As Girl Scouts, we know the importance of supporting our local communities. When girls are empowered to connect with those around them they begin to realize that they can make a difference, and a community service project is a great way to get started. When it comes to at-home community service projects, you need nothing more than an internet connection and an idea. Not sure of where to get started? Here are a few community service projects your girls can work on from the comfort of their couch.
Words of Caring
Write letters, make cards, or send postcards to those that need a little pick me up! Some ideas of places to send words of care are:
- Senior citizens living in care facilities
- Military members that are far from home
- Girl’s family members who could use a pick me up
- Teachers at the school where your troop normally meets
- Children who are in the hospital.
- First responders who are combating coronavirus
You can send as many letters/cards as you’d like, making this a great opportunity for a girl’s siblings or family to be included in the project.
Blankets and Scarves
Along with helping those who may need a pick me up, don’t forget about those in our communities whose lives could be improved by something as easy to make as a blanket or scarf. “Tied” blankets and scarves are easy for girls of all ages to make. This is another project that a girl and her family could sit down and complete in an evening. Just think about how wonderful it would be to know you helped keep someone warm this winter.
Pet Toys and Bedding
An unfortunate side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is the number of pets at local shelters has increased significantly. This means caring for animals of all kinds are stretching local shelters and rescues resources thinly. Consider having girls spread the word and collect pet food using front door drop off. Girls can also create blankets, pet beds, pet collars, and pet toys to donate to local shelters.
Pro-Tip: Don’t know how to sew yourself? GSNorCal’s partner in programming Camp Fashionista can teach your girls how to make a pet bed or even a face mask.
Spread Kindness
Encouraging compassion and kindness right now are exponentially needed. Helping girls understand that although we are all experiencing the pandemic, how that looks and feels is different for everyone. Work with a local coffee shop or meal delivery service to create “kindness hearts” out of paper and write inspiring messages on them. These can be attached to the outside of delivery bags or cups. These small acts of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s day.
Create a Virtual Senior Center Experience
Contact the local senior center, nursing home, or assisted living facility (or reach out to your city or county’s mutual aid society) to see if you can help their seniors feel less isolated through video chats. Older girls could also do senior interviews to learn about their lives, write senior’s biographies, holding fun events like a show-and-tell, lead games, or sing songs for them as a troop. Younger girls could even host virtual puppet shows!
Even at home, we can all make an impact on those around us. These community service projects may seem small, but the joy, kindness, and connection your girls can bring ripples outward to the whole community. What service projects is your troop doing, or what have you already done? Let us know in the comments!