Why Serve?
There are few real-life, readily-available experiences that challenge us to practice cultural competency, mindfulness, sustainability, even creativity and innovation like service in our communities does. We live MCDS’s mission and core values of respect, responsibility and compassion when we engage in our communities.
According to Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, “research suggests that engaging parents and their children in service together has important positive outcomes for everyone involved." It benefits:
There are few real-life, readily-available experiences that challenge us to practice cultural competency, mindfulness, sustainability, even creativity and innovation like service in our communities does. We live MCDS’s mission and core values of respect, responsibility and compassion when we engage in our communities.
According to Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, “research suggests that engaging parents and their children in service together has important positive outcomes for everyone involved." It benefits:
- children and youth by cultivating positive values, such as caring and empathy, and by developing a commitment to service both now and in the future
- parents by giving them more quality time with their children and through all of the other benefits of volunteering for adults, including increased interpersonal skills and improved mental and physical health
- families by increasing their sense of cohesion, well-being, and connections to the broader community
- sponsoring organizations and civic life by attracting more volunteers, increasing volunteer commitments, and bringing new energy to traditional volunteer opportunities.”
- In addition, there are amazing benefits when adults and children engage in a new context, one where we may all feel out of our comfort zones and are learning about our communities and ourselves together.