Volunteering Opportunities for LA Kids—No Matter What Type of Kid You Have

by Jenifer ScottAugust 22, 2022

Get ready to feel all the feel-good feels—volunteer opportunities are all over LA—the hardest part will be picking which organization you’d like to help out first

There are a ton of good reasons to volunteer with your kids—it helps provide a sense of purpose, a sense of community, helps you meet new friends and improves self-esteem to name a few. And thankfully, there are tons of organizations around LA that welcome little kids into their organization that appreciate all those extra (little) hands. So whether your little one is more into saving our oceans and cleaning up the beach or you have a talented artist who can make get-well cards for Children’s Hospital, there are plenty of ways to put those good intentions to work.

Volunteer Activities for Nature Lovers

Heal the Bay: Kids of all ages are welcome to Heal the Bay’s monthly Nothin’ But Sand Beach Cleanups. BYOB (bring your own buckets), snag some gardening gloves and get ready to have some serious family fulfillment oceanside. Be sure to register ahead of time as events tend to fill up fast!

Surfrider Foundation: The Los Angeles chapter of this national nonprofit hosts regular beach cleanups as well. Keep an eye out on their event calendar for upcoming opportunities.

TreePeople: Have a kid that doesn’t mind getting dirty? Nearly every weekend, this LA organization hosts local, mountain and forest restoration events open to all ages—check the volunteer event calendar for upcoming dates. Registration is required.

Volunteer Activities for Active Kids

photo: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Walk/Run: Channel your kid’s energetic drive with a walk / run that helps raise money to cure childhood cancer. This nationwide 5K hybrid event, takes place in person and virtually so if you can’t make it to Griffith Park on Sept. 24, you can still participate.

Volunteer Activities for Kids Ready to Collect & Donate

Westside Food Bank: For food drives and donations check out Westside Food Bank. If you want to help seniors and the immunocompromised during COVID-19, visit alltogether.la for volunteer opportunities.

Baby2Baby: Teaching your children a lesson in philanthropy could be as simple as an overdue closet clean out! Get the kiddos to thin out those toy-stuffed cabinets or have little ones fill bags with brand new clothing that was barely worn. Baby2Baby also hosts outdoor volunteer opportunities during which participants can sort and organize donations or help assemble gift bundle bags for low-income kids and families in Los Angeles.

Volunteer Activities for the Pet-Obsessed

PAWS/LA: Have a kid desperate for a dog? Get them involved with this nonprofit organization, which helps low-income and ailing pet owners take care of their beloved animals. Insurance liability limits volunteer ages at shelters and kennels to those 18 and up, but kids (with grownups in tow) can assist by organizing and delivering needed supplies and food to homebound clients, fostering an animal for a short time, or even walking the dogs of people who are too sick to do so themselves. Find out more about the ways your little pet enthusiasts can help by contacting volunteer coordinator to set up an orientation.

Annenberg PetSpace: Help your young reader build communication skills and self-confidence by reading with adoptable pets or listening to a story. This in-space experience (weekly on Sat. and Sun.) includes a book reading, opportunity to meet an adoptable pet or critter ambassador, and craft demonstration with materials to take home and complete.

Volunteer Activities for Creative Kiddos

Best Buddies: Have a kid with a knack for writing? This group pairs children age 10 and up with intellectually and developmentally disabled counterparts (sharing like-minded interests). The goal? To create online pen pals in the attempts to decrease feelings of isolation. The long-distance friendships grow through weekly, private (anonymized) email communications, bridging differences and building understanding.

Volunteer Activities for Future Entrepreneurs

photo: iStock

Big Sunday Lemonade Stand: Kids can set up a lemonade stand for a good cause with help from Big Sunday. The organization offers downloadable signs and suggestions for how to make your stand a success. The money kids make will go to the Big Sunday Emergency Fund, which has helped displaced vets, families and more.

Volunteer Activities for Little Bookworms

Access Books: This group focuses on the redistribution of books, benefiting inner-city classrooms and school libraries. Little ones can go through their own shelves and select the gently used books they’ve outgrown to donate to others. Kids can also volunteer to help spruce up library spaces, as well as to organize book donations, librarian-style.

photo: One on One Outreach

Volunteer Activities for Social Butterflies

One-On-One Outreach: Have a kid who likes meeting new people? Once a month, volunteers (age 7 & up) gather to pack and deliver groceries to low-income families in South Central LA. Organized by a local businessman and an area resident, One-on-One Outreach also provides laptops to families so students can compete and succeed. Prepare for your kids to be inspired.

