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Of all the possible ways to give back to your community during the holiday season (and the entire year, too), collecting socks might seem like the smallest of ways to make a difference. In reality, it’s not such a small gesture! The socks that you collect or donate don’t have to be boring six-packs of plain white gym socks…. they can be whimsical or even hand knitted!
Spring Diaper Drive in Franklin County to Support Community! Host a Diaper Drive this spring in your place of work, faith community, neighborhood, school, civic organization, or any group you belong to. It is easy and a positive way to support families and a great way to incorporate service-based learning with your children. Find out more…
The Children’s Garden Project started in 2013 with two college students, a hodgepodge collection of garden tools and a goal: to connect urban children with nature and basic agricultural concepts through a specially designed educational curriculum…
Hands-on volunteering experiences can sometimes be hard to find for families with younger children. There are many terrific of organizations within our community that need volunteers to help with a variety of jobs, but often these jobs are skill-specific or take place in environments that may not be welcoming to young children. However, there are lots of community service projects that kids can do at home that make just as large an impact as in-person volunteering…
Spread the spirit of giving and build community this holiday season by organizing a collection drive to support Socks for Seniors! The organization has been collecting socks all over the country for more than ten years! The socks collected in each drive are then given to elderly community members in order to keep their toes nice and warm throughout the winter and share some of the holiday spirit that inspired the project in the first place…
This holiday season, Hilltown Families is hosting a Virtual Holiday Food Drive in support of food security in our region! Every $1 donated through the Hilltown Families Virtual Holiday Food Drive equals $13 worth of food distributed to families in need (the equivalent of nearly 10 meals!). Please take a moment to participate in the Hilltown Families Virtual Holiday Food Drive, and consider organizing a food drive in your community too…
The Stone Soup Cafe in Greenfield brings together community, serving fresh, homemade food to neighbors of all ages and backgrounds. Volunteer opportunities ranging from cooking, serving, performing and cleaning are available — or just bring your family and enjoy a community meal that is inclusive and diverse…
Support Neighbors in Transition Volunteer with Gray House in Springfield Looking for community service opportunities to do as a family? Whether you’re hoping to fill a few free afternoons with an engaging activity or are planning to make a long-term commitment to lending a hand with a community organization, opportunities for service learning abound at The Gray House! Located in Springfield’s North End, The Gray House offers a thrift shop and food… Read More
Project BudBurst Citizen Scientist Opportunity for Families & Students Students can learn so much by following the seasonal patterns of plants found here in New England. Each plant’s cycle is different, and varies depending on factors like location and weather patterns. Tracking a plant through its seasonal changes can help us to better understand the subtle changes that take place in our environment, and says a lot about where we live. This… Read More
Volunteer as a Parent Aid with Berkshire Children & Families Marylou Spaulding of Berkshire Children & Families writes: Become a Parent Aide! For over 32 years, the PAVE program has been providing home-based support to Hampshire County parents who are stressed and often isolated from a supportive community. The program’s goal is to strengthen and empower parents by giving them new tools to help them in their parenting journey. Compassion, common sense… Read More
“411 in the 413” Youth Conference Thursday, April 11, 2013 Becket, MA The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and the Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA, along with the Railroad Street Youth Project and the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership, are once again offering 411 in the 413, a day of youth engagement on a wide range of topics. This year’s theme is, “Journey of Discovery: A Day of Exploring Philosophy, Your Identity, and the Outdoors.” The… Read More
DIY Pictorial: Yarn Wrapped Tin Can Planters By Amber Ladley When Hilltown Families asked Knack: The Art of Clever Reuse to come up with a creative (and decorative) way to help families plant Paperwhite bulbs donated by Hadley Garden Center at the first ever Hilltown Families’ Family Community Service Night, we put our clever minds to work. Our goal was to have an activity that was easy enough for people of all… Read More
Status Updates: Community Service Connections Here are 10 ways families and teens can support their community and others post Hurricane Sandy and leading up to the holidays. All of these suggestions were posted to the Hilltown Families Facebook page over the past week. We offer daily updates and announcements on our Facebook page for families living throughout Western MA! If you haven’t already, be sure you not only “Like” our page, but… Read More
Hilltown Families Event Volunteer Opportunity: Citizen Scientist Wednesday, October 17th @ 3:30pm West Branch of the Westfield River For the third year in a row, Hilltown Families will be partnering with Biocitizen in collaboration with the MA DEP in our long-term commitment to their stream monitoring project. Families with kids interested in science, including biology and ecology, are invited to join us on the banks of the Westfield River on Wednesday, October… Read More
Tracking Owls in Massachusetts Families Can Help Mass Audubon There are eleven different species of owls found in Massachusetts, and chances are good that there are a few in your neighborhood. Families can become owl spotters and useful citizen scientists by taking part in Mass Audubon’s efforts in tracking owl populations – there are lots of ways to participate, and any and all information collected in useful! There are a variety of… Read More
Source-to-Sea Clean-Up in Hampden County Sunday, Sept. 30th The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees), United Water, and Holyoke Friends of the River have joined forces this fall to organize a river clean-up volunteer day on the banks of the Connecticut River. On Sunday, September 30th, from 9am-Noon, folks of all ages and abilities are invited to meet at the American Legion next to Pulaski Park (50 St. Kolbe Dr., Holyoke, MA) to… Read More
Hancock Shaker Village Offers Volunteer Opportunities for Families There is a unique volunteer opportunity available for families with older children happening at one of our living museums! Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, MA offers families with children ages 13 and older the chance to volunteer at the village, and there are many different activities to help out with! During the spring, volunteers are needed to help with Baby Animals on the Shaker… Read More
Bald Eagle Count Along with Audubon’s December Christmas Bird Count comes a second opportunity to participate as a citizen scientist while observing bird populations in your area. The Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) conducts an annual survey of Bald Eagle sightings during January- this year’s dates are the 4th through 18th. Citizen participation in the survey is important because Bald Eagle populations have been increasing, making it more difficult for… Read More
Volunteer Opportunity: First Night Northampton First Night is a Northampton tradition enjoyed by the community every year- families love all of the fun events that take place all day (especially the fireworks!) and it’s a wonderful way to wrap up the holidays. However, all of the fun couldn’t happen without the help of volunteers! The Northampton Center for the Arts, which the event benefits, is seeking volunteers to help out during First… Read More
Hilltown Families Event Volunteer Opportunity: Citizen Scientist Wednesday, October 12th @ 3:30pm West Branch of the Westfield River For the second year in a row, Hilltown Families will be partnering with Biocitizen in collaboration with the MA DEP in our long-term commitment to their stream monitoring project. Families with kids interested in science, including biology and ecology, are invited to join us on the banks of the Westfield River on Wednesday, October… Read More
Volunteer Opportunity with Hilltown Families Want to get involved with Hilltown Families? Have an hour or two of time to volunteer? A few helping hands during the Hilltown Families Birthday Benefit Bash are needed on Sunday, April 10th (and a few before then). Sign up below and we’ll be in touch! Thank you for your support!
Katarina Noyes, Parent Aide & Groups Coordinator for Berkshire Children and Families in Hadley, MA writes: Become a Parent Aid Volunteer! Parent Aides receive training and then are matched with a parent who wants the service. They spend 3-5 hours a week supporting a parent in multiple ways including: Raise the parent’s self-esteem and self-confidence Assist parents to find resources for their families Support positive parenting to prevent child abuse and neglect… Read More
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