5 Reasons Why Family Service Matters

Posted on May 20, 2013 by hotcblog

Today and tomorrow, we have a two-part guest post from Jenny Friedman, founder and executive director of Doing Good Together, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that empowers families to raise children who care and contribute.

5 Reasons Why Family Service Matters

It brings family members closer and can spark meaningful discussions about important issues.
It helps children appreciate their own talents, gain self-confidence, and feel good about making a contribution.
It helps break down stereotypes at a young age and teaches greater tolerance and understanding.
It can help your kids stay out of trouble: Children who volunteer just one hour per week are less likely than other kids to get involved in destructive behaviors. Another bonus: Adults who volunteer are happier and healthier than those who don’t.
It breeds a generation of future volunteers. Adults who volunteered as children are two times more likely to be involved in community service. Those who volunteered as youth and whose parents volunteered are most generous of all.

For more information on how to volunteer as a family, explore www.doinggoodtogether.org

Want to learn more about developing family-friendly opportunities at your organization? Keep an eye out for part two of Jenny’s guest posts on family volunteering tomorrow!

Project Coordinator Spotlight – Sara Benzkofer

Posted on May 13, 2013 by hotcblog

Project Coordinators are volunteers who lead service projects in HandsOn Twin Cities’ Impact Now program. Impact Now projects take place at a variety of local nonprofits, last between 1-3 hours and require no advance training or ongoing commitment. Projects vary from serving meals to sorting donations to reading with children.

Name: Sara Benzkofer
Project Coordinator Since: May 2011
Project She Leads: Bedtime Stories

About Sara’s volunteer service
Tell us about the project you lead.
I lead Bedtime Stories, a monthly project at the Catholic Charities Family Service Center in Maplewood, where volunteers read and play with the kids, so the parents can have a bit of time to themselves.

Why did you become a Project Coordinator?
I have been a life-long volunteer, but wanted to take on more responsibility. I wanted to gain experience in volunteer management. I wanted to have a consistent volunteer experience and make a difference in one spot. The Project Coordinator position was a perfect fit!

What is your favorite part of being a Project Coordinator?
I love hanging out with the kids each month. They are so energetic! They love reading and drawing and playing games. I also have enjoyed getting to know the volunteers. I’ve had a number of volunteers return for multiple times and it’s great to see them each month.

Why do you volunteer through HandsOn Twin Cities?
HandsOn is a great organization. It connects people with volunteer opportunities that fit their values, schedules and commitment level. I wanted to be a small part of making those connections.

Memorable moment at your project:
Working with kids is always interesting! One memorable moment was when one of the children got his head stuck in one of the chairs. Yikes! Thankfully, we were able to get him out without any harm done. Another memorable moment was when we had a small group of older kids who weren’t interested in reading stories or coloring, so one of the volunteers decided to make fortune tellers out of paper and taught each of them how to make them too. The kids loved it and spent the entire time running around asking people their fortunes. My volunteers are so creative!

Advice to someone new to volunteering:
Be open. Ask questions. Enjoy yourself. Repeat.

About Sara
What do you do when you’re not volunteering?
I love living in the Twin Cities, so I try to explore it as much as I can; attending the theater, going to concerts and museums and eating good food. I’m also very close to my family and enjoy spending time with them, especially my nieces and nephew.

Who is your service hero/role model?
My parents. They volunteered throughout my childhood and have continued throughout my adulthood. I learned to value giving back to my community and to see that I’m an integral part of making my community a better place to live and work and play.

Favorite quote:
“You can be the change you wish to see in the world” Gandhi.

Your hidden talent:
I’m an amateur photographer. I love taking photos of everyday life. I love playing with my camera and finding new angles and techniques to elevate these everyday photos.

Favorite thing about living in the Twin Cities:
There’s so many! In addition to what I mentioned above, I also love the farmer’s market and all of the wonderful lakes and parks.

To volunteer for this project or others like it, check out our Impact Now program. To find out more about becoming a Project Coordinator, click here.