Wanted: More Moms on the Field

By MOJO Inc.

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

June 19, 2021

Photo: Canva via MOJO

As a kid, Mary Matthews only played soccer for a few years. But when her daughter’s soccer team needed a coach, Matthews stepped up. “I just absolutely fell in love with it.” she says. That was a decade ago. She’s since started Omaha Street Soccer, a nonprofit that brings soccer to kids in North Omaha.

Matthews’ story is unique, not because she took an extra leap in founding OSS, but because she is a woman. Youth sport—and all other levels of sport—is disproportionally coached by men, despite the growing number of female participants. “Participation has gone up, but women coaches have gone down,” says Dr. Nicol LaVoi, director of The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.

If more girls than ever are playing sports, does it matter who’s coaching?

It really does, says LaVoi. And it transcends sports. “Seeing women as coaches helps counter outdated gender stereotypes about women in leadership,” she says.

Betsy Jacketti, recreational director of Mandeville Soccer Club in Louisiana, agrees. “It’s very valuable for the girl youth player to have female role models,” she says. Women who coach model leadership roles for girls and provide valuable insight from a female perspective. The list of benefits goes on.

So how do we increase the number of women in coaching roles? LaVoi, Jacketti and Matthews shared some ideas on where to start.

Actively Recruit Moms

A general call for coaches doesn’t cut it. “Most of the calls are not inclusive enough,” says LaVoi. “Coaching is such a male-dominated space that a lot of women don’t think that means them.” Specifically, ask moms to coach—and point out that coaching is a great way to be a role model for young women. It’s also a way to volunteer within the community. “Men’s philanthropy tends to be around giving money while women’s tends to be around giving time and talent,” says LaVoi.

And best of all, if you can parent, you can coach. The skills carry over. “Planning, management, communication, organization, teaching, scheduling and interpersonal and relational expertise are all aspects of parenting that easily transfer to coaching.”

Make It Easier

In most families today, women who work full-time also manage the childcare duties at home. “Coaching seems like a third shift,” says LaVoi.

LaVoi recommends that rec directors encourage co-coaching. Having two coaches can provide more flexibility and allows for a more accessible commitment. Letting coaches pick a practice day and time that works for them and their childcare needs is another way to make coaching easier for moms.

It also helps to rally the proverbial village. “Having a supportive cast, no matter who that is in your life” makes it easier, says Matthews. Older siblings could watch younger children during practices. Call in a favor from grandparents or friends. It’s a worthy cause.

Offer Women-Only Education

Just like women-only gyms, coaching clinics for women help them feel more safe and supported. “I think by nature women want to do things well and don’t want to mess up and are apprehensive to step into that role,” says Jacketti. It can be daunting to ask a question in a room full of male coaches as the only woman.

Jacketti makes sure her women coaches know they will have the resources they need. “We want to make it an environment where the coaches feel comfortable and have education and support to be able to get on the field and not feel lost,” she says. Mentorship programs where new coaches are paired up with seasoned ones are also effective.

Women Can Coach. Period.

The Tucker Center has loads of data on women in coaching. Their Game ON: Women Can Coach Toolkit is a great resource for anyone who wants to make changes on the field.

—Sue Pierce is a writer for MOJO.

MOJO Inc.

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

MOJO is on a mission to make youth sports more fun for everyone — one kid, one coach, one family at a time.

How to Help Turn Kids into Philanthropists

By Michelle Moore

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

May 17, 2021

Photo: Anna Earl on Unsplash

Kids have a natural empathy, especially for other kids. When kids see someone struggle, they automatically want to help. As parents, it’s up to us to encourage them into volunteering, by putting them in the right situations and circumstances (safely organized, of course). The camaraderie and energy developed during these projects build self-esteem and inclusiveness. It’s also fun to incorporate a cool activity with a volunteer project or trip that gives everyone something special to look forward to and builds amazing family memories together.

Here’s a shortlist of tips to get started modeling, teaching empathy, and giving:

1. Be their example! Getting your kids interested in charity and volunteering begins at a young age, primarily through examples you set.
Anything on a large scale, like cleaning up after a natural disaster or traveling to a foreign country to assist in aid projects, is great, but not really the easiest place to start for most kids. Doing small meaningful things in your own community is the best place to start. And every parent knows if you model a behavior often enough, the little ones will follow. Be proactive with your own empathy by “adopting” families during the holidays (YMCA is a great place to find holiday requests), have children share part of their allowance to donate to their favorite charity, or organize an outdoor walk—a fantastic way to stay socially distanced, but also give back in a fun way!

