Strength in Community: Service Projects for Students & Families

“Do your little bits of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

In these final weeks of the school year, as students seek out independent learning projects for S day, and families consider ways to keep their children engaged during the summer, I thought it might be helpful for us to consider how we can serve the broader community. There are a variety of ways we can engage in service projects from the safety of our own homes that would still allow us to serve others. Each of us is experiencing this crisis in our own way, separated by the walls of our homes. However, there are still many ways we can come together, reminding each other that we are all in this together. If you have suggestions for service projects we might add to the list please feel free to reach out to me, I would love to expand this document and continue sharing it with our community. 

Service Projects for Our Local Community

Normally, we would have spent our Mother’s Lovefeast in Central Moravian Church, enjoying beautiful music and precious time with our children. As a way to honor that space, please consider making a donation to the Church’s Food Pantry. On the first Sunday of each month (weather permitting), the church has a Drive-By Food Donation from 1-3 pm; their next donation day is Sunday, June 7. You are able to drive down Church Street, in the direction of Main Street, pull in front of the church office building at 73 West Church Street, and drop your grocery bags into the wagons. Church staff have been able to operate this drive-by system and maintain proper physical distancing. At the moment, they are in particular need of: coffee, tea, rice, canned black, kidney, garbanzo, red, and baked beans, and canned, boxed, or powdered milk. They do note that all non-perishable food items would be of great assistance.

Another local community organization we encourage you to support is the Third Street Alliance for Women & Children in Easton. Not only does the Third Street Alliance provide a shelter for women and children, they also offer STEAM programming through their Learning Center. You can support this community organization by visiting their Amazon wishlist and purchase items that are needed for their shelter or Learning Center.

At-Home Service Projects for Kids of All Ages

• Help the homeless community by filling gallon Ziploc bags with supplies and donate them to a local homeless shelter.
• Items to include the bags: chapstick, tissues, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap, trail mix, granola bars, crackers, band-aids, mouthwash, hand wipes, socks, a note of encouragement.
• Go through your drawers, closets, and toy boxes and collect items you no longer use/wear to donate to a local charity.
• Make home-made dog treats and deliver them to your local animal shelter.
• Prepare a meal or care package for an elderly neighbor or loved one, for someone who recently had a baby, or for someone who recently suffered a loss.
• Send letters to family members or friends who live far away, or on their own.
• Using sidewalk chalk, write positive messages on driveways and sidewalks in your neighborhood.
• Create thank you cards/gifts for community workers (garbage/recycling workers, fire or police department, delivery/mail carriers) or health care workers.
• Complete a project for Meals on Wheels: decorate a placemat for meal recipients or create a special card for a holiday or birthday to be delivered to meal recipients.
• Pick up trash in your neighborhood or at a local park.
• Cover your neighborhood in “kindness rocks”. Find rocks of all sizes from your neighborhood and paint them in bright colors with a positive note/word on them. When you’re finished, place the rocks in mailboxes or on the front step of homes in your neighborhood. (Idea borrowed from a LS family - Thank you, Amy Ahart!)
• Make masks for healthcare workers: https://www.maskforce2020.com/.
• Plant a tree on your family’s property (with their help, of course).
• Write a letter of thanks to the people who are serving or have served in the military through Operation Gratitude: https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks/write-letters/.
• Plant an organic garden with your family and donate some of the produce to a local food bank or shelter.
• Make treats or flower arrangements from flowers in your garden for a local senior center.
• Do yard work for elderly neighbors or those who aren’t physically well.
• Work with the Advancement & Alumni Relations Offices to assist with MA’s alumni birthday outreach program (cards and videos that wish a Happy Birthday to alums of all ages).

At-Home Service Projects for Older Students & Adults

• Lend your eyes to people who are blind or have low vision through Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com/.
• If you are fluent in a second language, consider translating a variety of documents through Translators Without Borders: https://translatorswithoutborders.org/volunteer/.
• Engage in one of many volunteer opportunities offered through the United Nations: https://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en/opportunities.
• Giving back to our healthcare workers, one letter at a time: https://wordsofthanks.online/
• A digital platform empowering young people to engage in social change: https://www.dosomething.org/us.