Generation SERVE

Our family has been volunteering for over 7 years with Generation SERVE, which means that our children can't remember a time when they didn't give back to their community. We have been exposed to over 50 local non-profits, and our children know how they can give back in so many different ways. "How can I/you help?" has become a regular part of our family discussions, and our children know that it is part of their responsibility as community members to help others. Beyond our family, we are amazed at the impact of Generation SERVE on the Austin community at large. The amount of hours and help GS gives non-profit partners, and the way the Generation SERVE small but mighty workforce helps other non-profits grow is truly inspiring and why we support this important organization that helps empower the next generation of volunteers through opportunities for age and interest appropriate opportunities.

I've been involved with Generation SERVE for the last 6 years. We joined when my oldest child was just 5 and found that the variety of activities continued to keep him interested. The advancing levels of the program for older children has succeeded in investing him in his responsibility to contribute to our community and help others. My time seeing the full impact of the org as a Board member (and additional journey with my youngest getting involved) has really solidified the role of service in our family life.

We love Generation Serve. We have been volunteering with them for about 5 years. They have opportunities for kids of all ages and are always adding new programs to help families volunteer in the Austin area. My kids have participated in several service learning projects and learned so much about the needs of our community and the organizations that serve them.

Generation Serve is AMAZING and everyone there is nice and it is a great way to give back to your community

I have been volunteering with Generation Serve for almost 3 years and it has been such a valuable experience. Before Generation Serve, volunteering wasn't something that I was interested in or really cared much about. But, after I started with this program I became more aware of the problems that society faces and have come to love volunteering. Generation Serve activities are some of my favorite things to do. This organization has given me leadership experience, made me more philanthropic, and helped me meet so many amazing people in and outside of my age group. I love it! - NS

Generation Serve is a really helpful organization that provides volunteer opportunities for children as young as three. One of my favorite activities is the homeless helpers activity where you make bagels for the homeless so they can be passed out the next day. Another activity that I love doing the the YMCA senior helpers activity where you go and play games with senior citizens. Overall I really enjoy working and volunteering with Generation Serve and it's defiantly worth trying out.

A wonderful experience for my son! Extremely organized team that makes it easy to volunteer!

My kids loved working at the Foindation Communities back to school event stuffing backpacks. What a great way to find family friendly volunteering events.

This is an extremely well run non-profit, which does great work for the community, as well as for the tiny volunteers.

LHH is a great organization to work with! My kids keep asking when we can go back and volunteer again. We all enjoy our time together as a family working with area organizations to meet their needs. As a mother I want to provide opportunities for my children to help those in our community who are not as privileged as them in hopes that they will be appreciative of what they do have. But also, I want the opportunity to volunteer as well and with young children I would need to arrange for a babysitter. I love that with LHH we can all volunteer together!

This is an amazing nonprofit that my children and I have had the privilege of volunteering with for many years. The staff are so friendly and great with kids, the organizations that Little Helping Hands work with always have age-appropriate activities, and the benefits are great for both the organizations seeking assistance and the families. My kids have learned a great deal at every job that they have volunteered to do. Some are more fun than others, but as my kids get older I can see that they are beginning to understand the importance of every job. It is wonderful to discuss with them how their work helps others during and after each activity.

I cannot say enough positive comments to accurately convey how wonderful this program is. I would encourage parents to
Take your kids to as many different offerings as possible - my kids learned they loved volunteering with the elderly and the outdoor clean ups / gardening but didn't love some other volunteer activities but each experience made them realize how fortunate they are and they always feel good after an activity. It is important to introduce kids to the cycle of giving back and making the community a better place for everyone. If one activity doesn't fit then try another.
The team at LHH are always great at explaining what is expected and making sure everyone has fun in the process.
Fantastic organization that helps us as parents show our kids the importance of contributing
Thank you LHH for helping me be a better parent and for providing wonderful role models for my children.

Great organization and people. Kids learn how to help, why people need help, and about why it is important that they are the ones to step forward and do it. Luckily we are not living in those situations everyday, so it also gives the kids a chance to step into it, learn about it, and not be afraid or hateful of those who are there. The groups are small enough to feel as though they are contributing, and organized enough to not let the kids get bored waiting. Much respect to the people who make it happen.