My son organized the “Brooks’ Buddies” walk to benefit JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). He’s living with Type-1 diabetes and loves sharing his knowledge about diabetes with friends and family every year. This takes a little bit of planning, some social media outreach and signs around the neighborhood. The funds collected are then sent to your child’s charity of choice. Brooks got pretty creative with this project: he designed his own t-shirts and had an outdoor party after to thank everyone that participated. This initial drive to help friends understand his disease has helped to foster a philanthropic spirit in him.

2. Have them look at the world around them! Open your child’s mind for everyday opportunities to do good.
Do your kids write thank-you notes? Not just for gifts but for the kindness of others? If a family takes them on a trip or out to eat, why not acknowledge how fun it was with a note? What if a teacher helps through a tough spot, acknowledge their kindness. This manifests gratefulness and accountability.

Keep them involved in some sort of spiritual community. Take them out into nature and teach them not only to respect other human beings but also our world and the creatures in it. Encourage them to help clean up the community around them on Earth Day, or make it a monthly event for the neighborhood. Get outside: hike, camp, boat, travel, but don’t just do it, engage your kids into the experience and discuss what they are grateful for and how they can pay it forward.

3. Turn it into a philanthropy adventure!
The goal is to have fun together, learn a new culture, understand the bigger picture. Pick somewhere fun that coincides with and/or coordinates with a needed project. Helping can be rewarding in more than one way. The fun coincides with the work which then becomes a habit and lasting memories are made. This does not have to be overseas—there are great Habitat for Humanity projects in our country as well as clean-up opportunities in natural disaster-affected areas.

4. Keep it simple and make philanthropy fit the child.
Volunteering doesn’t need to be an all-consuming event, I suggest starting small. For example, if your kid likes sports, encourage them to support a disabled sports team. If they love to read, have them read to kids in the hospital or help with storytime at your neighborhood library. Even donating books to a local “little library,” will foster charity in children. Designating a box for toys to donate and then having your child help make the drop-off will give them a strong sense of pride knowing they are helping. Older kids can apply for service scholarships, which is another way to help them realize the fruits of their labor.

5. Help to build awareness.
Visit national and local volunteer websites. Many of these sites, like VolunteerMatch.org, are a great way to narrow down volunteer opportunities. Plan a family field trip to expose them to an important social issue, such as homelessness, animal rescue, or helping the environment to create enthusiasm for future volunteer activities. By showing your child who and what needs help, you’re building up their problem-solving skills and helping them tap into how they can make a difference.

Encourage your children to ask, “Who can I be a superhero to today?” Talk to them about the animals in shelters and what they need to feel safe. Bring them into your pantry and ask, “Who can we share food with today?” And then start to find activities that fit your family lifestyle. If you have older kids who can walk dogs at the local shelter, then set aside time on the weekends. If your kids are younger, ask them to help you pick up extra dog food to donate to the animals in need. Giving them a sense of ownership for their philanthropy is important.

When I ask my kids, “What inspired you most to be philanthropic?” Two things always stand out:

1. Watching mom create her own philanthropic mission.
2. The different unique family opportunities like hiking adventures and spending time in senior centers made it cool.

Giving should not be seen as a chore, it should be something everyone looks forward to and should be in context with a larger adventure vs. a thing to cross off the list. Let your children give back to the world in the way that resonates most with them and their empathy will take on a life of its own.

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Michelle Moore

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Michelle Moore is the mom of three boys and founder of Mother’s Grace, a nonprofit addressing the critical needs of mothers and children. Her book, A Mother’s Grace: Healing the World One Woman at a Time shares stories of 12 rockstar moms, setting the world on fire helping others.

How to Raise Eco-Conscious Kids

By Aureal Ojeda

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

April 14, 2021

Photo: Aureal Ojeda

The statistics on how we’ve treated the planet up to this point are pretty bleak. Only 9 percent of the plastic ever produced has been recycled, and each year, 8 million tons of plastic pollute the ocean.

While the problem at hand is massive, it’s easy for kids to get involved because even the smallest sustainable action helps to make a collective difference. I’ve learned through experience with my own son that it’s best to keep it simple, focusing on the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Reduce

Children always gravitate to the newest and coolest toys, fashion or food, but the conspicuous consumption Americans are known for is not good for the planet. Instead, try and instill the belief that less is more and quality trumps quantity.

