Summer break will be here before we know it, and many parents are beginning to look into camps and extracurricular activities for their young children and teenagers to participate in during the downtime. One option to consider is volunteer and service work. And a local nonprofit organization, Volunteer Odyssey, facilitates an easy way to find volunteer work in Memphis with their VolunteerCompass search engine.
Founder and CEO Dr. Sarah Petschonek, who wanted to make it easy for prospective volunteers to find service opportunities, established Volunteer Odyssey in 2013. Initially, users would consult the organization’s online calendar for volunteering opportunities, but in 2017, they launched their VolunteerCompass search engine, which would ultimately make searching for opportunities even easier.
Through this platform, users can search for service opportunities by zip code — and age group. Alexis Lynn, director of creativity & giving at Volunteer Odyssey, says, “Our platform is so robust that you can use different features when searching for volunteer opportunities. You can actually select age groups to see the different opportunities compatible with the ages of your children.”
Furthermore, the search engine has been streamlined to make it easy for teens and families to search specific volunteering openings by date, skill, and cause.
Lynn says that volunteering has numerous benefits for teens and families alike. “While teens are learning about themselves, volunteering can be great for finding out what they’re passionate about and for learning new skills,” she says. “Teens can also put their volunteering experiences on resumes or college applications, and it could be a great way for networking.”
She adds, “We believe that you’re never too young to start volunteering. If your child starts volunteering before they even understand why it’s important, by the time they come to that age where they understand the why behind it, it’s already stuck with them. It’s a really good way to encourage a lifelong volunteer. Also, volunteering as a family is free, a great bonding experience, and a great learning experience, as well.”
Nine-year-old Max Koltnow, who has volunteered with his mother Jenny and brother Turner every Martin Luther King Jr. Day since he was 5 years old, agrees. “I think kids should volunteer, because you learn a lot when you do it,” he says. “You can find interesting things like I did, and you can experience different things.”
At Max’s first volunteer experience with Room in the Inn, an ecumenical ministry that sets up emergency homeless shelters in participating congregations throughout Memphis, he helped to restore a shelter and, when finished, he donated a penny he found on the ground to the organization. Two years later, Max recounted his positive volunteering experience in his journal.
Max’s 12-year-old brother Turner also enjoys volunteering. “It’s put me in contact with people who need the aid,” he says. “And I think it makes me a better person, because it lifts my spirits knowing that the people that are benefitting off what I do to make them feel safe and comfortable.”
Parents can rest assured knowing that all of Volunteer Odyssey’s 50+ nonprofit partners are verified. “Quality is very important to us,” says Lynn. “If someone goes and volunteers somewhere and has a bad experience, research shows that not only are they going to not want to return to that nonprofit, they’re not going to want to volunteer for another year. So it’s really important for us to provide quality and meaningful volunteer opportunities.”
If you would like to get your child involved with volunteer work through Volunteer Odyssey, you may visit the website (volunteerodyssey.com), call (352-1201), or visit the organization’s office (60 S. Main St.). A list of volunteer opportunities can be found on page 16.
Julia Baker, a second-generation journalist, is editorial assistant for Memphis Parent and a University of Memphis junior.
Volunteer Opportunities for children, teens, and families in March and beyond
March 9th
Neighborhood Christian Center
Assist with setting up or working annual three-day educational festival Spring Jam. Ages 16 and up.
March 23rd
Living Lands & Cleanups @ Wolf River Harbor
Cleanup of litter and debris. Family-friendly (all minors must be accompanied by an adult).
Every Monday
Monday Night Meal @ both Dorothy Day House locations (Dorothy’s House & Loretta’s House)
Bring and serve a meal to residents. Family and group friendly.
Every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
Catholic Charities of West Tennessee
Clothing closet volunteer — accept donations, sort through clothing, and greet clients. Teens and older.
Every weekday
Catholic Charities of West Tennessee
Assist with providing weekly food boxes for impoverished people. Ages 12 and up.
Every Wednesday night and Saturday morning
Urban Bicycle Food Ministry @ First United Methodist Church
Making burritos. Ages 12 and up on Saturdays, 16 and up on Wednesdays.
Riding bicycles to hand out burritos. Ages 16 and up (under 18 must be accompanied by adult).
Every Saturday until March 31st
Room in the Inn @ Emmanuel United Methodist Church
Set up for weekly Saturday emergency homeless shelter. Family-friendly (16 and up can volunteer without adult supervision).
Every Sunday
Sunday Night Prayer and Dessert @ both Dorothy Day House locations (Dorothy’s House & Loretta’s House)
Bring and serve dessert to residents. Family- and group-friendly.
Volunteer opportunities for disabled — call or visit Volunteer Odyssey, where they can personally set you up with a volunteer opportunity. Wheelchairs may need to be measured.
For more information on these opportunities and others, visit volunteercompass.com.