How to Help Children in Homeless Shelters

Helping homeless children is not limited to donating money--volunteer work is greatly needed as well.

Witnessing homeless children on the street and in shelters is heart-wrenching enough, let alone not being able to help them entirely in their current situation. Although you can't simply remove homeless children from shelters and dramatically change their lives overnight, you have options when planning to help, volunteer, or donate to homeless and sheltered children.

Instructions

1. Volunteer at local homeless shelters for children. Some homeless shelters feature various volunteer positions, from serving the homeless children food to helping tutor them in school subjects such as math and English.

2. Purchase groceries or pack lunches and dinners to bring to homeless shelters for children. Include snack portions of fruits and vegetables to help give the children as much nutrition as possible in their diet.

3. Bring art supplies and board games with you to the homeless shelter so you can play along with the children. Crayons, colored pencils, markers, construction paper, and paints are all useful additions to a shelter for children, and they'll appreciate the time you spend with them.

4. Donate activity books, novels or games that you no longer use, or purchase new ones to give to them. Action figures, dolls, puzzles, and craft supplies will help give the children activities and hobbies. Other items to donate include clothing and school supplies (notebooks, backpacks, writing utensils).

5. Give some of your music collection or custom-created CDs to the homeless shelter for the children to enjoy.

6. Share your stories with the children at the homeless shelter and ask questions about their own stories and lives, if they are willing to share them with you. Listen attentively to show them you care about them and what they have to say.

Tips & Warnings

• Call various local homeless shelters for children to inquire about volunteering opportunities. Ask the homeless shelter if there are specific supplies or toys that the shelter currently needs.

References

• Matador Network: 10 Ways You Can Help Street Children Without Giving Money
• Just Give: Ways to Help Children

Resources

• Stand Up For Kids: Helping Homeless and Street Kids Everyday in Cities Across America
• Horizons for Homeless Children: How to Help