counselors in training every summer (you pay a $100ish fee) and your child learns how to manage kids. Most expensive but fastest way to get hours.

Both soccer and basketball rec teams my kid plays for accepts middle school “helpers” with the young kids - you just have to know the coach well enough so that they can vouch for your character and accountability.

Retirement homes welcome visitors of all ages. Never had a one deny my kid entry. She sit with them, chats, reads to them, watches tv, it’s literally just companionship. Why wouldn’t that be allowed? It’s like any other visitor who comes to see a resident!

Soup kitchen: well, I don’t know what to tell you but I found one where my kid and I go together. They allow kids to cook and assemble full meals with an adult.

Neighborhood or park/stream cleanups are EVERYWHERE in spring…this is literally the easiest one if your kid likes to be outside (mine doesn’t). The head of parks of the person leading day of signs the hours.

Would you like to take me to task on anything else?

[Anonymous]

X2vol if in FCPS

[Anonymous]

Here's the watershed cleanup list: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/volunteer/va-faixfax-county-watershed-cleanup/

If you still have any kids in elementary or preschool, you could ask if the teachers need anything cut out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, I cannot believe you are asking this question, this is so freakin easy! My 7th grader already has over 50 hours. But here you go, since you’re not capable of googling it yourself:

Public libraries
Church
Community centers
Sports rec teams
Retirement homes
Soup kitchen
Neighborhood cleanup

Not hard. I think it’s pathetic only 20 hours are required. I’m making my kids double that minimum every year. This generation needs to get off their goddamn devices and give back more of their community. Maybe they wouldn’t all be such selfish a-holes then.

I'm assuming you work in the nonprofit space or something? We reached out to our local libraries and community center and they don't have any availability, and our Church only has sporadic opportunities over the year for kids DD's age.

Sports rec teams won't qualify I'm pretty sure.

Retirement homes -- I will look into that, I volunteered at one when I was a teenager, but in my home state you had to be 16 because of the oxygen tanks and fall risks and related liability for children.

Soup kitchen is definitely not letting a 12 year old handle food.

"Neighborhood cleanup" -- I mean to get credit I don't thinks he can just wander around picking up trash and logging it, maybe at your school?

I am a big proponent of volunteering, and actually ran a major service project for a home for developmentally disabled when I was a teenager, tutored homeless children as an adult, but its actually harder to volunteer now since there is a huge supply of Jr/Srs in high school all desperately vying for the same volunteer slots for college and high school requirements.

And we all know a young volunteer is almost more work than the labor they provide, with training, liability, etc.

I’m the PP who listed all the above places.

My child has volunteered at THREE local libraries in Fairfax Co and Loudoun Co (tutoring kids, setting up for special events, restocking book shelves)… if you don’t live in either county, drive to one in these counties.

My child volunteers for every major holiday event at church: stuffing, eggs, for Easter, decorating the chapel for Christmas, organizing food donations for Thanksgiving, writing letters to elderly who are alone on holidays. If you can’t find a church that does this, you are not hard enough. This is literally what churches do. She started volunteering at age 10, so they will certainly allow a middle schooler to do these things.

We have 2 community center near us: both welcome counselors in training every summer (you pay a $100ish fee) and your child learns how to manage kids. Most expensive but fastest way to get hours.

Both soccer and basketball rec teams my kid plays for accepts middle school “helpers” with the young kids - you just have to know the coach well enough so that they can vouch for your character and accountability.

Retirement homes welcome visitors of all ages. Never had a one deny my kid entry. She sit with them, chats, reads to them, watches tv, it’s literally just companionship. Why wouldn’t that be allowed? It’s like any other visitor who comes to see a resident!

Soup kitchen: well, I don’t know what to tell you but I found one where my kid and I go together. They allow kids to cook and assemble full meals with an adult.

Neighborhood or park/stream cleanups are EVERYWHERE in spring…this is literally the easiest one if your kid likes to be outside (mine doesn’t). The head of parks of the person leading day of signs the hours.

Would you like to take me to task on anything else?

So non residents can volunteer at other county libraries, that is good to know. Seems silly to drive from FCC to Loudoun for hours but whatever.

Our church doesn’t have all those volunteer events for this age group, can people really show up as non members at a church and participate?

All the elderly homes near us are for profit and don’t allow kid volunteers.

Why are you angry?

[Anonymous]

You could try this, but you'd probably have to be there with the child: https://memorialdayflowers.org/volunteer/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg, I cannot believe you are asking this question, this is so freakin easy! My 7th grader already has over 50 hours. But here you go, since you’re not capable of googling it yourself:

Public libraries
Church
Community centers
Sports rec teams
Retirement homes
Soup kitchen
Neighborhood cleanup

Not hard. I think it’s pathetic only 20 hours are required. I’m making my kids double that minimum every year. This generation needs to get off their goddamn devices and give back more of their community. Maybe they wouldn’t all be such selfish a-holes then.

I'm assuming you work in the nonprofit space or something? We reached out to our local libraries and community center and they don't have any availability, and our Church only has sporadic opportunities over the year for kids DD's age.

Sports rec teams won't qualify I'm pretty sure.

Retirement homes -- I will look into that, I volunteered at one when I was a teenager, but in my home state you had to be 16 because of the oxygen tanks and fall risks and related liability for children.