Reinforce reducing consumption and making smarter choices with a quick trip to the grocery store. Teach your kids how to choose items with the least amount of packaging, shop in the bulk foods section, avoid single-serving foods and bring cloth shopping bags to haul it all home in.

Your house is the ideal place to demonstrate energy and water-saving behaviors to your kids. By modeling turning off lights when you leave a room, turning off appliances not in use, unplugging appliances not often used and taking short showers, you’ll help instill an attitude of conservation early.

Reuse

Upcycling is definitely a trend these days, so it should be easy to get kids, tweens and teens on board. The goal is to show kids that not everything needs to be thrown away. Before throwing away a toy, or perhaps clothes, examine it to see if it can be fixed or mended. If it can, teach your child how to make the fix so they can learn important new skills. With clothes and toys that your child has outgrown, engage them in collecting everything and donating it to a charitable organization. Not only are they learning how to reuse, but they’re also learning the importance of philanthropy. When you do need new clothes for the kids, consider shopping at a local consignment store rather than the mall.

Single-serve plastic items are some of the most destructive consumer goods on the market, but you can cut down on your consumption by using refillables whenever possible. Invest in decorative refillable soap dispensers for the home and make sure everyone in the family has a reusable water bottle. Disposable paper products are also incredibly wasteful. Limit your use of paper towels, plates and napkins, opting for cloth and ceramic options instead.

Since it’s impossible to limit using all of these things, teach kids how to make the most of a product. If you do use paper products, use the cardboard tubes and boxes for art projects. When printing at home or coloring, make sure to teach kids to use both sides of the paper.

Recycle

Recycling materials that can be reused is key to sustainability. Have bins at home to collect glass, plastic and paper that can be recycled. If your community already recycles, it’s easy, but if not, consider working with your kids to start a recycling drive in your community. It’s also important to note that not all items are recyclable, even if they appear to be, and not all states and cities have the same recycling practices. To best understand your city’s recycling rules, I recommend checking your local government website.

In addition to recycling, point out to your kids which of their favorite products are made from recycled materials.

There’s no better time than Earth Day to show kids that creating a sustainable planet starts at the grass-roots level. By getting the next generation excited about keeping the Earth healthy for years to come, we’re ensuring many more Earth Days in the future.

feature image via iStock

Aureal Ojeda

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

My name is Aureal Ojeda, and I am the founder of Outwoken Tea, a zero-waste tea brand sourcing from small tea farms in developing countries. I continuously strive to bring awareness to how each of us can challenge ourselves to create better, conscious decisions to positively impact the environment.

10 Women Who Changed San Diego Forever

by Aimee Della BittaMarch 1, 2021

After securing her historic win for Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris heralded, “I may be the first woman to hold this office. But I won’t be the last.” Long before Harris, countless brilliant women throughout history have been paving the way for future generations. In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting 10 women who made history in San Diego. These exceptional women helped shape our vibrant and beloved city through their work in science, philanthropy, education and so much more. Read on to be inspired.

Sally Ride

Going where no other American woman went before is an accomplishment only a few own. Sally Ride is one of the few. In 1983, astronaut and astrophysicist Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger after beating out 1,000 other applicants to earn her spot in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) astronaut program. Born in Encino, California, Ride moved to La Jolla after her tenure at NASA and became director of the California Space Institute at the University of California, San Diego, as well as a professor of physics at the school in 1989. Wanting to share her passion for science and math with young girls throughout the county she created her own company in 2001 known as Sally Ride Science. Through this company she created educational programs and products to help and inspire girls and young women to pursue their own interests in the field of science and math.

Ellen Browning Scripps

A philanthropist at heart, well before she had money to share, Ellen Browning Scripps believed in promoting the welfare of others from her earliest years. It was this belief that led her to contribute a significant amount of her fortune, which was derived from the Scripps family's newspaper empire, to local causes throughout San Diego. One of the first women to attend college in the United States, she completed her studies in 1858 at Illinois’ Knox College. After graduation, she took a position as a school teacher earning just $9 a month. Ellen joined her brother at the newspaper he started, writing a column, “Matters and Things”, which enabled her to tap into her great intellect and share her progressive thoughts on subjects like women's suffrage and prohibition. One of few women to ever grace the cover of Time magazine, Scripps did so in 1926 at age 89, being named "most beloved woman in Southern California." Her gifts to San Diego are far-reaching and ever-lasting, from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to the La Jolla Public Library and Scripps Memorial Hospital and Metabolic Clinic — schools, hospitals, churches and history societies throughout the county were all recipients of Ellen's inspiration and bountiful contributions.

