Sometimes Giving Back Is the Best Gift of All Volunteering for Kids of All Ages The holiday season is almost upon us, and many people are getting into the festive and charitable spirit. While families across the country will be looking forward to presents and spending time with loved ones, plenty of individuals are not so fortunate. Thankfully, there are ways to support them, and your children can even get in on the action. Many benefits come with introducing your children to volunteer work, including broadening their horizons, teaching them new skills, building their self-esteem, and showing them the importance of giving back.
Key Lime Pie
INGREDIENTS Lime Filling • 2 tsp grated lime zest (green part only) • 4 large egg yolks • 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk • 1/2 cup lime juice Graham Cracker Crust • 1 1/4 cup (about 11) graham crackers, processed to fine crumbs • 3 tbsp sugar • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted For a non-traditional holiday dessert, try our favorite key lime pie recipe. It is delicious and will bring a ray of sunshine to your holiday meal!
Here are three great volunteer ideas for kids of all ages.
Animal Shelter Who doesn’t love to spend time with animals? Most shelters are desperately looking for volunteers, especially around the winter months, and they provide opportunities for every age. For younger kids, they can play with, take walks with, and even read to the animals. This is a great way to introduce them to volunteer
Whipped Cream Topping • 3/4 cup heavy cream • 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
DIRECTIONS
Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk zest and yolks until tinted light green, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk, then juice; set aside at room temperature to thicken. Crust: Preheat oven to 325 F. In a medium bowl, mix crumbs and sugar. Add butter and stir with fork until well blended. Pour mixture into 9-inch pie pan; press crumbs over bottom and up sides of pan to form even crust. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Pour lime filling into crust. Bake until center is set but wiggly when jiggled, 15–17 minutes. Return pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours. Topping: Up to 2 hours before serving, in a medium bowl, whip cream to very soft peaks. Add confectioners’ sugar 1 tbsp at a time and continue whipping to just-stiff peaks. Decoratively pipe whipped cream over filling or spread evenly with rubber spatula.
work because it will be incredibly fun. Older kids can take it a step further by helping clean the animals and their pens. They will also have opportunities to play with the animals and take them for walks. Assisted Living Facility The holidays can be extremely tough for those living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. These people benefit greatly when kids and teens volunteer to help in their communities. Your child will play card games, make crafts, and help out wherever necessary. This will help your children make a real connection and give the people they’re helping some much-needed company. Picking Up Litter One of the best ways to give back to your community is by picking up trash throughout your area. You do not have to partner up with an organization to do this. You can take your kids around your neighborhood, throughout the community, or even to a park and just start cleaning. This will help your children learn the importance of protecting the environment while also giving them some time outside.
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