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Volunteering Like the Cool Kids

What are your kids doing with their time this summer? Nonprofit organizations are now coming up with more ways to get kids involved in their community as volunteers. Even kids have taken it upon themselves to create ways to give back. Here are some cool kids that have done some cool things with their time.

“When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade” - Alex Scott
In 2000, a four-year-old girl named Alex Scott decided to open a lemonade stand to raise funds for the local cancer hospital—her cancer hospital. Diagnosed at the age of one, Alex knew that there were many other kids struggling with cancer whose families were desperately hoping for a cure.

All of the funds that she made would be donated to research for new treatments and a cure. After passing away, the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was created by her parents. So now kids across America wanting to participate can set up a lemonade stand and donate the money they make to Alex’s foundation. If your kids are thinking about setting up a lemonade stand encourage them to help cure childhood cancer, one cup at a time.

Just Take a Walk
When Zach Bonner was 10-years-old he walked 280 miles from his hometown in Florida to Tallahassee to bring awareness to the millions of homeless kids in America. He raised $25 thousand and donated the money to the kids and families made homeless because of Hurricane Katrina. A year later, in 2007, he walked from Tallahassee to Atlanta and raised an additional $17 thousand to be donated to homeless kids in his area and Habitat for Humanity. A simple idea taken to a monumental level, all Zach did was decide to take a walk. Brainstorm ideas with your kids of things they can do to raise money for something that they think is important. The activity can be as simple as taking a walk. Just get the word out and let them have fun.

Your kids don’t have to do something that could have been on the Oprah Winfrey Show. They can do something as small as participating in a charity bake sale, helping out at an animal shelter or have a charity car wash. The intent of your kids volunteering isn’t just for the results they yield, but also for them to experience the wonderful satisfaction of helping others.