Berks County offers beautiful amenities to its residents, including the younger set. Kids can make a positive difference by giving back. Here are just a few ways for them to get involved in with their local community:
1. Volunteer at Helping Harvest, Reading
Children ages 12 and older can lend a hand at Helping Harvest by repacking food donations, preparing senior citizen food totes, distributing food, and completing various other essential tasks. A parent or guardian must accompany volunteers under 16 years of age. To find out how to get your child involved visit helpingharvest.org/volunteer/.
2. Write Letters or Make Cards for Local Nursing Home Residents
Get out the construction paper and craft supplies. Kids of any age can spread cheer by writing cards and drawing pictures for local nursing home residents. Visit the front desk of the various nursing homes in Berks County to drop off your cards and you’re sure to deliver smiles to residents.
3. Garden with Cultivating Community Garden, Reading
As the weather becomes increasingly warmer, gardening season is just around the corner. Kids can put on their gardening gloves to spend time weeding, planting, harvesting and much more at the Cultivating Community Garden. To stay up to date with the garden and see when volunteers are needed visit the Cultivating Community Garden page on Facebook.
4. Lend a Paw at Local Animal Shelters
There are endless opportunities to get involved at local animal shelters. Kids ages 7 to 14, accompanied by a parent or guardian, can become a Book Buddy at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County in Birdsboro, reading to pets waiting to be adopted. Kids 13 and under can become a Rescue Reader, host a donation drive, create and donate homemade DIY projects, volunteer at events, and more with Humane Pennsylvania in Reading. For more info visit berksarl.org and humanepa.org.
5. Donate Gently Used Items to Opportunity House, Reading
Whether you and your child are spring cleaning or just completing a much-needed closet clean-out, take those outgrown clothes and gently used items and donate them to Opportunity House. A list of needed items and instructions on how to donate can be found at opphouse.org/how-to-support/donate-items.
6. Clean Up Your Neighborhood Park
Spend your next trip to the neighborhood park with a trash bag and a pair of gloves in hand. Picking up trash in the community not only is a great way to give back to the environment, but it also creates a positive atmosphere for all of the park’s daily visitors to enjoy.
