Fun Fall Family Service Projects

One day soon, the weather will start to cool even in the Deep South. Sweaters will come out of storage and the air will be filled with the smells of apples cooking and everything pumpkin spice. It’s also a great time to plan a few Fall themed service projects to do as a family.

Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

  • Go apple picking and share them with someone who is food insecure or can’t get to the orchards. Fresh fruit is a luxury for many families who are food insecure. Make sure the apples are handled gently, because any bruises will make them spoil more quickly.
  • Make pumpkin spice muffins and share them warm from the oven with shut-ins or anyone who needs encouragement. Mix a box of spice cake mix (you don’t need the other ingredients called for on the box), a regular sized can of puréed pumpkin and about ½ of that empty can filled with water in a bowl. Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 350* until firm to the touch. It’s an easy first recipe for kids to make and who wouldn’t appreciate some warm, freshly baked muffins?
  • Make fleece blankets and give them to those who can’t afford to heat their homes to a comfortable level. You can often find fleece blanket kits on sale at craft stores or you can make your own by layering two squares of fleece, cutting inch wide, four inch long fringe along all four sides and then tying the two squares together by tying all of the fringes. If your kids can tie their shoes, they can do this project and help someone stay warm this winter.
  • Sponsor a church or neighborhood warm clothing drive. Children often outgrow their clothes before the next year, so you should be able to collect plenty of gently worn sweaters and coats. Others may be interested in donating new socks, hats and gloves.
  • Rake leaves in secret. Can your family sneak onto the lawn of someone who is elderly or ill and rake and bag their leaves without getting caught? The added excitement can make the hard work seem more fun.

Make sure your family shares your faith as you serve others. Make a card with an encouraging scripture or leave a Bible or encouraging Christian book behind. Find ways for your family to be a light in the world this Fall.

Published by

Thereasa Winnett

Thereasa Winnett is the founder of Teach One Reach One and blogger at Parenting Like Hannah. She holds a BA in education from the College of William and Mary. She has served in all areas of ministry to children and teens for more than thirty years and regularly leads workshops for ministries and churches. She has conducted numerous workshops, including sessions at Points of Light’s National Conference on Volunteering and Service, the National Urban Ministry Conference, Pepperdine Bible Lectures, and Lipscomb’s Summer Celebration. Thereasa lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Greg, where she enjoys reading, knitting, traveling and cooking.

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