“Volunteers needed for Shelter Night” the ad from a family shelter pleaded. Anyone 16 years old or older was invited to play with the kids for an hour while the parents learned life skills on Wednesday nights.
This particular shelter houses entire families. According to the website, it provides temporary emergency housing and supportive services to homeless families to enable them to transition to permanent housing and a stable family life. The statistics showed that the typical family in the shelter was headed by a single parent with three kids under age 12. 61% had problems with serious mental illness, domestic violence, substance abuse, physically disabilities or chronic health problems. 37% of the families struggled with two or more of those issues. They stayed an average of just under three months.
Heading toward the playroom, I expected – and secretly dreaded – a chaotic room of out-of-control kids, running wild over a handful of beleaguered volunteers. Instead, about 13 happy kids with normal kid energy, along with four stress-free volunteers, were setting up board games on the play table.
And so began the quickest hour of my life. A few kids insisted on playing Twister all night – or maybe they just liked watching us adults fall over on the Twister mat. Come to think of it, we must have looked like elephants going down after being shot with a tranquilizer gun. Other kids asked us to play their favorite game with them, and then laughed at how many times they beat us (waaaaaay too often) before the hour was over. Occasionally, toddlers would climb in our laps for hugs and luvin’.
All too soon it was time to go. Parents appeared at the door to reclaim their kids, looking both thoughtful and hopeful after an hour of learning a little more about financial planning, parenting, medical care or the evening’s topic du jour.
Nearly every community across America has families in need – and hopefully, organizations that serve them. How can you help? What are you good at that you can share? Don’t kid yourself – you’re good at something that someone else can benefit from – even if it’s just making their day a little happier. Do you like to play games? Are you great at computers? Organizing? Dressing for success? Preparing meals on a budget? And don’t forget the arts – a watercolor class or a guitar lesson might do wonders for someone whose life is defined by transition and uncertainty. You just might be the one to release that inner artist – or musician, poet, chess champion or Nobel Prize scientist.
Get out and give back.
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!