What ways can teens make a difference?

Question

I'm going into high school next year and don't have a very full summer...Sure I could play outside or hang with friends but I want to get a job or volunteer. I don't know what kinds of things to do since I can't legally work yet. Monet really isn't a problem (I don't need to be paid) I just need something to do to have an impact on someone.

(I'm 14 year old girl in the Chicago subarbs)

Answer 1

There are a lot of ways you can make a difference.   Your local United Way probably has a volunteer bureau listing places that need volunteer help.   Call and ask.

Also contact ypur pastor or rabbi  and see if the church or temple has projects you could help with.  

The food bank and food ministries in your area can probably use help stocking shelves and cleaning up. and maybe with clericalwork or doing a food drve to help collect food for people who don't have enough to eat.  Go to http://www/secondharvest.com and find the foodbank nearest you and then contact them to ask about opportunities there and also for a list of food ministries in your area.  

http://www.samaritanguide.org/guide/sear... will give you a ,ist of some of the best nonprofit agencies in Illinois and info about them.   See which ones do things that interest you and are close to where you live and call and offer to volunteer.

There are also things you can do on your own or with na few friends.  For example you can make and send cards to children at a children's hospital or to olderfolks in a nursing home.  If you sing or play an instrument you can call the nearest senior center and offer to come entertain the people there.   You can do a canned food drive by going to a local grocery and asking if you can set up a table there asking people to donate food to go to a local food ministry or do a school supplies drive the same way for school needs to be given out by schools to kids who can notbafford to buy things.  Or you could ask at church or templeor at where your parents work if youn could put in a box where people could donate canned food or school supplies.  You can go through your outgrown clothes and ask your friends to do the same and then give them to a ministryb that helps families in need or to the welfare dept so other kids can have nice things next year for school.   If you have an elderly neighbor you can offer to do her lawn or take over a pretty plant of make some cookies for her.   Think about people around you who could use a smile.   You could decide to have a party where everyone brings a gift not for youn but to go to kids at a shelter or a neighborhood pet show that raises money for a pet shelter.  

Thank you for caring and wanting to make a difference.

Answer 2

WTF sit home and eat chips like I do or work fo a family memer like I do and earn about 100 a week and half the time I don't even work

Answer 3

volunteer at:

the hospital

the zoo or aquarium

homeless shelter

animal shelter

environmental group