Soapbox Engage Blog

A quick assessment of your community will likely reveal dozens or hundreds of needs. When it comes to service projects, sometimes the challenge isn't figuring out what to do; it's knowing where to start!

Every year millions of people donate countless hours to local, national, and international causes. We're here to offer some benefits of participating in community service and volunteer projects and some excellent community service and fundraising ideas to get you started!

Table of Contents

• Why community service is valuable
• 5 volunteer ideas for kids and families
• 4 community service events to host
• 2 community service fundraising ideas

Why Community Service Is Valuable

Community service is one of the best ways to help make your community a better place. Not only does it help improve the lives of people and society as a whole, but it also benefits the volunteers who give their time and talents!

Community service helps raise social awareness

Participating in community service projects or volunteering with nonprofits raises your awareness of local justice issues. It helps society's needs become less abstract as you connect real names and faces to problems and issues.

Volunteering gives you a firsthand experience and a better understanding of needs in your community.

Community service provides social and psychological benefits

Studies have shown that volunteering and giving back increases overall life satisfaction. Generosity and altruism can also decrease stress and relieve some symptoms of depression. Volunteering also helps people improve communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Community service changes lives

Perhaps the most important benefit of community service is that it makes a difference in peoples' lives. Whether you're volunteering at your local animal shelter or serving on a board of directors for a large nonprofit, you are positively impacting your life, the lives of people you serve with, and the lives of those you serve.

11 Creative Community Service Ideas

There are probably countless needs and opportunities around you. We rounded up 11 excellent community service and volunteering ideas to get you started!

5 Volunteer ideas for kids and families

Nobody is too young to start learning to serve, love, and care for others. In the US, 15.5 million kids (ages 12-28) participate in volunteer opportunities. Here are five community service ideas that kids of all ages can do!

Trash clean-up: Kids and kids-at-heart can spend time picking up litter at a local park, beach, or along a trail. It's an excellent opportunity to enjoy time outdoors and help keep your community looking beautiful. If your family or group wants to get very serious about keeping your local community clean, you can participate in the Adopt A Highway program all over the United States.

Write notes of encouragement or gratitude: There are so many variations to this community service opportunity. Kids can make holiday cards for seniors living at local assisted living facilities. There are holidays throughout the year that are card-worthy… from Valentine's Day to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Around Veteran's Day or Memorial Day, consider writing thank-you cards to deployed service members. Adopt-A-Platoon is just one of many programs designed to improve the quality of life for deployed military members by helping people send cards and care packages.

Baked goods for first responders or medical staff: Make fond memories baking treats and deliver them to your fire/EMS department or police station. Not only will kids be developing valuable baking skills, but they'll also get to know and trust local first responders.

Volunteer at a food bank: Most communities have a local food bank that can always use an extra hand sorting, stocking, and distributing food. Feeding America is a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, and meal programs. While each food bank has different needs, there are almost always opportunities for kids and families to serve together.

Donate your hair: This community service option might require an extra level of commitment. Still, it can be a powerful experience for a child to donate their own hair to another kid who lost their hair during chemo or another medical treatment. Locks of Love is one of the most popular hair donation programs, but there are other reputable options.

4 Community service events to host

Do you like to plan events that benefit others and bring people together? Here are some community service events you can host that are fun, effective, and make a difference.

Host a charity tournament: Whether it's darts, cornhole, kickball, or volleyball, people love a little friendly competition for a good cause. Put together a charity tournament and collect entry fees or needed items for a local charity or nonprofit. For example, you can collect canned goods for the food bank or cash for the women's shelter. There are so many ways to make these events fun and beneficial for the charity of your choice!

Host a themed party: Into the Neighborhood in Richmond, VA hosts an annual "Mardi Bras" party during Mardi Gras. With all the pageantry and fun of Mardi Gras, the organization collects underwear and personal care items for women in need of help for various reasons. They also help people throw their own Mardi Bras events!

If Mardi Bras isn't your jam, you might host a reverse Christmas party where everyone brings a gift for a local charity. Or, instead of hosting a "Friendsgiving" dinner, consider getting together with friends to donate an entire Thanksgiving (or Christmas) dinner to a family in need.

Dog wash or dog walk service project: About 7.6 million animals enter shelters every year. The animal shelters need a constant stream of food, leashes, vet services, and other supplies to keep the animals healthy prepare them for adoption. Consider hosting a dog wash to raise money or collect supplies for your local service project.

In 2017, the George Steinbrenner High School cross country team broke the internet when the story came out that they regularly invited dogs from the local animal shelter to join them on their runs. You might not run track or cross country. You can still arrange a regular dog-walking event or other opportunities to give the local shelter pets a little exercise and fresh air.

Knit-a-thons or similar create-a-thons: Hospitals, homeless shelters, and other programs are often in need of caps, scarves, blankets, mittens, or other handmade items. Gather a bunch of skilled knitters or sewers to meet some practical needs while having a great time! Everyone loves putting their skills and talents to great use!

If sewing or crafts aren't your areas of expertise, have no fear! Gather your friends or neighbors and create some hygiene kits for your local shelter. Gather personal care items and toiletries and create individual hygiene kits.

2 Community service fundraising ideas

Often, the best way you can support your local nonprofits or help your community is through fundraising! Here are two community service fundraising ideas that can be virtual, in-person, or hybrid!

Charity auction: Charity auctions of all types are excellent ways to raise money for your local cause or nonprofit. Whether you're planning an in-person or virtual fundraiser, silent auctions are flexible and put the FUN in fundraising.

We do admit that hosting a virtual silent auction fundraiser takes just a little more tech-savvy and know-how, but just about anyone can do it with the right tricks and tools.

One of the main reasons that charity auctions are great fundraisers is that you can enlist the help and generosity of local businesses to support their community! Invite local businesses to donate desirable items or services to your auction. In return, they'll get brand recognition and might even gather a few new customers while you're fundraising. Everyone wins, and your local community gets stronger!

Charity Happy Hour: Partner with a local bar, winery, or restaurant to host a charity happy hour! Either sell tickets or suggest a donation to raise money for a specific cause or local nonprofit. People love learning how to make new cocktails or about various alcohols. Bring in an expert to lead an educational tasting or teach a "mixology" class.

The great thing about this kind of fundraiser is that you can turn this into a virtual fundraising event by delivering the ingredients that participants will need and hosting the event via Zoom. That way, everyone can learn and enjoy some great drinks from the safety and comfort of their own home. After all, if it's good enough for the 2020 Breeders' Cup, it's great for local charities and nonprofits!

No matter what kind of community service or fundraising idea you choose, everyone benefits from getting involved in their local communities' needs. Soapbox Engage is always excited to equip and empower people to make a difference in the world.

Here are three more resources to help with community service and fundraising ideas of all kinds.

• Fundraising Ideas for Kids and Families: Fundraising can be a great teaching tool for kids of all ages. This blog has some creative fundraising ideas for kids and families to support their favorite charity or local cause.
• 9 Steps to Plan and Host a Virtual Fundraiser: Virtual fundraisers are often cheaper and more accessible to a broader audience. Whether you're planning your first virtual fundraiser or hoping to make your next one a little better, this blog has some great tips, tricks, and advice from industry experts.
• 6 Tips for Virtual Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: In recent years, peer-to-peer fundraising has become more popular, creative, and efficient. Nonprofits are learning how to incorporate this fundraising strategy into their overall plans. This blog includes some of the best tips from fundraising experts to help you build a virtual peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.