Volunteer Opportunities For Kids In Columbus

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Getting your kids involved in volunteer opportunities is a great way to help them grow into caring, compassionate adults. My husband and I have volunteered in the past, but honestly I never really put much thought into involving my daughter. Then two things happened. First, I have a friend involved in an organization that is all about including the kids and my daughter’s new preschool participates in monthly food drives. I was actually surprised at how much she enjoyed participating in these projects and how she talked about them. Some of it actually seemed to be sinking in!! (mom win)

I figured I can’t be the only one who was totally clueless about volunteer opportunities for kids in Columbus, so I thought I would do a round-up of some great charitable organizations that involve kids. Here you will find opportunities for kids from age 2 through 18.

Volunteer Opportunities For Kids in Columbus, OH | Kids Volunteering Ideas | Seeds of Caring | Columbus, Ohio

Seeds of Caring

Seeds of Caring empowers kids to create a kinder community with their hearts, hands, and minds. There are many activities offered including delivering Meals on Wheels, making blankets for hospitalized children, or simply sharing a conversation with senior home residents.  The children build confidence in their ability to contribute and in the end, everyone benefits – kids develop a heart for service, families are united by a common purpose, and the community becomes a more compassionate place to live, work, and grow.

Volunteer Ages: 2-12

More Information: Seeds of Caring

Food Pantries

There are many families in Central Ohio that don’t have enough to eat sometimes, and it’s a great lesson to your children to help out when you can.  Whether you are actually volunteering at a facility or just shopping with your child to purchase food to donate, it’s a great way to start a conversation about the importance of service. 

Hilliard Food Pantry: Ages 14+; or ages 5-13 with adult supervision

Broad Street Food Pantry: Ages 15+; 14 and under with adult supervision

Dublin Food Pantry: Ages 16+

Kroger Community Pantry: Ages 16+; Ages 11-15 with adult supervision

Worthington Resource Pantry: Ages 14+

Columbus Humane (Formerly Capital Area Humane Society)

This is a great place to volunteer if you are an animal lover! Completion of the Skills Training, Engagement and Practice for Success (STEPS) program is required before volunteering. This class will teach you about how Columbus Humane works as well as info about the animals themselves. My husband and I used to volunteer in the cat rooms there and we really enjoyed it. They have volunteer opportunities working with cats, dogs or rabbits!

Volunteer Ages: 12 and up (Kids aged 12-15 need to have an adult volunteer with them)

More Information: Columbus Humane

Columbus Kids Do Good

Columbus Kids Do Good was founded by a local blogger to help kids create a culture of kindness and compassion in their everyday lives. Activities have included making lunches for the homeless, creating Valentine’s Day cards for the kids at Ronald McDonald house and assembling snack packs for the Ronald McDonald house.

Volunteer Ages: Kids of all ages! (Adults are welcome too)

More Information: Columbus Kids Do Good

Volunteer Opportunities For Kids in Columbus, Ohio | Columbus Kids Do Good

Ronald McDonald House

There are numerous ways to help families in need at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio. The families staying at the facility have so many difficult things on their plate, and it is so nice to be able to help offer them the comforts of home during their stay. From making snack packs to welcome blankets, making a meal or baking a treat, there are so many ways to spread love and compassion at Ronald McDonald House.

Volunteer Ages: Volunteers under 18 are welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult at all times.

More Information: Ronald McDonald House

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium offers the ZooAide program for teens. This program is designed for those interested in entering the field of conservation and it also focuses on the customer service aspect of the zoo. This is a great way to get your teen interested in service!

Volunteer Ages: Teens entering grades 8-12

More Information: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium ZooAide Program

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers volunteer positions for teens enrolled in high school. Duties may include helping at the information desk, gift shop, sibling Clubhouse, clinic waiting rooms, Close to Home centers, and in office settings. These jobs offer support to families, patients and staff. While volunteering takes place throughout the school year, new volunteers are only accepted once a year.

Volunteer Ages: 15+ and enrolled in high school by July 1

More Information: Nationwide Children’s Hospital

See Kids Dream

Founded in 2008, See Kids Dream was created because of the belief that early volunteer experiences help positively shape a child’s view of the world and themselves. One of the things I really loved when browsing their website was the ability to research different areas of need by subject. It’s a great way to get a conversation started with your kids!

Ages: 8-14

More Information: See Kids Dream

Volunteer Opportunities For Kids in Columbus, Ohio | Columbus Kids Do Good

 

I love that there are so many volunteer opportunities for kids in Columbus! Getting kids involved in volunteering at a young age is so important. While they might not understand exactly why they are doing something, I think they can grasp the overall idea of service even from a very young age. Volunteering with your child shows them by example how to be kind, compassionate and helpful…and that’s a great thing!

What are some of your favorite ways to get your kids involved in giving back?

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Katie Seemann
Katie is a travel obsessed stay at home mom. She grew up in Central Ohio, but moved to New York City after high school to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology to pursue her dream of being a fashion designer. Thankfully, dreams can change. After working in the fashion industry she realized it wasn't what she was looking for. So, she moved back to Columbus to be near family. While in New York, Katie met and married her husband, Jason. Katie is now mom to 4 year old Ellie. She and her husband love to travel... a lot. Her love of travel combined with her desire to stop her brain from turning to mommy mush inspired her to start her blog, www.zenlifeandtravel.com. This platform lets her share her own travels as well as tips about her hobby, "travel hacking", aka how to use points and miles to travel for (almost) free! While traveling, Katie and her husband love to explore cities by foot which is great since she has a mild obsession with her daily number of Fitbit steps! She also recently got her open water scuba diving certification so destinations near water are high on her list of travel musts! Katie loves palm trees, yoga, fat cats and is a sucker for anything lined in leopard print. She believes that leggings are pants and purple is the best color. Her ultimate goal is to live a simple, happy life...and to travel as much as possible! In addition to her blog, you can find Katie on Instagram (@zenlifeandtravel) and (@zencolumbus) Twitter (@zen_life_travel) and Pinterest (@zenlifetravel).