My 9 year old son has volunteered with LHH numerous times, along with myself and/or my husband. We absolutely love the organization! They are friendly, organized, and very informative. The small incentives for the kids (t-shirt, ice cream coupon) are great, but don't overshadow the real reward of contributing to the community. Volunteering once (sometimes twice) a month with LHH has brought our family closer and has opened up a lot of interesting/meaningful conversations for us. We tend to volunteer at the same location each month, and the LHH representative on site always remembers my son's name and chats with him as we're getting started; this makes him feel incredibly special.

It's also important to note that the opportunities are authentic volunteer events, not just cutesy excuses to get kids involved. My 9 year old LOVES that he is making a concrete difference, and I know that if the volunteer events were just fluff that he would grow disinterested. There are a variety of opportunities, and I love exposing our son to the myriad of ways that one can get involved in the community and help out.

My children and I volunteer through LHH about once per month. It's a fabulous experience for each of us, and we really appreciate that LHH brings opportunities for the little ones to help out. They also do a great job at each event of explaining to the children how their activities at that particular event are helping out the community. I highly recommend this charity.

Our experiences with LHH has brought our family closer all while helping the community. Each activity has been positive and educational. Every representative from LHH has been professional, approachable, and kind. It has been extremely rewarding to participate with an organization that makes the world a better place. In fact, our only issue is that the organization is such a success that opportunities fill up quickly. I highly recommend LHH to all of my friends!

My 5-year-old daughter has participated in two volunteer events with Little Helping Hands (at Dell Children's Hospital and Habitat for Humanity). She loved them both and can't wait to be a "helper" again. LHH does a great job making volunteer events appropriate for preschoolers and school-aged children and makes it a fun experience for both kids and parents. I look forward to getting the calendar to sign up every month!

My seven year old daughter has been volunteering through LLH and absolutely adores it. She is excited to go and comes home afterwards beaming over her accomplishments. She also seems to have more compassion for differences and often asks if we can bring various things to the people at Caritas. Thank you for this opportunity.

My three children and I have been volunteering with LHH for the past several years. We've experienced a range of their activities---from making holiday crafts at a senior center, to making lunches for residents of a Foundation Communities, to picking kale at a local farm, and many, many more. Each time, we learn something new and it has been incredibly valuable for my children to learn about so many different aspects of our community. LHH is extremely well organized and I feel very lucky that we have such an amazing and much-needed nonprofit here in Austin.

Let me just start by saying I am so very blessed to live in the same city as LHH! When my son was 4 years old, I started looking for opportunities for him to experience the gift of giving and the fulfillment that comes with keeping our community beautiful. LHH was there to offer a variety of experiences. In his first year, we painted graffiti with the City of Austin; made meals for the families of The Ronald McDonald House; helped a food pantry plant a huge garden, picked up trash in our city's most popular park and bagged dog food for the pets of the homeless.

My favorite part of all these events is the conversations that happen when I explain the purpose of our efforts. Usually it's hard to keep back the tears. I remember when I was explaining how the Ronald McDonald House gives families a place to stay for free when they have a sick child in the nearby hospital and can't afford lodging and how we were going to help make dinner for them. My little boy says, "Mommy, they can stay with us in my bed if they need to."

He is 7 now and I know that his giving heart has blossomed over these past 3 years because of his involvement with LHH. My daughter is 4 and I plan to take her down the same path as her brother. She just had her first experience and was blown away when I told her we just made dinner for 22 families.

Thanks you, LHH, for doing what you do! I wish every city had the opportunities you offer to ours. I am so proud of you, Marissa, for bringing your vision to life! I wish you amazing growth and reach with LHH! Cheers to nurturing the giving spirits of our children!

This our first time volunteering with LHH. I have wanted to volunteer for months, the organization is SO popular that volunteer spots fill up quickly. We were able to get a Monday afternoon spot at Caritas.
Initially my 7 year old was hesitant to do the *work*, but she quickly got into the role of food prep, and genuinely enjoyed herself. Most importantly she understood why and whom the food was for. I think this was the first time that she didn't take a nibble of the food while we were prepping. Her self-control surprised me. It is amazing what one will do for a bigger cause.
Alisa (sp) was a great organizer, and made everyone feel welcome and included.

