We have always embraced the beauty of volunteering and serving at our church, schools, and with PTA (Parent Teacher Association).
We like collaborating as a family as much as we can because it becomes a natural action for our children to do.
During the spring semester, it is common for a lot of our students to be asked to complete volunteer hours. Coupled with meeting the requirements for their student organizations, it can also potentially earn them awards or scholarships. Gathering volunteer hours can be hard, especially if they are already involved in other activities. It is especially hard to find the time and know where to look.
Here are some recommendations for various areas in our city where volunteers are always needed:
Humane Society of El Paso
Our city’s animal shelter is a perfect place to serve as a volunteer. As long as your student is at least 16 years of age, they can get more details to volunteer.
El Pasoans Fighting Hunger
The city food bank is always seeking support. On their main website, they provide a calendar with times, days, and locations where distributions will take place and may need support. Often, the schools collaborate by making a call out for volunteers to all their students which facilitates the process for them.
PTAs
Yes, you heard right. Our school’s PTAs are always in need of volunteers for support in their upcoming events and meetings. They also need help with internal activities such as copies and reading to other students. Reach out to the PTAs in the schools nearby for upcoming events or volunteer opportunities in which they can provide support.
Local Churches
Our local churches (of any denomination) provide so much support to the community, that finding volunteers is always hard. Reach out to a local church to see if they need support, whether it is sorting donations or even guiding people to classes or the cafeteria. Those are hours of support where your student can easily earn that time.
Non-Profit Organizations
El Paso has a lot of non-profit organizations that are always in need of an extra pair of hands. The Rescue Mission, Dame La Mano, and Salvation Army are just some examples of places that need support from putting donations away, reading to the children, or even cleaning the yard.
My recommendation: Start seeking volunteer activities as early as the fall semester. Your child will be able to start earning volunteer hours earlier in their academic year and make it easier to meet those extra requirements without being under a lot of pressure at the last minute.
Becoming a volunteer is something that your child can add to their resume. Start teaching them the importance of a relevant resume where they can add their skills, experiences, and education. Volunteering not only provides those needed hours, but it also helps your child to network by meeting new people, embrace empathy, and even find those special connections and meanings to what they want to do in the future.
Happy Volunteering!!
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The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.