How to Host a Single Parents and Widows Gathering

If your church or organization has many single parents and widowed seniors, there is probably a large need for help that is unmet. You can help forge new relationships between people, while meeting the needs of single parents and widows alike!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Volunteers with skills
• A place to get together
• Snacks
• Crafts for kids

1. 
    

   Plan a day and a date for your gathering, and secure the facility to do it. For your church group, that may be as simple as asking for it to be put on the calendar.

2. 
    

   Find volunteers among your organization, asking what service they could provide to a single parent or widow...oil change, hair cut, massage, shoe shine, home repairs, smoke detector installation, etc. Get donations from the organization or community that meet the requirements of the skilled volunteers; motor oil, smoke detectors, paint, etc.

3. 
    

   Plan your get together with snacks and crafts for everyone to do together. Invite community agencies to be represented at your gathering. The police often do free ID kits, the firemen will teach fire safety, the hospital might have a program for checking on seniors, etc.

4. 
    

   Provide adequate space for whatever services will be provided. If you have guys changing oil in cars, maybe you will want to have a picnic. If everyone is getting a haircut, nails painted, having a massage, and getting face paint for the kids, you might want to be totally inside.

5. 
    

   Ideas for helping seniors and single parents:
   Hair cut
   Oil change
   Inflate tires and top off fluids in cars
   Simple Home repairs
   Manicure
   Facial
   Massage
   Help with phone calls
   Help with computer
   Offer rides to appointments
   Babysitting
   Tutor children in a subject
   A free music Lesson
   Free horse rides
   Dog walking
   Pet Sitting
   Lawn Mowing
   Leaf Raking
   Simple Electrical Repairs

Tips & Warnings

• You are only limited by your imagination!
• Get donations of school supplies and backpacks, and let every child leave with a gift bag!
• Get donations of gift certificates for local stores,beauty supplies like sample shampoos, brushes, combs, etc, and let every senior leave with a gift bag!
• Be creative! As a single parent whose budget is stretched to the breaking point, one of the best gifts I received recently was a package with toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies...things (except the TP!) that are considered extras in the budget, and are only purchased when there is extra money.
• You could run your event like a slave auction, only getting skilled volunteers to donate their services for a future time (home repair, oil change, tax service, ride to appointment, etc.)

[gentletouch]

on 10/9/2009 YOUR ARTICLES SHOW THAT YOUR A LOVING AND CARING INDIVIDUAL. THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US. 5* BLESSINGS, gentletouch

[deniseamodeo]

on 2/25/2009 Good advice!

[sneedc]

on 2/18/2009 Good ideas for helping meet the needs of others. 5*

[moonlitcrystal]

on 2/13/2009 What a nice idea :)

[catnight]

on 2/12/2009 Very nice. :)