Youth Philanthropy

The Power of Children’s Literature: Igniting a Spark in Young Philanthropists
By Brandy Jemczura, Founder and Executive Director of Seeds of Caring

Books can be a powerful inspiration for youth philanthropy and at Seeds of Caring, we frequently use children’s literature as a tool in growing the next generation of changemakers. A good story can shape worldviews, build empathy, and help kids understand their place in the broader community. And, as kids soak in the stories and books around them, this opens their eyes to challenges in our world—and ignites a desire to help. Here’s why:

1. Children’s Literature Builds Empathy

Writer Malorie Blackman once said “Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else's shoes for a while." Whether it’s a character experiencing homelessness, discrimination, or food insecurity, books provide kids glimpses into situations they may not encounter in their daily lives.

Books like Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts, where a boy learns the value of generosity after longing for a pair of trendy shoes his family can't afford, or Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, which beautifully interweaves themes of community-building, intergenerational relationships, and helping one another, are perfect examples. These books invite kids to see life from another perspective, and empathy grows.

2. Stories Open the Door for Tough Conversations

At Seeds of Caring, we hear time and time again that one of the ways we support families is by providing language and modeling to grown-ups for how to talk with kids about complex or sensitive topics—racism, immigration, or youth mental health to name a few. Books are another resource to support families in tackling tough topics, offering age-appropriate language and context while giving kids a safe space to ask questions.

Take one of my personal favorite picture books, Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O’Neill, which tells the story of a little girl and her mom visiting a food pantry for the first time. What I love about this book is it reinforces a message we share all the time at Seeds of Caring—that we all need help sometimes and that we can all give help sometimes. The author utilized food pantries herself as a child and wanted to normalize food insecurity. This book is one of many that will spark valuable family conversations about kindness, dignity, and the importance of community support.

3. Books Challenge Misconceptions

Children’s literature often explains a complex issue in simple ways that can help push back against stereotypes or misinformation. For example, Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano and My Name is Not Refugee by Kate Milner explore racial injustice and the refugee experience. Through honest but kid-friendly storytelling, books like these can correct misunderstandings and plant seeds of critical thinking.

4. Children’s Literature Helps Kids Discover What They Care About

Kids may not remember everything we tell them, but books have a special way of helping kids feel—and that goes a long way in igniting passion in our young people. As kids are introduced to a variety of community challenges through books, they’ll begin to discover what stands out to them. One child may feel most connected to environmental care, another to hunger, another to supporting people facing long-term illness. Stories help kids not only identify what they care about, but also get ideas for how they can help.

And once you see that passion in your kids—you’ll know. We have parents and caregivers at Seeds of Caring that tell us their kids nag about when they can return to another Seeds of Caring volunteer program. Once you see this passion, you’ll naturally move the conversation to “What can we do about it?” and you’ll see that kids are unstoppable forces for good.

Ready for a Summer Reading Challenge?

This summer, grab the kids in your life and head to your local library. Stock up on books that educate and inspire. Throw a family book party in the living room, complete with snacks and blankets. Or for teens, offer to buy them a drink at the local coffee shop and spend an hour reading side by side.

Need help finding great reads? This is one of our favorite book lists. You can sort it by social issue and by age. While most of the main characters are girls, all kids will relate to the challenges and triumphs characters experience in these stories.

In closing, thank you for caring—about the young people in your life, about our community, and about empowering kids to create a kinder, more connected community. If you have kids in your life between the ages of 2-12, don’t forget to sign up for a Seeds of Caring program here—we just might delve into some of these great stories together before putting those helping hands to work!

Making Volunteering a Family Tradition: How to Find the Right Opportunities
By Brandy Jemczura, Founder & Executive Director, Seeds of Caring

April is National Volunteer Month, making it the perfect time for families to consider how they can give back together. In a previous article, we explored the many ways volunteering and philanthropy benefit kids—helping them develop empathy, grow leadership skills, and cultivate a lifelong commitment to their communities. But how do parents and grandparents raise young philanthropists who grow up understanding how to use their time, talents, and treasure for good? Today let’s delve deeper into the “time” component—finding the right opportunities for kids to volunteer and drive forward positive change in our communities.

Why Family Volunteering Matters

One of the best ways to help children see the world beyond themselves and understand their impact is by volunteering as a family. Why? Because kids learn by doing. Volunteering provides opportunities to put our values into action. What’s more, research shows that kids who volunteer with their families are 40% more likely to continue volunteering as adults.