We had our first experience with Little Helping Hands this past weekend, and it was a great one! Not only did my daughter and I learn some new things, we also got a chance to connect with like-minded people. My goal as a mom is to inspire a sense of community in my children, and this orginization is a great way to do that. I plan on signing my family up more in the future.

I love that my two active toddlers can get their wiggles out while helping others. We usually choose outdoor opportunities, since the boys are so young ( 3 and 5). The LHH leaders are organized and cheerful, and very supportive helping kids learn the value of helping others.

Wonderful, well-organized and supported opportunities for children as young as three to volunteer.

Upon retirement, I took the opportunity to move closer to family and grandchildren. Volunteering with the grandchildren with Little Helping Hands has been a meaningful way to spend time together while also introducing me to the non-profits in the city. By volunteering together, the grandchildren know that helping others is valued and can be a lifelong endeavor. Volunteering with Little Helping Hands is helping my grandchildren grow up to be thoughtful, compassionate and competent.

Having just moved to Austin, I've been looking for family friendly volunteer opportunities so I could plan activities for my kids to do with me, like I've always had to do before since volunteer orgs usually only serve adults, sometimes teens. How tickled I was to find a volunteer organization focused on children, working with their family. The sign up process was seamless - just click the activity you want to participate in, fill out a little bit of info, and you're set. I then received an email with all the details. I especially loved the link to "table talk" a quick overview for parents to use to explain the project and it's significance to my kids. When we arrived, there was 1 form to complete (it was our first event with Little Helping Hands), and a super warm welcome by the staff and other volunteers. My kids felt instantly comfortable. There was no confusion or wasted time. A fun, quick orientation showed us what Mobile Loafs and Fishes does and we got to work. Not only did the kids do a great job stocking the truck, taking such pride in their work, but their sense of accomplishment was priceless. They really felt like they were part of something bigger, helping the homeless in a significant way. They can't wait to go back.

As for mom, to be able to click to select a project, then just show up and help. Wow! That was easy.

There are so few organizations that allow children to volunteer, so the have an organization that organizes all these activities is absolutely priceless. Each coordinator is helpful and knowledgeable about the activities. It is amazing to see the difference volunteering has made in my children's lives.

myself, my daughter and my granddaughter spent time with senior center residents making crafts. It was very enriching experience for all of us. The focus on family involvement in community and teaching our young ones at early age to give their time and talent to be good citizen of the community is very important. Little helping hand organization gives this opportunity in our city of Austin, TX and we feel blessed by it.

An amazing organization. Love that the focus is on helping as a family - A really wonderful way to get the kids involved and focused on helping others and making a difference!

Little Helping Hands is an amazing organization that provides parents the tools to guide their children into a lifetime of volunteering. They offer a variety of events that allow the children to support and learn about the many different types of non-profit organizations that rely on volunteers. In addition, Little Helping Hands goes the extra mile by providing "talking points" about each organization hosting an event to further discuss the mission of a particular organization and who they are helping by volunteering.

Wonderful organization that does amazing things within the community helping those in need (e.g. Caritas, Shelters, Parks, etc.) Best of all the focus is on the children providing the support and learning what it truly means to "help thy neighbor."

I love that we can volunteer as a family! This is a great organization - extremely well run and rewarding activities!

What great model and organization. I try to fit in an event at least every two months with my three kids and it really helps them learn to be positive members of their community and help those less fortunate at an early age. Great organization!

What a wonderful experience for my 12 year old daughter and myself. We spent part of her day off from school stocking and organizing the food pantry at El Buen Samaritano. We went with 2 of her friends and their mothers--a great, fun activity that did well at the same time. The Little Helping Hands employee was organized, friendly and helpful, and I felt like our hour and a half of volunteer time was extremely well used and useful. We'll definitely participate again!

I was so happy to learn about this organization earlier this year. It has been a great activity for me to do with my 7 year old, our middle son. Volunteering together gives us great one-on-one time and, of course, teaches him important life lessons. He eagerly looks forward to each activity.

