How to Become a Charitable Family

Learn together as a family to become more giving and charitable. Even if your family is on a tight budget, it's important to give back in ways that work for you all. Come together to donate your time and skills as a family on a regular basis. Find common ground about donating money and items to charities. Help each of your family members to respect others and give back as a part of everyday life.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Donating Your Time and Skills

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Volunteer in places where the whole family can participate. If you're in a family with young kids, find ways to include them in volunteer activities that they may be interested in. Focus on events that allow participation from everyone.
- Kids may want to help other kids in need. Consider volunteering with groups that help families and children in need. For example, start a toy drive for kids around the holidays. Or, consider volunteering at a local community center to help other kids.
- Volunteer in ways that promote awareness such as charity walks or runs. Have the kids help at the charity events, or just participate in them by running or walking.
- Find activities where kids can be hands-on. For example, if it's a Meals on Wheels program, bring the children on the food delivery route to help give out the meals. Have them interact with homebound adults from different backgrounds so they understand different ways of life.
2
Set aside time to contribute to charitable efforts regularly. Make volunteering a part of your family routine, rather than something you only do around the holidays. By making your volunteer activities consistent, you help to teach your family to be charitable on a regular basis.
- Consider picking a charitable cause through a local non-profit, school, or place of worship. Identify activities that can help make a direct impact, as it will help to motivate your family to continue volunteering.
- Work together as a family to make a commitment to a charitable organization on a weekly or monthly basis.
- Depending on the cause that interests you, connect with a volunteer coordinator affiliated with the event or program. Ask about how to make volunteering a weekly or monthly activity. Set a schedule that allows for the children to participate, such as activities on weekends or evenings.
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3
Work collectively to donate your skills. Utilize your family's unique skills or talents to give back. Whether your teenage son has been singing for years, your spouse knows how to do home repair, or you have a knack for teaching grammar, make a difference as a family by using those skills.
- For example, if one of you has home repair skills, there are many charities that could benefit from your family's support, such as Habitat for Humanity (http://www.habitat.org/) or Rebuilding Together (http://togetherwetransform.org/).
- There are many programs for children and adults that focus on literacy, education, and community-building. Reach out to your local schools or non-profits to find programs that may interest you.
- Let's say your family has an artistic side. Maybe you all can sing and dance, or maybe you all make handicrafts. Your family could offer performances at charity events for difference causes. You could perform at nursing facilities or assisted living communities. Or, you could hand out your handicrafts to those in a hospital.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Donating Money and Resources

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Agree together on a budget for donating money. Many charities rely on monetary funds to remain in operation. Without support from you and others, many non-profits and faith-based programs would not exist.^{[1]XResearch source}
- During family meals or other family time, gather input from each family member about what they can do to contribute money. While children may not have money to donate, they can contribute possibly by tracking money that has been set aside for charities. Consider creating a "donation" jar of your own at home where anyone can contribute.
- Whether your family is making a small contribution or a large one, help to show your children that donating funds makes your community stronger. Talk collectively about different charities of interest and why they are important.
2
Donate clothes or gently used items. This is a hands-on way to get everyone involved in the donation process. Instead of throwing away out-of-fashion clothes, or boxes of unused items from the garage, work together as a family to recycle and reuse those items.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Identify used clothing or items that could be donated. Talk about the pros and cons of giving it away at this time. Go together as a family to donation centers such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
- Learn about other local charity thrift stores. Explore these thrift stores as a family to see the value of donating items, as well as reusing them.
3
Demonstrate as a family how to share things. Sharing is fundamental part of being charitable and caring. This can be as simple as bringing a sick neighbor a home-cooked meal or letting a friend in need borrow your car. But oftentimes the act of sharing starts in your own family.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Being charitable starts with sharing your resources with your siblings, parents, spouses, and relatives. Be willing to give as much as you take.
- Discuss the differences between sharing and getting taken advantage of. Talk as a family about how sharing involves mutual respect, in which the borrower will reciprocate the generosity by giving back in other ways. For example, a neighbor borrows your set of tools, and in return they invite your family to dinner as a thank you.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Building Stronger Relationships by Giving

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Discuss the values of giving. Have open conversations on a regular basis about what giving back means on a local and global level. Consider discussing current events in your community or in the news as a starting point.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Children and teens are more likely to give back and see the importance of philanthropy if you spend more time talking about those things around the dinner table.
- Work together to find causes make everyone feel better as a family. Some family members may have certain interests in protecting wildlife while others may be interested in supporting the arts. Talk about what each cause does as a family, and work towards understanding each person's perspective on the cause.
2
Focus on being charitable in your daily lives. You may get caught up in your busy lives. You may forget that being charitable is about what you do each day. Being charitable isn't just something you do on Saturdays when you help out at the soup kitchen. It's every day.
- Learn from each other about the basics of helping others. Share a seat with someone on the ride to work or school. Share your lunch with a classmate or co-worker. Open the door for others.
- Be thoughtful each day. At the end of a long day, talk as a family about one thing that each person is grateful for. Gratitude helps to foster a charitable family.
3
Build empathy as a family by respecting others. Maybe one of your family members is more compassionate and focused on charitable causes. Learn by their example on how to be generous and respect others.^{[5]XResearch source}
- No matter whether you're volunteering at a charity event or in line at the grocery store check-out, watch how people are kind, patient, and understanding of each other. Focus on the good behavior that you see, rather than the negative.
- Practice showing kindness to all people. Avoid making it seem like some people are more worthy than others of your time and attention. Learn as a family how to respect people equally. Talk about the importance of honoring each person's dignity and worth as a human being.
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