Soup kitchen is definitely not letting a 12 year old handle food.

"Neighborhood cleanup" -- I mean to get credit I don't thinks he can just wander around picking up trash and logging it, maybe at your school?

I am a big proponent of volunteering, and actually ran a major service project for a home for developmentally disabled when I was a teenager, tutored homeless children as an adult, but its actually harder to volunteer now since there is a huge supply of Jr/Srs in high school all desperately vying for the same volunteer slots for college and high school requirements.

And we all know a young volunteer is almost more work than the labor they provide, with training, liability, etc.

I’m the PP who listed all the above places.

My child has volunteered at THREE local libraries in Fairfax Co and Loudoun Co (tutoring kids, setting up for special events, restocking book shelves)… if you don’t live in either county, drive to one in these counties.

My child volunteers for every major holiday event at church: stuffing, eggs, for Easter, decorating the chapel for Christmas, organizing food donations for Thanksgiving, writing letters to elderly who are alone on holidays. If you can’t find a church that does this, you are not hard enough. This is literally what churches do. She started volunteering at age 10, so they will certainly allow a middle schooler to do these things.

We have 2 community center near us: both welcome counselors in training every summer (you pay a $100ish fee) and your child learns how to manage kids. Most expensive but fastest way to get hours.

Both soccer and basketball rec teams my kid plays for accepts middle school “helpers” with the young kids - you just have to know the coach well enough so that they can vouch for your character and accountability.

Retirement homes welcome visitors of all ages. Never had a one deny my kid entry. She sit with them, chats, reads to them, watches tv, it’s literally just companionship. Why wouldn’t that be allowed? It’s like any other visitor who comes to see a resident!

Soup kitchen: well, I don’t know what to tell you but I found one where my kid and I go together. They allow kids to cook and assemble full meals with an adult.

Neighborhood or park/stream cleanups are EVERYWHERE in spring…this is literally the easiest one if your kid likes to be outside (mine doesn’t). The head of parks of the person leading day of signs the hours.

Would you like to take me to task on anything else?

So your 7th grader is 14?

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec-pac/cit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could try this, but you'd probably have to be there with the child: https://memorialdayflowers.org/volunteer/

Is this another charity stood up by vendors to drum up business using flag waving for veterans? Honestly curious I know wreaths is super sketchy.

https://www.charitywatch.org/charity-donating-articles/wreaths-across-america-paid-over-20-million-to-a-company-owned-by-the-families-of-two-of-its-board-members

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could try this, but you'd probably have to be there with the child: https://memorialdayflowers.org/volunteer/

Is this another charity stood up by vendors to drum up business using flag waving for veterans? Honestly curious I know wreaths is super sketchy.

https://www.charitywatch.org/charity-donating-articles/wreaths-across-america-paid-over-20-million-to-a-company-owned-by-the-families-of-two-of-its-board-members

I have no idea, but good question. I was reading about the origins of Memorial Day the other day and that made me think of looking for opportunities to decorate graves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg, I cannot believe you are asking this question, this is so freakin easy! My 7th grader already has over 50 hours. But here you go, since you’re not capable of googling it yourself:

Public libraries
Church
Community centers
Sports rec teams
Retirement homes
Soup kitchen
Neighborhood cleanup

Not hard. I think it’s pathetic only 20 hours are required. I’m making my kids double that minimum every year. This generation needs to get off their goddamn devices and give back more of their community. Maybe they wouldn’t all be such selfish a-holes then.

How impossibly rude to someone asking a simple question!!! You're ridiculously high and mighty and none of your volunteer work will impress anyone if you can't be kind in response to a very simple question/inquiry. Wow!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg, I cannot believe you are asking this question, this is so freakin easy! My 7th grader already has over 50 hours. But here you go, since you’re not capable of googling it yourself:

Public libraries
Church
Community centers
Sports rec teams
Retirement homes
Soup kitchen
Neighborhood cleanup

Not hard. I think it’s pathetic only 20 hours are required. I’m making my kids double that minimum every year. This generation needs to get off their goddamn devices and give back more of their community. Maybe they wouldn’t all be such selfish a-holes then.

JFC. Crawl back in your hole you miserable twatwaffle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg, I cannot believe you are asking this question, this is so freakin easy! My 7th grader already has over 50 hours. But here you go, since you’re not capable of googling it yourself:

Public libraries
Church
Community centers
Sports rec teams
Retirement homes
Soup kitchen
Neighborhood cleanup

Not hard. I think it’s pathetic only 20 hours are required. I’m making my kids double that minimum every year. This generation needs to get off their goddamn devices and give back more of their community. Maybe they wouldn’t all be such selfish a-holes then.

Is there somewhere you could volunteer that would make you less of an a-hole? I truly feel sorry for your kids. Just absolutely filled with pity that they have you as a parent.

[Anonymous]

Just imagining them angrily slopping soup into someone’s cup. “There! Since you’re incapable of getting it yourself.”

[Anonymous]

Our elementary school ALWAYS has middle school helpers at events. It's such a scam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school ALWAYS has middle school helpers at events. It's such a scam.

This is like the least scammy volunteer opportunity ever. Plus, it's one of the few that middle schoolers can do and not cause too much trouble at.