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Audrey Geisel

Horton Hears a Who!, The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Green Eggs and Ham — these are books we all love and share with our children. They're also just a sampling of the 48 books that Theodor Geisel, affectionately known as Dr. Seuss, would write while living in La Jolla. Theodor died in 1991 and it was his wife Audrey Geisel who was appointed as the the overseer of his estate and guardian of his legacy. Audrey faithfully did that job and created her own legacy along the way. In 1993 she founded Dr. Seuss Enterprises, whose stated mission was to “protect the integrity of the Dr. Seuss books while expanding beyond books into ancillary areas.” In addition to running Dr. Seuss Enterprises, she devoted herself to philanthropy, supporting dozens of charitable organizations. She gave $20 million and thousands of her husband’s drawings and manuscripts to the University of California, San Diego, where the Geisel Library is named for both of them. Known as a strong businesswoman and advocate for causes she cared deeply about, Geisel's contributions to the area of San Diego are immeasurable.

Lucy Killea

Known as a "titan of public service in San Diego," Lucy Killea tops the list of most respected elected officials for her integrity and fearlessness while in office. She tirelessly advocated for women and was a role model for standing up for your beliefs and being effective in bringing change. She was inducted into the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2002.

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Joan Kroc

Often dubbed "St Joan of the Golden Arches, Joan B. Kroc of Rancho Santa Fe, Ca was the widow of Ray A Kroc, the founder of The McDonald's Corporation. Joan Kroc parlayed his fortune to become one of the greatest philanthropists of the 20th century. She was unconventional about her philanthropy and supported causes that were dear to her heart. Kroc also broke with tradition by giving away extraordinarily large amounts to social service organizations like the Salvation Army and National Public Radio upon her death. In total, Kroc donated more than one billion dollars.

Kate Sessions

Walking through Balboa Park you'll see a sculpture of Kate Sessions near Laurel Street Bridge. The sculpture honors her legacy as Sessions is best known as the "Mother of Balboa Park" and was instrumental in the planning and planting of Palm Canyon and The Aloe and Agave Garden. However, her seeds were planted literally and figuratively throughout San Diego County. A successful and tireless business owner, Kate operated nurseries in Coronado, Pacific Beach, Mission Hills and other locations throughout San Diego. In 1892 she contracted with the city to plant 100 trees a year for `10 years. As a matter of fact we have Sessions to thank for much of the exotic plants that we see throughout the county today such as jacaranda, poinsettia, bougainvillea and bird of paradise as she was the first to introduce them to the area.

Mabel Bell

We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. Mabel Bell broke barriers and fought for the right of future generations of San Diegans. She was the first black resident to purchase property in La Jolla, a place where black people had previously been prevented from owning homes. An activist through and through, Bell founded the non-profit organization (SOFA) which stands for Strongly Oriented For Action, and campaigned for the creation of affordable housing in La Jolla. She used an alleyway near her home to help sick people and her humanitarian efforts led to her being acknowledged by her community after her death and naming the street Mabel Bell Lane.

Margaret Wood Bancroft

Margaret Wood Bancroft lived a full life before passing away at the age of 93. From silent actress and socialite to naturalist and explorer, Bancroft had a strong work ethic and endless curiosity. In 1935, Bancroft led a small expedition to search for the legendary lost mission of Santa Ysabel in the Sierra de San Pedro Martir, Baja Califonria. She discovered cave symbols that contributed to archaeological study of the migration of ancient Native American tribes. Margaret was one of the original members of the Junior League and served as director of the Red Cross for many years. She was actively involved with the San Diego Natural History Museum, the San Diego Museum of Art, and the San Diego Museum of Man. She leaves behind an enduring legacy in the social and political life of San Diego County and the advancement of natural history and archaeological research in southern California and Baja California.

Ethel Bailey Higgins

Following your passion and forging a new career sometimes happens later in life. This was the case for Ethel Bailey Higgins who combined her photography skills and plant studies to launch a long scientific career at the age of 67. She had an interest in botany from her early years living in New England and her studies intensified when she moved to California. Higgins was named curator of botany at the San Diego Natural History Museum in 1933. She is believed to have initiated the first accession records for the plant collections. Known for her energetic and fearless spirit, Higgins worked at the museum well into her 90s. A life-long learner with a keen sense of both humor and curiosity, Higgins' vast contribution to San Diego botanical science is unmatched.

