With the holiday vacation from school drawing near, you and the kids ideally will have some extra time on your mitten-covered hands. Use this opportunity to teach them about the true meaning of the season by joining a goodwill mission with Wee Volunteer, a growing nonprofit that offers programs specially designed for preschool and elementary-aged children to take an active role in philanthropy.
Every day during winter break, except for Christmas and New Year’s Day, Wee Volunteer hosts a morning excursion from Meals on Wheels’ volunteer kitchen in Dallas to two local senior apartment complexes where families hand-deliver nutritious, prepackaged meals straight to the front doors of the elderly and disabled, many of whom live alone and may not have frequent visitors.
Here’s how the two-hour service trips work: Parents, working one-on-one with their own kids, grab meals from the cooler and head out in search of their assigned apartment numbers. Hot and cold portions are packed separately into small bags, so let your kids take ownership by carrying a few of the meals themselves. Knocking on the doors and shouting “Meals on Wheels!” is part of the whole experience.
Most recipients graciously and quickly accept the meals. Others may even invite you inside for a chat. Between stops, you’ll have ample opportunity to talk about how those without a full pantry of food deserve good health, care and attention. Think of this door-to-door as reverse trick-or-treating.
Published December 2013