My 6 year old son and my wife and I have volunteered 5 times through LHH. It is such an incredible experience! Every event we have been to has been a well oiled machine. They take the time at the begining of each event to explain why we are there and how we are helping make a difference. They have excellent tasks for the kiddos. We love LHH and plan on volunteering with them many more times.

One of the very best organized, most meaningful volunteer experiences I have ever had, not to mention my children. I am so very impressed with the quality, quantity and organization of volunteer opportunities. Thank you to LHH for exposing our children to community service in such a perfect way.

We just started volunteering with LHH and it was a great experience! Well organized and fun. I'm very happy to have this opportunity to volunteer with my kids.

I can't say enough wonderful things about Little Helping Hands! Our family has been volunteering with LHH for three years now and it has been a wonderful way for us to show our son how important it is to us to give back to our community and instill that value in him! He REALLY enjoys every activity (which are extremely well organized) and our volunteer opportunities have generated some great conversations and given him a better understanding/appreciation of many non profit organizations in our area.

LHH has been great to work with. We have worked at Goodwill's Electronic Recycling center a couple of times. I think the 1 1/2 hour time is just right for this age, and LHH is great about making it an enjoyable experience, from being friendly, informative and helpful, to having snacks and drinks at the end to take on our way out.

My only complaint is that it is very difficult to catch an open spot. The spots fill up immediately. My hope for the future would be LHH growing and offering more opportunities. It is possible to get first-pick if you donate money to LHH, but the required donation amount is too high for me. While I can see their logic on generating donations that way, it feels like paying for the privilege of donating my (and my kids') time. It's not necessarily a bad way to go as a strategy, but something about it feels off-putting, and perhaps it could be done in a better way.

Mainly, I just wish we could volunteer with LHH much more often than we are able to. If I happen to be at my computer when the calendar is sent out for the next month, I can get us signed up before it is full, but if I am not... we're out of luck. It's probably been nearly a year since we started with LHH, and we have only worked twice.

Philanthropy has been part of my life since I was a young child thanks to my parents, who encouraged our family to volunteer and to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Instilling that same value in my own children is important to me, and I feel so fortunate that Little Helping Hands is here to help me do so. Not only do my daughters enjoy their Little Helping Hands projects, but they are also learning about the needs of their community and doing their part to help meet those needs.

Before Little Helping Hands, finding the right volunteering fit for me and my kiddos to participate in was time consuming and challenging. Now, with Little Helping Hands I am presented with a variety of hands on volunteering options that are well organized and age appropriate. My three girls love the opportunity to give back to their community and I am delighted to see community service find a place in their hearts at such a young age.

As soon as my family started volunteering with Little Helping Hands, I knew it was an organization we would support wholeheartedly. I had struggled to find family volunteer opportunities that would allow my young kids to participate -- or that would provide them with a meaningful experience when they were allowed to come along. LHH does just that. With LHH, my kids have cooked and served meals to people in need, worked in a food pantry, made beds for kittens at the animal shelter, delivered meals to elderly homebound people, helped train therapy dogs, and much more. They learn about service and it gives us an opportunity and a framework for discussing a wide range of issues. And it's fun! My whole family looks forward to our volunteer activities with Little Helping Hands.

I have been involved from the sidelines in Little Helping Hands since its founding in the Spring of 2009. What started out as a small grass-roots non-profit has today become the driving force of family volunteerism in Austin. This recently shared factoid from Little Helping Hands illustrates this: "Through September of this year (2012), we offered 37 volunteer opportunities each month on average, providing 1,400 families and 2,400 children with service activities..."

I have had many fantastic opportunities to volunteer with my grandchildren, ages 6 and 10, through Little Helping Hands. I appreciate it so much!

I cannot begin to explain how wonderful LHH is for our family. It used to be hard finding a way for my 3 children to volunteer and give back to the community but with LHH it's been so simple. Thank you for making volunteering something my children love and look forward to doing!

Little Helping Hands is a fabulous organization that helps teach children the importance and benefits of volunteering in their community. Volunteer activities are well planned and just the right length for children.

