Adventures in PA: Field Trips Focused on Service – an opportunity for the entire family

Whether you are a large group, a small group, or an individual family, this idea is worth the time it takes to organize!

This past school year, my homeschool group tried something new. We held a series of events, which I called “A Year to Volunteer.” One day each month, we spent a few hours with an area ministry or non-profit. We asked them for an explanation of their ministry, a tour of their facility, and an opportunity to serve alongside of them.

Back in 2019, God planted this idea in my heart, and even though Covid-19 delayed its implementation, the concept was firmly rooted, and the conviction just continued to grow over time. My heart’s desire was not only to show our children how they could make a difference in their community but also to allow my families to serve together and create lasting memories.

As I began to explore ministries and non-profits in the greater Harrisburg area, I was actually stunned—both at the quantity and at the variety of ministries out there. Not all ministries are food pantries!

This past school year, our volunteer opportunities included a visit to a therapeutic riding ministry where our students learned how to be side walkers—walking alongside the horse being there as support and help, if needed, for the student who is riding the horse; a shelter for girls who have aged-out of foster care where we did outside yard work; a local Samaritan’s Purse event where we got to make jump ropes and craft kits to go into the shoeboxes; a local homeless shelter where we helped serve lunch; a drug rehab organization where we got to wrap Christmas presents; a local food pantry where we stocked shelves; a ministry for abused women; a local rescue mission where we were able to help in the greenhouse and a community outreach program that offers non-food items to those in need where we helped dismantle scrap metal, appliances and old electronics.

Some of the ministries/non-profits we visited were ones in which our family is already involved. Others I discovered with the help of Google. And some I found out about through friends and word of mouth.

Although our group offered nine volunteer opportunities this past school year, there are so many more out there, that I am not convinced we are finished with this project. One non-profit I was unable to connect with was Habitat for Humanity and I feel this would be an excellent fit for our students who have the “handy-man gene.”

Are you intrigued by this idea but have no idea where to begin? Don’t fear. It is not as difficult as it may seem. Here would be my suggestions for how to make the initial contact:

1. Connect by phone, if possible. Emails tend to be less personal, especially in the beginning.
2. Be sure to identify yourself as a homeschooler, and explain, in detail, what you are looking for. If you simply want a tour, then ask for that. If you, like us, want a tour AND an opportunity to serve, then be clear about that as well, so neither the ministry nor you are disappointed in the end.
3. Be patient, as this may not be a typical request for the non-profit and you may be transferred—a time or two—until you reach the person best able to help you.
4. Regardless of who ends up on the other end of the line, respect their time and have your questions and information ready. Some examples include the following:

• • Have a rough idea of how many people may be coming to their ministry.
  • Have a few dates already in mind, but please do not expect them to be able to fit you in next week. Depending upon the size of your group, this date may even be several months in the future.
  • Remember the importance of contact information. Life happens. You must be able to reach the business on the day of your event and, likewise, they must be able to reach you. Know ahead of time if you prefer to be contacted by email or phone or text and understand that your personal info is now “out there.”

I admit it does take some time to work out the details, but I would encourage your group, or even your family, that the sacrifice is worth it! There is an intangible but definite reward in volunteering. Let your students experience this and learn the importance of selflessly helping others—not for pay or for personal gain—but just for the sheer joy of helping and representing Christ to a world in need.