Judith Keep

Judge Judith N. Keep was a trailblazer for women in San Diego’s legal field. At a time when few than 5 percent of lawyers were women, Keep graduated valedictorian from the University of San Diego School of Law. She was nominated to become the first female District Court Judge for California’s Southern District, and later she became the District Court’s first female Chief Judge. Known in San Diego as much for her work as a mentor as she was for her work in the courtroom, Keep always made time to give back to her community and pass along her wisdom and experience to the next generation.

––Aimee Della Bitta

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Sesame Workshop & Viatris Inc. Launch Resources for the Upcoming Holiday Season

by Jennifer SwartvagherDecember 7, 2020

This holiday season will look dramatically different for many children and families. Sesame Workshop and Viatris Inc. are launching new resources to support the social and emotional needs of families across generations around the world during the pandemic. This new global resource will reach families on six continents.

Today’s release of materials on SesameStreet.org/caring in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Portuguese is designed to help young children talk through and name big feelings like stress and fear, encourage positive caregiving strategies and routines, and help families find ways to celebrate together when far apart.

“We know children and families everywhere are struggling as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Together with Viatris, we are offering families strategies to cope with today’s challenges and foster emotional wellbeing long into the future,” said Sherrie Westin, President of Social Impact and Philanthropy, Sesame Workshop. “As we head into the holidays with so many routines upended, we want to help children and their caregivers manage big feelings and spend quality time with each other, even when apart.”

Starting this week, new animations and activities will launch on a rolling basis in the U.S., India, South Africa, and Latin America, with select content available in Europe and Australia. In one video, Grover and his mom decide to make his Grandmother’s special family soup over videochat when they can’t be together for their holiday celebration. In additional videos, Elmo and his mom talk about big feelings and Elmo’s dad helps him name and cope with the feeling of fear of getting sick. Additional topics released on a rolling basis will include keeping routines, spending special time together, and learning about persistence.

“Our work with Sesame Workshop stems from our mission to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life,” said Lara Ramsburg, Head of Corporate Affairs for Viatris. “From young children to parents, grandparents, and other caregivers, we hope these new resources will be of value to anyone who has experienced the emotional impact of the pandemic on their families. As we begin our journey as Viatris, we’re committed to supporting social impact initiatives and partnerships that have the potential to have a lasting, positive impact on patients, families and communities worldwide. We’re pleased to collaborate with Sesame Workshop, who has a long history of making a difference in the lives of children around the world.”

Viatris, a new kind of global healthcare company, is committed to doing its part in support of public health needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the generous support to make these new resources possible, Viatris will share the resources with its global workforce of approximately 45,000.

The resources launched today as part of Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative, which was created in response to the uncertainty facing families during the COVID-19 pandemic and has reached families in more than 100 countries and 41 languages. http://SesameStreet.org/caring is regularly updated to meet the needs of families as the situation evolves, with resources designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety, as well as help with creating routines, fostering playful learning at home and staying physically and mentally healthy. Resources will also be distributed through a wide range of national and community providers as part of Sesame Street in Communities, Sesame Workshop’s program to support children and families.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Sesame Street In Communities via YouTube

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How to Teach Children the Power of Giving & Empathy through Charity

By Michelle Moore

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

November 10, 2020

Photo: Joel Muniz on Unsplash

Kids have natural empathy, especially for other kids. I think they can actually picture themselves in others’ shoes. When they see someone like them struggle and in despair, they automatically want to help. As parents, it’s up to us to facilitate the process by putting them in the right situations and circumstances (safely organized, of course). The camaraderie and energy developed during these projects help build self-esteem and inclusiveness. It’s also fun to incorporate a cool activity with a volunteer project or trip that gives everyone something special to look forward to and builds amazing family memories together.

Starting young ingrains that empathy into their little souls. However, more important than anything on a large scale, like cleaning up after a natural disaster or traveling to a foreign country that may need help, is doing small meaningful things consistently in your own community. Model, model, model. Adopt families during the holidays, have children share part of their allowance to donate to their favorite charity, even better have them organize their own “walk” teams for fundraising. For example, my son organized “Brooks’ Buddies” to benefit JDRF. (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) He, being a type-1 diabetic himself, loved the idea of sharing the knowledge with friends and family every year and has had up to 70 kids on his team. He designed his own t-shirts and had a party after. Today he has a photo of each year’s team and the logo for his tees on his wall and he often speaks about the events being some of his best memories. He has evolved into a young man who is always creating teams of some sort.