Steps to Make Family Volunteering a Habit

Making family volunteering a regular practice starts with a few simple steps:

1. Identify Your Family’s Interests and Values
   Talk as a family about what matters most to you. Do you care about protecting the environment, fighting against injustice in your community, addressing food insecurity, supporting kids who are hospitalized, or something else? Finding a cause that resonates with everyone makes volunteering more meaningful and fun.
2. Schedule Your First Family Volunteer Activity
   The key to building a habit is getting started! Find one intentional time to volunteer together. More below on how to identify the right opportunity but getting the first one on your calendar makes it a priority. 
3. Reflect on the Experience
   After volunteering, take time to talk about the experience. Ask your kids or grandkids what they did, how it made them feel, and what they learned. Remind them that we all need help sometimes and we can all give help sometimes. Reflection strengthens the impact of service, builds kids’ empathy muscles, and helps them internalize the learning.
4. Make Volunteering Part of Your Family Culture
   Just like family movie nights or holiday traditions, service can become a meaningful family tradition. One way to solidify this is by creating a Family Volunteer Pledge. Decide together how often you'd like to volunteer—monthly, quarterly, or on special occasions like birthdays or school breaks. Create and decorate your pledge and post it somewhere visible, like the fridge, so you can revisit it regularly.

Finding the Right Volunteer Opportunities

One of the biggest challenges families face is finding volunteer opportunities that welcome children. Most traditional opportunities are designed for adults, but we’ve got you covered with volunteer opportunities that are perfect for kids!

If you live in Central Indiana, Seeds of Caring offers a variety of hands-on service experiences designed specifically for kids ages 2-12. Our programs help children connect with meaningful causes, from fighting food insecurity to caring for unhoused neighbors, and much more. Here are two ways you can get the kids in your life volunteering right away with Seeds of Caring:

1.     Sign up for an In Person Event that takes place on site with one of our local nonprofit partners. Seeds of Caring staff lead participants through meaningful education to help kids understand the “why” behind their actions, then kids and families get to work stocking food shelves, cleaning up local parks, bundling diaper packs, and much more.
2.     Sign up for an Anywhere Project and complete your volunteer activity from home or with your child’s classroom, scout troop, or any group of kids. Upon registration we’ll email you a service packet that helps you talk with your child(ren) about a specific community need and how they will take action to help local nonprofits by packing sack lunches, assembling personal care kits for unhoused neighbors, collecting gently used children’s books, and much more.

For those outside of Central Indiana, there are not many organizations similar to Seeds of Caring but here are a couple resources to help you find family-friendly opportunities:

•   VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org) allows you to filter by kids and teens
•   United Way (https://www.unitedway.org/find-your-united-way). Many will connect community members with volunteer opportunities and you can ask about ones that are family-friendly

By making volunteering a shared family tradition, we can grow a generation that doesn’t just wish for a better world—they help create it. This National Volunteer Month, why not take the first step toward making service part of your family’s story?

Did you know that children as young as age two can benefit from practicing kindness, empathy, and generosity? And that it can lead to everything from greater physical and emotional health, to increased civic engagement, to improved academic performance? Studies suggest that children who participate in giving activities develop stronger problem-solving skills, a deeper sense of gratitude, and greater emotional intelligence (Making Caring Common, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2021). Simply put - giving is good for kids.

But beyond the positive effects on children themselves, early engagement in philanthropy contributes to stronger communities when generous, community-minded kids grow into generous, community-minded adults. One study by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute found that children whose parents regularly talk to them about giving were 20% more likely to give to charity themselves (2018). Additional research suggests that if children are involved in charitable actions before the age of 10, they are twice as likely to sustain it throughout their lifetime compared to young people who only start in their high school years (Arthur et al., 2017). The younger kids are when they start to engage in philanthropy and service, the more likely they are to see themselves as changemakers and develop confidence that they have the power to make a difference—no matter their age or resources.

We are partnering with Seeds of Caring in 2025 to provide fundholder families with meaningful ways to involve their children in philanthropy. Seeds of Caring is a nonprofit that empowers kids ages 2-12 to create a kinder community, curating over 10,000 child volunteer experiences in Central Indiana last year. Through this partnership, you can expect:

• A bi-monthly "Youth Philanthropy Corner" e-newsletter feature
• A hands-on Youth Philanthropy Giving Guide
• A Family Day of Service focused on homelessness, and ongoing service opportunities for kids and families

These resources will help parents, grandparents, and other caregivers facilitate meaningful conversations about giving and inspire kids to take action.

A world-renowned educator, Dr. Jane Goodall, once said: “You aren’t going to save the world on your own. But you might inspire a generation of kids to save it for all of us. You would be amazed at what inspired children can do.” Stay tuned for more insights, resources, and opportunities in our Youth Philanthropy Corner! And in the meantime, head over to seedsofcaring.org to learn more about their hands-on service opportunities for Central Indiana kids.