4 Ways to Volunteer on Your Smart Phone!

Posted on May 9, 2013 by hotcblog

We all know how fast-paced our lives are these days, and how tough it is to find time to do the things we need to do, much less those we want to do! Thankfully, the dawn of the smart phone has allowed us increased flexibility and opportunities to connect. We certainly use our phones to do work, play games, talk to our loved ones, and connect via social media, but did you know you can volunteer on your phone too? The next time you’re sitting at the airport or on the bus, or just stuck at home on a rainy day, try out these four fun and engaging ways to connect with your community and help those in need! You might even find you improve your vocabulary or geography skills in the process!

Free Rice – This is a great site for brushing up on some vocabulary or math facts while you help those in need! Free Rice generates multiple choice questions on a variety of subjects, and for every question you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to those experiencing hunger! The more you get right, the tougher the questions get, and the larger the impact you can have! This game is fun for the whole family, and is a great way to help kids learn material and test taking skills.
The Rainforest Site – On this site, you can click the button to donate money to protecting the rainforest and funding research. But there is more! This site provides lots of great resources through which you can learn more about the rainforest and how you can act to protect it.
The Hunger Site – Similar to the rainforest site, this site allows you to simply ‘click’ to have money donated to solving global hunger issues. Furthermore, this site has lots of wonderful fair trade products, accessories, clothing items, and books available for purchase. In addition to your click, you can participate in some ethical purchasing!
KIVA – KIVA is a micro-lending site that has made huge waves in terms of global impact. KIVA allows individuals to donate small amounts of money that help other individuals globally. KIVA lenders combat poverty daily by making small loans to borrowers around the world. You can become a lender and make a great impact globally – all from your smart phone!

How do you use your smart phone to have a positive impact? Let us know!

The Blog is Back!

Posted on February 28, 2013 by hotcblog

Welcome back to the HandsOn Twin Cities blog! We’re delighted you’re returning to the blogosphere with us and are excited to connect with new and old friends as we continue to build on the spirit of service here in the Twin Cities.

Since our last post, we’ve learned that the Twin Cities is the #1 most civically engaged metro in the nation (again!), hosted thousands of people at the Volunteer Expo, coordinated countless managed projects for corporate partners, provided workshops and trainings for our nonprofit friends, and brought together hundreds of community-minded individuals at our first-ever Summit.

In 2013, we’ll use the blog to keep you in the loop on all these opportunities, and many more! The blog will speak to all three of our audiences – nonprofit affiliate partners, the corporate community, and community volunteers – as we share opportunities, best practices, news and inspiration.

Like what you hear? Add us to your RSS feed, or give us a follow on Facebook or Twitter, where we’ll let you know when a new blog post is up.

Comments, ideas, or suggestions for topics you’d like to see us cover? Let us know! Leave a comment below, on social media, or email Rachel.

Make A Difference Day

Posted on October 22, 2010 by hotcblog

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

- Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi

Make A Difference Day is upon us. What will you do to make a difference in your community?

Oct 23^rd marks the 20^th anniversary of Make A Difference Day, the largest day of community service. Founded by USA WEEKEND and partnered with HandsOn Network, this national day of doing good motivated 3 million people last year to actively participate in the betterment of their communities. We’re excited to increase participation numbers this year!

In case you are unsure of ways to get involved, below is a list of projects happening right here in your own back yards. You may sign up for any of these giving back opportunities via the HandsOn Twin Cities website, or be inspired to create your own Make A Difference Day Project!

Participate in Fall Clean Up of Seniors’ Lawns with Darts

Help Refugees Complete Energy Assistance Forms with Episcopal Community Services

Paint at the Newest Family Pathways Facility

Sew Drawstring Bags for the Troops with the American Sewing Guild

Rake Lawns with Seniors with Senior Community Services

Welcome Home new Residents with Model Cities

Help with Maintenance Tasks at Gibbs Museum

Play Bingo with Seniors at Ramsey County Care Center

Perform Home Repairs with Rebuilding Together Twin Cities

Build a Fence with Can Do Canines