Family Volunteering

What is Family Volunteering?

Family volunteering occurs when the members of a family volunteer together. A “family”
is “any group of two or more people who consider themselves a family.” Family
volunteering can be done by the whole family together, by one parent and one child or
teen, by siblings together or by extended family such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and
cousins. It can be as simple as drawing cards for children in the hospital or as complex
as joining hundreds of families for a day of community volunteer work at a park or making
a long term family commitment to an agency or a cause.

Ionia Kids Club volunteered to shop for cleaning supplies to be given out for the 2012 County-wide Food Drive!  Donations were collected by staff at Ionia Wash King and these teens went shopping for over $80 worth of cleaning products!

Why Should Your Family Volunteer?

Family volunteering is a hands-on way to teach children the values of kindness, compassion, tolerance, community responsibility and good citizenship. When volunteering as a family, all family members can use their existing talents, learn new skills and feel valued for their contributions. And, it is fun!

Other benefits to your family include:
• Strengthens family communication and bonds
• Allows family members to be role models
• Builds shared memories
• Increases commitment to volunteering and community
• Provides quality family time

Here are a few great ways your family can get involved in Family Volunteering!

Sept 21st:  Bertha Brock Fall Festival runs 10am-4pm

Many local organizations set up booths with free kids activities!  Your family can join in the volunteer efforts by assisting at one of the many booths, helping prepare the day before or helping with clean up immediately following this event.  Learn more at http://ioniahost.com/bbfallfest.html

Oct 21st:  County-wide Food Drive Mini Drive Kick-Off Workshop runs 4-7pm

Your family or group can assist at this event by supervising one of the stations at this event.  Businesses, organizations, and FAMILIES can learn about how they can hold a mini-food drive, how to register, create marketing materials, pick up donation boxes, and learn about where to drop of donations on Nov 22nd!

Produce harvested in the Washington St Community Garden

Oct 26th:  Harvest Celebration runs 5-8pm

Volunteers are needed to make decorations and set up for this event, create mini-displays teaching about a harvest subject, assist with volunteer sign in, help in the children's room, help assemble volunteer appreciation packages and present volunteer awards.

November 22nd:  County-wide Food Drive Drop-Off Day from 8am to 6pm

Volunteers are needed to unload, count and sort food donations, prepare donations for the Food Pantry Pick-up Day, go shopping with cash donations, provide meals and snacks for volunteers, and so much more!

November 23rd:  National Family Volunteer Day - Food Pantry Pick-Up Day from 8am to 12pm

Volunteers are needed to pack up donations, escort Food Pantries through the pick up area, photograph this event and the food pantry donations, and so much more!

Learn more about the County-wide Food Drive and National Family Volunteer Day at http://ioniahost.com/fooddrive.html

Are you looking for a project that your family can do at a time and place that works best for YOU?

Hold a Mini-Bag Food Drive any day between October 26th & November 22nd.  Prepare bags and note cards to hand out to family and friends asking them to fill the bag with a few cans of food and letting them know when you will be around to collect the donations.

Participate in the Canned Art Photo Contest!  Collect food donations, work together to build a structure resembling any item of your choice.  Photograph your canned art and email your entry photos to iccfoodnetwork@gmail.com.

There are simple templates and rules available for you to download at http://ioniahost.com/fooddrive.html

Still not sure how to get your family involved in volunteering?

Contact Volunteer Connections!

Now located at the H.O. Steele Education Center!

Our new mailing address is PO Box 87, Fenwick, MI  48834

This location is on north M-66 in Fenwick between M-44 and M-57.

Our main phone number is still the same at 616-794-9840.