Teaching Children About Generosity and Giving Back
It is possible to end and prevent poverty — we just need to work on stabilizing, sustaining and empowering people with the resources they need, when they need them. By forging strategic partnerships amongst nonprofits and community leaders, it is possible to form a powerful force which will improve our community. But we need to be able to talk to our kids about these programs and how they can give back.
At Community Action Partnership of Orange County, we refer to the month of May as National Community Action Month. It was created by the national branch of Community Action Partnership to reinforce Community Action agencies’ role in helping low-income families achieve economic stability. We like to think of it as an opportunity for families to come together to give back to their communities.
With summer break right around the corner, it’s a great time to start thinking about activities to keep children busy and teach them about giving back too. Here’s some ideas for activities you can do with your kids:
- Host a food drive in your neighborhood for the OC Food Bank
The OC Food Bank partners with more than 200 local charities, soup kitchens and community organizations in an effort to end hunger and malnutrition in Orange County. This is done through donated food, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodities and purchased food. In a typical year, the OC Food Bank distributes more than 23 million pounds of food — and in 2021, we doubled that number. We welcome and encourage our neighbors to host food drives! This could be an event your family hosts within your own neighborhood, company, school, church or service organization — where everyone unites to collect food for the community’s most vulnerable. It’s a fun, interactive and memorable way the whole family can give back to the OC Food Bank.
- Pick up extra supplies for those in need when you’re already back to school shopping and donate to Backpacks for Success
It’s never too early to start gathering school supplies for children in need. For kids living in poverty, there are often financial barriers to purchasing a new backpack and school supplies, and starting a new school year without these necessary tools creates a perceived divide among peers. CAP OC is aiming to help kids go back-to-school learning with confidence and pride, and we’ve found that providing a student with a fully stocked backpack, packed with supplies like papers, pens, notebooks and folders can make a world of difference. We make it easy to drop off donations so if you’re already going to shop for school supplies for your own children, why not purchase school supplies for kids in need and donate to one of our summertime “Backpacks for Success” distribution events? These annual events provide low-income students and families with critical school supplies as students prepare for a new year of learning.
- Donate diapers to the OC Diaper Bank
No parent should ever have to worry about not having diapers for their babies. Diapers are a necessity and should be available for anyone who needs them. CAP OC opened the OC Diaper Bank opened in March 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Since its fruition, nearly 28 million diapers have been given to families in need. We are incredibly proud to be able to give out necessities like diapers, wipes, and other various baby items during difficult times, and with the pricing for those essential products skyrocketing due to inflation, it is important now more than ever to donate to these vital programs.
- Get a group together and volunteer to pack food boxes at the OC Food Bank
Our food bank is always in need of food packers to help get food boxes prepped for people in need! These boxes don’t just help families, they’re also provided to low-income seniors. Our staff and volunteers distribute over 23,000 nutrient-rich food boxes each month at 70 distribution sites in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside Counties. So, rally your kids, gather a group of your friends, and your kids’ friends, and pack some food boxes at CAP OC’s Food Bank!
- Encourage your friends and family to gather gifts for the holidays and adopt a family
During the holiday season, families throughout the county are doing everything they can to make ends meet, and that means sometimes they are unable to give their children a holiday season their kids want and deserve. There are many ways to adopt a family, including purchasing new clothes, toys and gifts, or providing a holiday meal. These simple acts of kindness provide families in need the chance to experience the small and large joys that come with the holidays, such as sitting around a beautiful meal with loved ones, or watching a child’s excitement as he or she unwraps a gift. And it could be a great opportunity to teach your own kids the real reason for the season — giving back!
There are plenty of opportunities available where your kids can learn more about helping others and have fun too! Teaching them at a young age to be generous can change the trajectory of their lives for the better. If you’re interested in learning more about giving back through CAP OC, please visit our website www.capoc.org to learn more.
Gregory C. Scott serves as President and CEO of Community Action Partnership of Orange County, a leading national network championing the war on poverty, racial and economic equity, strengthening families, youth empowerment and education, and community development, and home of the OC Food Bank and OC Diaper Bank
