Kids of the World! Pledge it UP! Worth a 100,000 Toys!

Hey Kids! Pledge to volunteer and up to 100,000 toys will be donated through Toys for Tots!

 

Giving back during the holidays doesn't have to be complicated. Despite the hectic nature of the season, we have the perfect solution to engage the kids and teens in your life in meaningful service.

Turn the spirit of giving into action with the generationOn Holiday Gift Campaign. From Nov. 29 through Dec. 13, for each pledge made to volunteer during the holidays or in the new year, Hasbro will donate a toy to a child in need through Toys for Tots - up to 100,000 toys. 

Need ideas for projects? We've got you covered. Already have a volunteer activity planned in the new year? Great - you can pledge that, too. Each pledge to serve puts a toy in the hands of a child in need.  Double your giving and take action during the holidays at our website.

5 Ideas for Getting Involved in Your Community During the Holidays

From the HandsOn Network Blog.

So you want to help your community this holiday season, but while brainstorming ideas for the project you find yourself stumped? The media confronts us daily with the many social problems that plague our nation, without a solution in sight. It is easy to feel helpless when this information is talked about because no solution is foreseen.

It’s a good idea to start looking for holiday volunteer opportunities now, so you can be sure to find something you’d like to do. Just like shopping for a turkey the night before Thanksgiving, you might not find what you’re looking for if you wait until the last minute to find somewhere to volunteer.

It is easy to become involved in making a difference for your community by following these simple project tips. And remember, you can always get in touch with one of our HandsOn Network volunteer centers to find volunteer opportunities!

• Hunger or Housing. From big to small projects there are tons of ways that you can help tackle this issue in your community! Help cook and serve meals at a soup kitchen, gather clothing and donate it to your local shelter, make toiletry kits for the homeless, make care packages full of winter clothing for your local children’s shelter, help repair a local homeless shelter, or partner with Habitat for Humanity and help with a build.
• Elderly. Helping the older population in your community can be both fun and rewarding from any level. You can spend time with a senior citizen in your community, deliver meals to a homebound individual, perform home repairs or yard work for senior citizens in need, hold a social event for your local nursing home, adopt a “grandfriend” at your local nursing home and make regular visits.
• Education. Education has become a big topic in the media over the years; there are many ways that you can help improve your community’s education system through volunteering. Ideas include raising money for Braille or large print books for the visually impaired, plan a school supply drive to assemble “back to school” kits for your local schools, set up a buddy system for kids needing friends, bring toys to hospitalized children, read books or the newspaper to visually impaired individuals, raise money to purchase and install playground equipment.
• Health. Participate in a local AIDS or breast cancer walk, volunteer at a Special Olympics event, hold a blood drive, help a local agency create health promotion kits, host a health screening at a local store, library, or school.
• Environment. You can help tackle your community’s environmental issues at many different levels. Set up a recycling center at your local school or retirement community, clean up a vacant lot or river bank, raise funds to adopt an acre of the rainforest or other habitat, clean up trash in your local park, partner with volunteers to paint a mural at a local school or park.

These are just a few tips that can be incorporated into your holiday resolutions that will make a big difference in your local community. From big to small you can help improve your community this holiday season.

For more great holiday volunteer opportunities, checkout HandsOn's Winter Wishes Event Page.

Winter Wishes is Full Steam Ahead

Some of you might remember a special program we had last year during the holidays. Each holiday we receive many calls from many volunteers with big hearts! Often these folks are looking for a place to volunteer on Thanksgiving or Christmas. You might be surprised to learn these specific opportunities are in short supply. Many shelters and kitchens do not need very many volunteers to help them serve holiday meals and the limited spots fill up fast.

But don't let that discourage you! There are still plenty of great opportunities to serve during the holidays. Broaden your horizons a little and you will be surprised at what you could do to help.

Create a backpack gift for an at risk youth at HOME Youth and Resource Center. Help Fostering Hope serve a meal the week before Thanksgiving. Help Salem's Riverfront Carousel prepare for their annual festivities. Find the kid in you and help A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village at their New Year's Eve event.

Check out these and other great holiday service opportunities at HandsOnMWV.org

Mentoring is a Great Way to Give Back

School is in full swing, which reminds us to consider our community’s youth. What role do you play when it comes to the younger population in your neighborhood? Do you ever pause a moment to watch children at play and imagine what it will be like when they are leading our community in the not-so-distant future? Do you take an active, encouraging role when engaging with youth? Or are you more of a quiet, observant bystander?

According to Oregon Mentors—a nonprofit that supports nearly 100 youth mentoring programs across the state—165,000 youth in Oregon need mentors. Mentoring is a simple, yet powerful experience that helps to foster a positive relationship between an adult and a young person.

The Mid-Willamette Valley offers numerous mentoring options: Mid Valley Mentors provides mentoring opportunities for youth and adults who are affected by incarceration. Volunteers can mentor a child whose parent is incarcerated; or a youth who is under supervision through the juvenile justice system. Marion County New Solutions offers mentoring opportunities for youth who are living with mental health issues.

Local schools also offer mentoring options: Highland Elementary and Judson Middle Schools have requests for mentors posted on the HandsOn database. Other schools also have mentoring needs.

For those interested in mentoring, but uncertain about how to build a relationship with a younger person, the HandsOn Network recently offered up nine easy tips:

· Be patient. A mentoring relationship takes time and is an adjustment for both the mentor and the mentee.

· Praise is important. Be positive and sincere in your praise.

· Set boundaries. Mentors play an important role in a mentee’s life, but they are not meant to replace family or social service professionals.

· Try to understand the mentee’s point of view. Your might not share the same viewpoint, but trying to appreciate their opinion shows you care.

· Celebrate differences. Broaden both your horizons.

· Be honest. Everyone makes mistakes. Admit it when you make one and teach your mentee a valuable skill.

· Be there. You can’t fix everything, but listening can go a long way.

· Be positive. Allow for a few “growing” mistakes and help your mentee learn from them.

· Believe. Your faith in a mentee can be the greatest gift you offer.

To find out more about local mentoring options visit: www.handsonmwv.org

Melissa Gibler is the program director for HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley—an initiative of the United Way. She can be reached at (877) 372-4141, or melissa@handsonmwv.org