Volunteers of All Ages Honor Dr. Martin Luther King With Remote Service Projects

Girls Scout troops made blankets for the homeless.

Hundreds of bracelets, cheerful notecards, and butterfly tray favors were delivered to local nonprofits.

No-sew blankets for the homeless are great winter projects…

…for families…

…and friends…

…of all ages!

If You’re Looking for At-Home Volunteer Projects: Ideas and Instructions

Materials: Most of these projects use materials you can find in your home, or are not difficult to purchase. Feel free to be creative with any supplies you have. However, please do not use any glitter in your projects – they are dangerous inhalants for those in the hospital or those with breathing issues, and a MESS to clean up.

Completed Projects: We have provided some ideas of the kind of nonprofits who would LOVE to receive your thoughtful volunteer projects. Please feel free to choose an organization you already support, or search our database to find a nonprofit that would be happy to receive your donations. You’ll find our searchable database on our homepage.

NO-SEW BLANKETS For the homeless

Materials:

• 4 yards of fleece — that’s it!

COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE: Download No-Sew Blanket Instructions Here

KINDNESS ROCKS dedicated to our very hardworking healthcare workers.

Materials:

• Smooth, flat (river rocks) – any size – best are rocks a minimum of 3”. You can buy them at craft stores or online OR if you have any paintable small rocks at home.
• Permanent Markers, paint markers or acrylic paint and brush.

Messages should relate to healthcare workers. When you are finished, find a public area outdoors you would like to place the rock – if you know a healthcare worker, put it outside his or her door or someplace where others will see it. Please keep their names anonymous. Then kindly take photos of the rock – you can be in the photo as well, and send a good quality jpeg of your photo to us at: info@volunteercenterhelps.org and we will put it on our website and our e-news.

FRIENDSHIP AND/OR VALENTINES NOTES For Seniors, Veterans, Children in Hospitals

Materials:

• 8.5×11 white cardstock, fold in half
• Colored Pencils, markers, crayons, watercolor paints – whatever your preference.

Carefully plan your cover and message inside, keeping in mind the recipient category of your choice. We have included colored pencils for the artists and adults and crayons for the rising artists. Of course, if you have the 240 count crayon box at home, dig in and use them!

If you want sign your name, please use your first name. If your very young child creates a card all on his or her own (recommended), please feel free to sign it “from a caring 2- (or whatever age) year-old”. Adults can do it, of course, but understanding it came from a very young child makes it very special too.

TRAY FAVORS For Seniors in Residential Facilities

Coffee Filter Butterflies

Materials:  White Coffee Filters • Markers Clothesline clips

Instructions:

1. Color Coffee filter with markers
2. If using water-based markers, mist colored filters with water – the colors will bleed, making interesting designs. Dry for 20-30 minutes.
3. If using permanent markers, do not mist with water. Draw with any design, or duplicate actual butterfly patterns found in nature like monarchs, etc.
4. Clip middle of filter with clothesline clip and draw a face on the butterfly

BRACELETS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT RISK

Materials:

• Craft Beads, pony, wooden, or any others of your choosing
• Pipe Cleaners or elastic or plastic craft thread

Have fun being creative with patterns and colors! Make as many as you would like. This bracelet is intended to let the recipients know there are kind people out there who wish them well. If using the pipe cleaner, twist the ends a few times, then tuck into the first and last bead.

T-SHIRT BRAIDED DOG TOYS For Dogs at Orphans of the Storm

Materials:

• Find 3 T-shirts of similar width. Large size shirts work best.
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Lay the T-shirts flat. Begin by making each T-shirt a square or rectangle, by cutting straight across both back and front of the shirt from one armpit to the other.
2. Starting from the bottom of the shirt, cut three 5” high horizontal bands across the width of the shirt, cutting through both front and back of the t-shirt. Discard any bands that are not 5”.
3. Cut one end of each of the bands to form 3 long ropes of fabric.
4. Tie the 3 ropes together at the top.
5. Braid the ropes very tightly with1person firmly holding the knot at the tied end.
6. Secure the end with another knot.

Each set of 3 T-shirts should make 1 to 2 of the long toys. Use the rest of the T-shirts by braiding shorter swatches of T-shirt fabric cut from the sleeves across. (Instead of having a band to cut and make a long rope, you will have 2 half sized ropes)

Looking Forward to Next Year’s MLK Day Service — Hopefully In-Person Once Again!

As always, we couldn’t be more grateful for the volunteers who support all of our Days of Service, and are looking forward to meeting in person again soon! A few memories from past MLK Days….

As always, we couldn’t be more grateful for the volunteers who support all of our Days of Service, and are looking forward to meeting in person again soon! A few memories from past MLK Days….