Little Helping Hands is an awesome organization that does so much in getting kids involved at a young age in the community. There are so few charities that allow kids to volunteer and LHH really helps to fill that need. My daughter and I started volunteering with them about 3 years ago when she was 4 years old, she is now almost 7 and still loves the projects. I would highly recommend their programs to anyone with children from 3 years and up. Great people!

What better way to teach your children the importance of volunteering in their community than by standing next to them as they do! I love this organization for the great opportunities they have provided my family to make our city a better place to live.

I support this nonprofit as a donor because it provides families the opportunity to introduce their children to volunteerism at a young age. I wish i had had access to an organization like this when my children were toddlers and young people. LHH is run in a smart efficient way using the internet and Facebook to organize and promote its activities and to inform its supporters of the results of contributions by young people and their families. This nonprofit deserves to be listed on the Top-Rated Nonprofits List.

The activities that we have done through Little Helping Hands have been so wonderful and inspiring for my children. Everything is very well organized and done with a purpose.

This is such an amazing organization. Opportunities for young children to volunteer and learn about giving back to their communities are not easy to find. Little Helping Hands does a fantastic job in organizing these activities, communicating with volunteers, and maintaining excitement and motivation among the kids. My kids love participating in these activities, and as they get older they are beginning to understand the impact of their work.

We love Little Helping Hands! Our family has gotten so much out of the activities we've done. They make it easy and fun to share with your kids the importance of helping others.

Great opportunity to serve the community while teaching our kids to help others.

My daughter and I have been volunteering with Little Helping Hands for a couple years now. It is an awesome organization for so many reasons! The activities are always well-organized, age appropriate, hands-on and the purpose is always clear. LHH makes sure the kids know what specific impact their volunteer contribution is making and a little bit about the nonprofit they are working with. My daughter and I are building great memories with this organization, while helping the community. What a win-win!

LHH is an amazing organization! My children have gotten the chance to experience the true joy that comes with serving others in the community. The staff is always helpful and friendly, and the events are organized in a very professional (but fun) manner. We will continue volunteering as long as possible!!

This organization is pure gold. They help instill a life-long love of volunteering in kids who are just in their most formative years. They are led by energetic and friendly staff and a fully engaged board who work hard to create new and engaging volunteer opportunities every month.

Little Helping Hands has been playing a vital role in my children's development for 3 years now. They are learning about people in need, the environment, and just how to be better citizens. LHH provides our family with fun, safe, educational ways to volunteer in our community. There are all sorts of volunteer opportunities for middle and high school children, but very few for the pre-school and young elementary school age child. LHH is an invaluable resource for any parent of young children.

We are so fortunate to have an organization like Little Helping Hands. When my daughter was 8, I began looking for volunteer opportunities for our family. It was difficult as most agencies want the children to be at least 10 years of age. That is when a friend told me about Little Helping Hands and we have been hooked ever since. Marissa Vogl has created a well organized community service for Austin families. Her staff is wonderful and we have met so many nice families. The only downfall each month is there are more volunteers for the opportunities offered. But that is also says a lot for our community as we all want to be involved and create learning opportunities for our children. My daughter is going on her second year volunteering and she loves it!! Thanks Little Helping Hands!

My kids, ages 10 and 6, and I are already looking forward to our next Little Helping Hands activity! We recently spent an hour at Caritas preparing macaroni & cheese and cutting fruit to be served at lunch the following day. From the minute we arrived, we felt as though we were doing something worthwhile and meaningful. The LHH coordinator explained the mission of Caritas in ways that the kids easily could understand and appreciate. We were busy but not overworked, and all of us left there thinking that we would like to come back and help again soon. It was especially neat to take a tour of the kitchen and dining facility and have an opportunity to meet the woman responsible for cooking lunches for about 350 clients every day. She was busy mopping the floor (I'm sure everyone who works there wears many hats), and she thanked us profusely for the work we had done. It made us feel good that we were able to help someone who works as hard as she does. One day soon I will drive my kids by Caritas around 11:30 am and let them see the long line of clients in need of a nutritious, hot lunch. I'm sure it will make a lasting impression, just as Little Helping Hands does with every volunteer opportunity.

This charity provides relevant, worthwhile opportunities that are age-relevant for children. I am Si very thankful to have discovered this well-organized group of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to facilitate service learning for young children in Austin.