
The elementary school years are a great time to teach kids about the importance of giving back to their communities. When it comes to helping the environment, community service is a win-win. There are plenty of opportunities in New Jersey where your kids can learn about sustainability and help others at the same time.
Pledge to Help the Environment
When it comes to protecting and persevering nature and endangered species, start your community service journey as a family by having your kids take a Nature Conservancy action pledge. Current pledges support wildlife and public land preservation, combat climate change and preserve funding for conservation.
Bring the family on a tour of one of NJ’s beautiful preserves highlighted by the Nature Conservancy, and you’ll learn about the unique plants and wildlife in those areas. The kids will learn about the environment while taking part in hands-on activities.
Whether or not you have a green thumb, you can help dig holes and plant trees around communities with help from the New Jersey Tree Foundation. You can even plant a tree in honor of a loved one. The Nature Conservancy has a goal of planting 1 billion trees so your kids will feel great knowing they contributed to the cause.
Get the kids involved in keeping the parks they love clean through Keep America Beautiful. Picking up trash or clearing leaves and debris from storm drains can make a huge impact on the overall health of the environment.
Find ways to help animals by working with St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. You can help with fundraisers, collect items for animals or create your own project for raising awareness. You must be 18 to work with the animals, but there are other opportunities to volunteer, too.
Help Keep Communities Clean
Lots of organizations encourage members to take part in trash removal, neighborhood cleanups and beach/shoreline beautification. Usually, you’ll be given gloves and shovels, so put on some sunscreen and a hat, bring a water bottle and get ready to get your hands dirty.
Many towns offer an Adopt-a-Spot or Adopt-a-Road program, where you can pick up litter and debris from public spots around town, including roadways. Usually, you have to commit to two or three times per year. Doing this in your hometown is a great way for your kids to feel a connection to their community.
Clean UP NJ!, through the state’s Department of Transportation, began in 2010 as an effort to keep highways clean. In 1998, the DOT established a Youth Corps Urban Gateway Enhancement Program that established youth programs to carry out transportation-related training and community projects. This summer you can apply to help 12 community-based organizations or local governments carry out beautification projects.
On a more local level, Bergen Family Promise in Ridgewood encourages kids to come up with their own fundraising ideas or start their own donation drives. Jersey Cares in Livingston and the Volunteer Center of Burlington in Mount Laurel have directories and calendars that list volunteer opportunities.
Donate Toys, Food and More
We all know our kids have too many toys, so make an effort to gather up the toys they’ve outgrown and give them to friends and cousins, donate to a thrift shop or consider freecycling. There are Facebook groups that let you donate items for free, too. Drop off unwanted items to Bridges Outreach in Summit or one of the several NJ locations of Second Chance Toys. It’s a great way to reduce landfill waste.
Food banks are in need of donations so make a point to check what is needed in particular and have the kids join you to shop and donate. The Community Food Bank in Hillsdale and Egg Harbor Twp., or the Isaiah House in East Orange, accept non-perishable donations. Some churches and synagogues also accept donations. For the Community Food Bank, the minimum age to volunteer onsite is 12, accompanied by an adult, but on Family Days kids ages six to 11 can help out, too.
On a smaller scale, in the winter, kids can donate their time to help clear snow in the driveway, especially for elderly neighbors, which helps reduce the number of plows that come through the neighborhood. You can also talk to your kids about using their birthday or Christmas money to donate to an environmentally-friendly cause they support. The Nature Conservancy is a great place to start.
Read More:
Gardening For Pollinators As a Family
Foraging is a Fun Nature Activity to Try With the Kids
You And Your Family Can Learn to Live More Sustainably
Ways Your Family Can Give Back
Here’s How (and Why) to Inspire Your Family to Volunteer Together
NJ Places You Can Volunteer with The Kids