There are so many ways to open a child’s mind to everyday opportunities for the good around them. Do your kids write thank you notes? Not just for gifts but for the kindness of others: If a family takes them on a trip or out to eat—why not acknowledge how fun it was with a note? What if a teacher helps through a tough spot, acknowledge the kindness. This manifests gratefulness and accountability. Keep them involved in some sort of spiritual community. Take them out into nature and teach them to respect it, they need to not only respect other human beings but our world and all of the creatures in it. Hike, camp, boat, travel, but don’t just do it, engage your kids into the experience, and discuss what they are grateful for and how they can pay it forward.

Here’s a shortlist of tips to get started modeling, teaching empathy, and giving:

1. Set up an adventure philanthropy. The goal is to have fun together, learn a new culture, understand the bigger picture. This does not have to be overseas—there are great Habitat for Humanity projects in our country as well as clean up opportunities in natural disaster-affected areas. An adventure can be across town as easily as across the country.

2. Make philanthropy fit the child. For example, if your kid likes sports, have them work with a disabled sports team. If they love to read, have them read to kids in the hospital or help with storytime at your neighborhood library.

3. Set it up as a win-win. Helping can be rewarding in more than one way. The fun coincides with the work which then becomes a habit and lasting memories are made. Older kids can apply for service scholarships, which is another way to help them realize the fruits of their labor.

When I ask my kids, “What inspired you most to be philanthropic?” They answer that watching what I did influenced them, but incorporating the projects into unique family opportunities made it cool. Giving should not be seen as a chore, it should be something everyone looks forward to and should be in context with a larger adventure vs. a thing to cross off the list. Let your children give in the way that resonates most with them and their empathy will take on a life of its own.

This post originally appeared on 30seconds.com.

Michelle Moore

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Michelle Moore is senior VP for Laboratory Corporation of America; and the founder of Mother’s Grace, a nonprofit organization that addresses the critical needs of mothers and their children in the midst of tragic life events. Michelle is author of A Mother’s Grace: Healing the World One Woman at a Time.

The Muddy Puddles Project to Host First Virtual Mess Fest with Peppa Pig

by Jennifer SwartvagherAugust 17, 2020

After a rainstorm kids can’t resist jumping in a muddy puddle. Knowing that parents are looking for a safe way to have summer fun, The Muddy Puddles Project will be hosting the first ever virtual Mess Fest series with appearances by Peppa Pig. The Muddy Puddles Mess Fest is an annual fundraising event that supports childhood cancer research through the Ty Louis Campbell Foundation.

For three days starting on Aug. 24, families can join up to three, virtual 30-minute activity sessions where they can get messy with crafts, jam out to music or enjoy story time with a special appearance by Peppa Pig. The nonprofit typically hosts large, in-person “Mess Fest” events, but this year the virtual platform will bring a wave of positive energy and joy to children’s homes all across the country, while introducing philanthropy to little ones in a fun and relatable way.

“Kids grow up so fast, and my personal journey with childhood cancer made me reflect on my instinct to avoid a mess by hiding the finger paint or holding hands right past the puddles. Parents need to remember that for some children, those rights of passage – like jumping in muddy puddles – may not be possible,” said Cindy Campbell, Co-Founder of The Muddy Puddles Project.

Campbell said, “I wanted to find a way for everyone to take a step back and to appreciate these years with their kids. The Muddy Puddles Project is a celebration of childhood, but it is also a nonprofit platform for funding childhood cancer research so we can cure more kids, keeping them outside, having fun, and getting messy before they’re all grown up and see wet clothes and dirty shoes as nothing but a nuisance.”

“We are honored that Peppa Pig was such an important and positive part of Ty Campbell’s too-short life, and with the involvement of our terrific sponsors, this year’s virtual Mess Fest is sure to inspire families across the country to get messy, jump in muddy puddles, and support The Muddy Puddles Project’s fundraising efforts,” said Julie Powell Christopher, eOne Family Brands’ SVP of Marketing for North America.

Campbell wants parents to remember that children are little sponges, and fun is contagious, so we should all try to have more fun in our everyday lives.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: The Muddy Puddles Project

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4th Grader’s “More Than Peach” Campaign Is Changing the Way Kids Color

by Karly WoodMarch 18, 2020

When eight-year-old Bellen Woodard overheard her classmates refer to a peach crayon as the “skin-colored crayon,” something didn’t feel right. The comment made her feel “disincluded/unimportant” and she came up with an idea.

