Work. School. Sports. Music lessons. Families today are busier than ever, which means finding quality time together can be tough. So, how do you make the most of those very few and coveted free hours? Volunteer!

Volunteering as a family can be an enriching experience for adults and children alike. Children learn through observation, and when parents or other family members exhibit compassion, even the youngest children learn that compassionate behavior yields positive consequences. At the same time, volunteering with your children teaches other values that parents and guardians work so diligently to instill — selflessness, responsibility, gratitude, and a commitment to making a difference in the community.

Check out these three local volunteer opportunities for your family to consider.

Animal Rescue

Animal rescues offer many avenues for parents and children of all ages to work together. Mollie Doll, founder of Freedom Ride Rescue, says families are the ones who make things happen.

Freedom Ride Rescue volunteer Monique Montgomery loves on an adoptable puppy at the Fest in the West event in Cary. Montgomery makes crafts in her spare time and donates proceeds to the rescue.

“Fostering is the first thing that comes to mind when you think ‘rescue.’ Volunteers open their homes to animals in need — and it can be such an amazing experience for any age,” said Doll. “From young kids helping with feedings and baths to older kids walking and training, it teaches responsibility, commitment, and love, as well as witnessing making a true difference. So often, our dogs are abused or neglected, or have never known something as simple as a loving scratch or a full belly rub. When they are adopted, they have thrived due to the family who helped them.”

Other families may choose to raise money by making and selling products, like dog treats or bandanas, or support kids in doing a supply or donation drive. “It is something they can do with school, scouts, or in their neighborhood,” said Doll. “Older kids can take to social media for the same. A ‘Five for Five’ campaign is fun: Tag five friends to each donate $5 to Freedom Ride Rescue — and they tag five more friends to do the same!”

Freedom Ride Rescue Director Mollie Doll, right, greets an adoptable dog, while volunteers Monique Montgomery, left, and mother-daughter team Jennifer and Claire Williams assist with other pups during Fest in the West in Cary.

Other much-needed tasks include transporting animals from shelters to their new foster homes, or helping at adoption events. “It is often hard to see who is happier, the dog getting the ride or the kid holding a rescued puppy,” said Doll.

Since Freedom Ride began in August of 2019, they have brought in more than 1,425 dogs, and their success is completely related to the dedication of their volunteers, says Doll. Their foster/volunteer page has more than 700 members, but not all are active. Their weekly foster email goes to about 500 individuals. They currently have about 60 homes with dogs in them — ranging from maternity/families (mom and pups), puppy fosters, adults, seniors, and a few hospice cases.

Like most of the animal rescues in the area, there is always a need for more volunteers. Freedom Ride just created the position of volunteer coordinator to connect folks with their areas of interest. If your family is interested in volunteering, fill out a volunteer application form at freedom-ride.org, which will ask what your specific interests are.

Special Needs Support

With a mission to provide a fun and safe environment for members of the special needs community to experience the joy of athletic activity, Endless Sports Director Scott Stein understands that volunteers are at the core of bringing his passion for making a difference in the world alive.

Endless Sports volunteers hold up lacrosse sticks to form a tunnel for the players. Photos courtesy of Endless Sports

A volunteer partners with a lacrosse player for peer-to-peer interaction. Photos courtesy of Endless Sports

At his inclusive lacrosse league, held at Apex Community Center, players ages 12 and older may have autism, Down syndrome, Asperger’s syndrome, or be noncommunicative. Here, they learn not only about lacrosse, but how to have fun doing it. That’s where the volunteers come in.

“We have some volunteers with lacrosse experience, but it’s 1,000% not necessary,” said Stein. “I’d rather have someone who can smile, be enthusiastic, and be energetic rather than someone who knows lacrosse. I can teach them lacrosse.”

A young player high fives volunteers on his way to the court. Photos courtesy of Endless Sports

A lacrosse player celebrates a good practice session with his peer volunteer. Photos courtesy of Endless Sports

There are currently 34 league players and 17 volunteers. Ideally, Stein would like to see one volunteer per player to facilitate peer-to-peer interaction. Volunteers, who have their own T-shirts this year, do everything from setting up equipment and helping with check-in to simply walking with, talking with, and interacting with the players. Stein adds that this is a great way for parents to volunteer with their own kids to show them the importance of giving back — and that doing so is not only rewarding, but fun.

Volunteers provide smiles, enthusiasm, and encouragement to the players. Photos courtesy of Endless Sports

“It’s all about encouragement and making sure everyone is having a good time,” said Stein.

If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and have some impactful fun, contact Stein through endlesssports.org.

Help Families in Need

In Cary and Morrisville, Dorcas Ministries serves residents who are facing a financial crisis by means of their thrift shop, food pantry, financial assistance, crisis center, and training center. This means a multitude of volunteer jobs are available.

Carole Allergy, left, and Jean Burroughs stock food pantry shelves at Dorcas Ministries. The longtime friends are also sorority sisters with the Alpha Gamma Delta alumni group, whose mission is to fight hunger.

“We could not provide the services we do without the generous contributions of volunteer career coaches, food pantry volunteers, crisis center receptionists, thrift shop volunteers, and community food drive organizers,” said Jill Straight, Director of Client Services for Dorcas. “For the food pantry, there are many ways for families to serve: in the pantry on Saturdays, organizing community food drives, assembling soup kits, or assembling birthday boxes, which contain all the items needed for a birthday party: decorations, goody bags, and cake mix.”

In the thrift shop, Straight says that family teams, such as mothers and daughters, often choose a shift together and work closely in cashiering, bagging, or sorting clothing.

Hailey Goodall, right, started out as a volunteer with her mother, Kathie, in 2004. Now, Hailey is one of the thrift store managers.

“One of our thrift shop managers, Hailey Goodall, started out as a volunteer with her mother, and they served together as a team — her mom cashiering and Hailey bagging — for many years as Hailey was growing up. Now, Hailey is one of our thrift shop managers,” said Straight. “We’ve also had mother-daughter teams organize very successful food drives for us over the years. Kaileigh Ault and her mom Kim Ault are a great example. Kaileigh worked with her mom to organize food drives when she was younger, and then chose Dorcas for her Girl Scout Gold Award as an older teen.”

Dorcas also has couples who serve together in retirement.

Kathie Goodall and her daughter, Hailey, sort donations at the Dorcas Ministries Thrift Store.

“David and Donna Kraay serve in the food pantry and bring their skills managing inventory. David and Donna have implemented a new inventory management system that has enabled us to quickly identify where we are running low and be able to request specific donations when we are facing shortages,” said Straight.

If you’d like your family to become a volunteer success story like these, apply online at dorcascary.org.

More From Our Jun-July 2022 Issue

• Things to Do: June/July 2022
• Notable Teens 2022
• The Rise of Board Game Cafés
• Family Volunteerism
• Sea-nic Boat Racing
• Small Business Spotlight: Bumble Brews
• Nonprofit Spotlight: The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education
• Restaurant Profile: A’Verde Cocina + Tequila Library
• Bibibop
• Liquid Assets: The Ultimate Bloody Mary from The Blind Pelican Seafood House
• Liquid Assets: Crème de l’Orange Cider from Bull City Ciderworks
• On Trend: Private Theater Rentals at Paragon Theaters
• Garden Adventurer: Naked Gardening