Volunteer with Your Teen: Make Charity Work a Family Effort

Maybe this is the last summer before your teen goes to college. Or maybe you are just looking for a way to connect with your child, and benefit your community at the same time. And maybe you are a teenager who wants to get involved with your family and save a small part of the world.

There are thousands of ways you and your family can get involved this summer. You can spread cheer locally, or help out abroad. You can give two hours a week, or twenty (you could probably do more, but let's be realistic).

First, find out what areas of interest you have. If you are the parent, looking to involve your older child, you should probably look at volunteer opportunities with his interests in mind.

If you are interested in the environment, it's a sure bet you can pick up litter at a local park, beach, river or other scenic area. Or you can plant trees. In fact, treesforlife.org will also plant 10 fruit trees in a developing country when you buy a tree-planting kit to plant with your family.

If you and your family are up to it, there is a great need right now for volunteers to foster a pet for someone who has been called for military duty. Knowing that their pet has a loving family to be with instead of the uncertain environment of a shelter brings a lot of peace of mind to people on active military duty. Check out netpets.com for more information on this program.

Along with the military theme, you can also send a family email each week to a deployed member of the armed forces. Or do the old-fashioned thing and write letters. And send a care package once a month or so, of course.

Fire trucks and police cruisers like to be equipped with teddy bears in the event they are dealing with a traumatized child. You and your family can make teddy bears if you are interested in sewing and crafts; or you can buy and donate teddy bears instead.