Her solution was this: “The next time I’m asked, I’ll just ask my classmates which color would they like because it could be any number of beautiful colors.” Now, Woodard is the nine-year-old founder and president of Bellen’s More Than Peach Project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B86D6doAwdj/

As a result of Woodard’s response in the classroom, her teacher and classmates began using the same language. Her impact not only reached her own immediate peers, but eventually her school and community.

More than Peach is a national movement with Woodard at the helm. The intelligent student and model serves not only as the spokesperson but an agent of change. She has received multiple proclamations from government officials and has been featured on MSNBC, The Today Show with Hoda and Jenna, local news outlets, The Washington Post and more.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ud2TQAAYp/

Woodard’s project and art supply kits, known as Palette Packets, have recently been received for permanent collection at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and are now available for purchase! Each packet includes a custom sketchpad, an eight-count box of Crayola multicultural crayons, a standard 24-count box of crayons and the More than Peach letter and story for $8.99 (includes free shipping). Parents and organizations can also purchase the sketchbook separately for $5.99.

Proceeds from Palette Packets support her philanthropy efforts in her goal of sharing them with peers across the country and hopes to donate to over 80,000 students. You can learn more and support the project by going to www.morethanpeach.com and following Woodard on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: More Than Peach Project via Instagram

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The Giving (Family) Tree

By Carol Lavin Bernick

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

January 25, 2020

Some of my earliest and fondest memories of my parents are the ones where we gave back to our community. You see, my mom and dad were always charitable people, long before they had the means to make significant financial donations. I remember once, my dad’s close friend suffered a debilitating stroke and my dad immediately took up the cause, dedicating his time and energy to further grow the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (now the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab). I remember my mom sitting at our dining room table, addressing donation envelopes by hand. The point is, philanthropy has always been a core part of our family and when I had kids, I began to think, how can I make sure my kids understand the value of giving back?

I figured you might be asking the same thing. So here, I’ve assembled my top four tips for raising kind and generous kids.

One In, One Out: For me, the key was to start instilling generosity when my kids were, well, still kids. Our house had a very firm “get a toy, give a toy” policy around Christmas and birthdays: If my kids received a new toy, then they had to choose one of theirs to give to kids that didn’t have many toys. Admittedly, it’s not a flawless system: A 10-piece toy would come in and a beloved stuffed animal would go out, but still, it planted the initial seed of giving. Admittedly, it also helped me keep down the clutter that comes with parenthood.

About Allowance: When my kids were old enough to start doing chores and earn allowances, we stressed “Save Some,” “Give Some” and “Spend Some.” A friend of mine even divided her kid’s allowance into three labeled envelopes to engrain this…sort of self-explanatory system, but the whole goal was to build a solid foundation of saving money and cultivate the value of giving back.

Holiday Spirit: No season better embodies the spirit of giving quite like the holidays. Every year at Christmas, we would adopt several families in need and, together, my kids and I would shop for and wrap gifts for the families. My kids would contribute some of their allowance to help buy the presents. I wanted my kids to understand that it’s not about the size of the check, but rather about giving of yourself to something you believe in.

Beyond Your Family: I realize I keep writing “my kids”. But they haven’t been kids for a long time. Now they’re grown and married, have kids of their own, and still adopt families at the holidays. I’ve been proud to watch them create their own paths in philanthropy. So now I’m left wondering, What’s next? For me, the answer was to look outside of my own family and make an impact on the community at large. I decided to put my 40-years of corporate experience to work and create a charity called Enchanted Backpack to deliver resources to underserved schools. Starting your own charity or becoming deeply involved in one you truly believe in is the best way to encourage others to be charitable. People follow by example. Whether it’s your kids or your best pals, when they see you being passionate about philanthropy, they’re likely to follow suit—or at least join you for an afternoon.

Giving back doesn’t just make an impact on your community, it makes an impact on your soul. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing the impact Enchanted Backpack has made in Chicagoland or watching my children become involved in their own charitable endeavors. And I know that, wherever they are, my parents would be proud, too.

Carol Lavin Bernick

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Carol Lavin Bernick is a former executive chairman of Alberto Culver, civic leader, working mother and philanthropist. She is the author of Gather As You Go, a collection of short, digestible stories that offer powerful lessons, key insights and helpful tips based on her life experiences.

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