Every month, we offer a specific “make a difference challenge” that you can do with your family. Check out the current month’s challenge plus past challenges below. Volunteering together can be one of the best family-bonding experiences. Try out some ideas below and let us know how they work for you in the comment section provided at the end of each post.
May Make A Difference Challenge: Mother’s Day
When I think about Mother’s Day I also think of all the amazing women who have a mother’s heart but have never had the opportunity to raise their own children. Every mother and woman needs to know that what they do matters and that is the reason for this month's challenge.
April Make a Difference Challenge: Spread Spring Sunshine
What a wonderful way to spend a spring afternoon this month: giving someone a hand to spruce up their yard and in the meantime building strong and lasting friendships with those around you.
March Make a Difference Challenge: Give your Children Two Dollars
So you think you can change the world? Here's how an inspiring young boy is going to Kenya to build a school with Free the Children. He’s not a child prodigy; he’s just a kid who wants others to have an education.
February Make a Difference Challenge: Share the Love
With kids, Valentine’s Day can be a bit hectic--getting everyone to sign their cards and attach the goodies. It seems to be a bit overwhelming. However, this exhausting process made me think about what this month should really be about-love.
January Make A Difference Challenge: The Giving Jar
I really wanted my children to learn about money and saving while they were young and we came up with the Giving Jar.
December Make A Difference Challenge: Children For Children Christmas Concert
This month’s challenge is a great way to teach your children to give instead of focusing on what they will get this Christmas. They will enjoy sharing their talents and their gift of giving will be a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season.
November Make a Difference Challenge: Thanking the Troops
Show our military and veterans that we appreciate them and the sacrifices they give to keep us free. Whether you support what they are doing or not, keep in mind these brave men and women leave their families at home and make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
October Make a Difference Challenge: Breast Cancer Awareness
The pink ribbon lapel pin has become a powerful symbol to increase awareness about breast cancer, and it's easy to make for yourself and your friends. Follow these directions to make your own pink ribbon lapel pin; no sewing required!
September Make a Difference Challenge: Simple Kindness
This month’s challenge is inspired by Saren Loosli’s Deliberate Mothering Tip on after-school routines. Everyday after school, Saren asks her five children two important questions: “What did you learn today?” and “What did you to do help someone?” I know the importance of making a difference through simple, random acts of kindness. So often when...
August Make a Difference Challenge: Lemonade and Magic
We have chosen this summer to be a “Summer of Service.” I know summer is coming to an end for many of you, but there is still time to make some lemonade for a good cause! Here is what our kids have done with a little lemonade and some magic.
July Make a Difference Challenge: Hold a Family or Neighborhood Yard Sale for Charity
This is the time for yard sales and it is a great time to de-clutter your home and life. Simplifying is a wonderful thing, especially when you can make a difference in other's lives by doing so.
June Make a Difference Challenge: Host a Neighborhood Block Party
The days are getting longer and the nights warmer. Barbeque season is in the air and it is the perfect time to get together with your neighbors and build a greater sense of community. Get your children involved in creating flyers to hand out around your neighborhood. Make sure to include the date, time, place,...
May Make a Difference Challenge: Emergency Preparedness
In the wake of an onslaught of natural disasters it seems only appropriate that we take time to prepare. If we teach our children the importance of preparation and set an example we will be making a difference. When we are prepared we will be in a better position to assist and help others if...
April Make a Difference Challenge: Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is April 22, 2011. Here are some great ideas for your family to celebrate Earth Day and make a difference by caring for our world: Clean up garbage at a park or in your neighborhood. Ride your bike or walk wherever you go. Plant a tree or start your garden. Make a pinecone...
March Make a Difference Challenge: Make a Loan Through Kiva
This month is focused on helping those around the world! We first came across a company called KIVA (http://www.kiva.org) while seeing the founders on Oprah. Their way of helping others in their businesses through micro loans is amazing! We started giving loans right away. For birthdays or Christmas we include a KIVA gift certificate. The kids...
January Make a Difference Challenge
Gratitude is the Greatest Gift A tragedy before Christmas took the life of a father and husband much too young. He was a hard worker and always willing to help where ever he was needed. He went to work like every other day except that on this morning he had let his wife sleep in...
December Make a Difference Challenge
The 12 Days of Christmas This is a wonderful family tradition that will have an influence on countless others. Each year you choose a family. Then starting on December 13th you deliver one gift each night for 12 nights. You do this in secret, taking the gift to the front door, knocking and then...
November Make a Difference Challenge: Remembering those who give so much
Remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom. In teaching our children values and doing our best to give back we can do both as we remember those who have fought for our freedom. I have provided several ideas below to assist you with helping this month to be one of remembrance and to...
Have you been BOO’d yet?! A FUN Halloween Tradition
If you haven’t been Boo’d, you’re missing out on a fun Halloween tradition. This is a great way to start off the holiday season and strengthen ties with neighbors. A Boo-Gram is a mysterious note you leave on a neighbor’s door with a bag of treats. The note is usually a poem. You also leave a large...
October Make a Difference Challenge: Sponsor a Needy Family For Thanksgiving
October Make a Difference Challenge: Sponsor a needy family for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for your blessings and the plenty that you enjoy, but not everyone has plenty and many are going without at Thanksgiving and every other day too. The true meaning of gratitude is being able to...
September Make a Difference Challenge
September Make a Difference Challenge “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” ~ Woodrow Wilson Recently moving to a new city, my kids have had some anxiety about meeting all new friends. As I dropped them off for the first day of school I reassured them that it would only...
August Make a Difference Challenge: Stone Soup
Stone Soup Pick a favorite soup recipe, or a packaged mix. Have your child choose some extra ingredients to add, such as carrots, potatoes, and beans. Then have them help drop the ingredients into the pot and stir it around. While the soup is simmering, read together the story, “STONE SOUP,” by Marcia...
Park Clean Up Challenge Success
Our trips to local parks have proved to be a great way to spend time connecting with friends, enjoying the sunshine and getting the kids out to play. Our kids have found it very easy to pick up a few things of garbage each to make a difference. This has in no way been a struggle, we have...
July Make a Difference Challenge: Keeping Our Parks Beautiful
Keeping Our Parks Beautiful Summer is here and it is time to play! How about mix service with play as you visit your local parks. We get to enjoy the parks in our community and it is important that we keep our local parks looking beautiful and clean. Talk to your child ahead of time...
Cookies and Sunshine
All of my boys love to help me make cookies; of course it is just for the sheer joy of helping, nothing to do with the taste test opportunities along the way. But, it is always fun to bake together and especially when we are doing it for others. These cookies would be...
June Make a Difference Challenge
As I sat here thinking about this month’s challenge, I was brought to tears in memory of an amazing woman who changed my life forever. It all began with a challenge to do something kind for someone. I chose Vi Hermiston. I was only 13 years old and she was 93. I knew she loved...
Mother’s Day Heart Attack: Mission Accomplished!
Each moment we spend together, focused on doing something kind for another, brings our family even closer. This week we spent a special evening together as a family making little messages of love written on paper hearts. The boys love to create and this time they were creating a secret gift. We discussed who...
May’s Make a Difference Challenge
A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, “where mother is.” ~ Keith L. Brooks Give a Deserving Mother a Heart Attack Discuss with your family and decide on someone together that you will give a “heart attack” to. As this month is Mother’s Day, try to think of a mother in need (perhaps a new...
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