Volunteer

The slowly-recovering economy has been especially hard on teens who count on minimum wage jobs to cover expenses and provide experience. The jobs are fewer, and adults who can’t find employment have stepped in to work positions traditionally held by teens. While it won’t bring in spending money, vo

Editor's note: Get more ideas at our new family guide to volunteering! Several years ago, when Heather Smith’s son Benjamin was in kindergarten, she started looking around for opportunities for their family to volunteer together. After some searching, they signed up at Food Lifeline, a Shoreline-ba

Looking to give back or volunteer as an individual or a family? There are  many great organizations in our area that could always use an extra hand in the kitchen, those old baby clothes stashed away in the closet or most of all, the community's support in helping others who are in need and struggli

Restore a Park or Beach It’s hard to beat the tangibility of planting trees, doing battle with invasive plants, or cleaning up a beach. Opportunities abound, especially during Earth Month and many organizations have opportunities all year long. Just by participating, you and your kids learn about

1. United Way. United Way has comprehensive databases with volunteering opportunities, and allows you to search specifically for family-friendly volunteer options. - United Way Pierce County- United Way King County- United Way Snohomish County 2. The Volunteer Family. Started by a mom searching fo

  Be a Giving Family Plant a tree, sort through donations, grow food, run a diaper drive — if you and your kids want to give back, we've got ideas and inspiration for you!Read on to discover how your family can give back while getting out and about and learning about the issues that shape our co

When she arrived in the Eastern Washington farming community of Wapato last spring for a six-day school service trip, Overlake High School junior Caroline Spencer expected to learn about migrant farm workers’ issues and work alongside them in apple orchards. What she didn’t expect was that her exper

It’s better to give than to receive,” a time-worn platitude, but it’s true — just ask Sammamish mother Melissa Masterleo. Her teenage daughter Marlena was “completely transformed last summer” by volunteer work she did through an organization called Teens in Public Service (TIPS), a nonprofit organiz