Sarah Shares – Last Call for Food Drive: Meaningful Service in Early Childhood

Greene Towne families have an extended deadline of this coming Monday, March 18 to bring in items to add to our Spring Food Drive, as part of our long-term partnership with Share Food Program of Philadelphia. (Here’s a list of most needed items and suggestions.)

Once we have collected donations from our community, Greene Towne Kindergartners then work to sort the donations into different categories and food groups and quantify what we’ve received. When Share staff members come to pick up our donations, they meet with the students to share about the positive impact their work will have for people in need in our community.

The Greene Towne Parent Association’s Service Committee coordinates several family-friendly service opportunities throughout each school year. I love that each of these service projects are designed with young children in mind. We seek out ways to help others that expand on foundational concepts in the classroom: how to care for ourselves and others, in concrete ways that connect with children’s natural empathic instincts. The basic idea that not everyone has what they need is one that children can understand, and can help build a service orientation and sense of empowerment to affect change from an early age. 

I recently saw on my social media feed an idea that aligns with this. How many of us have experienced our children’s insatiable desire to ask for candy or sugar cereal when grocery shopping? It’s a common challenge. This mom started a new routine with her children, giving them the opportunity to buy one thing for the food bank on each trip to the grocery. They talked about healthy foods and people’s basic needs. Her children now love to choose these items each time they shop.

Much of the first plane of development is all about ME, as children’s development and awareness starts with the self. As children grow older, their sense of the world begins to expand. Simple service ideas help to broaden their perspective and see that what they do can make a positive difference. 

Many thanks to Service Committee chair Liv Lee for coordinating Greene Towne’s family service projects, and to all who contribute!