As moms, we all want our children to grow up not only smart, confident, and successful, but also kind, compassionate, and courageous. In a world that often emphasizes individual achievement, teaching our kids to be servant leaders sets them on a path where character truly matters, putting others first, standing up for justice, and using their gifts to make the world better for everyone. Moreover, families have a unique chance to volunteer with kids during Black History Month and emphasize these important values through action.
What Is Servant Leadership and Why It Matters
Servant leadership isn’t just about “volunteering”; it’s a life philosophy grounded in empathy, humility, and action. A servant leader listens before speaking, serves before seeking recognition, and stands up for the vulnerable before themselves. When children learn to think beyond their own needs, they become powerful changemakers in families, schools, neighborhoods, and later in the workplace. One way for children to truly understand these ideals is for families to volunteer together with kids during Black History Month.
Developing servant leaders at home starts with everyday moments: sharing toys, listening without interrupting, helping neighbors, and learning that leadership can and should be rooted in service. Volunteering together, such as choosing to volunteer with your kids during Black History Month, is a memorable way to teach servant leadership.
Black History Month: A Natural Lens for Service
Black History Month, observed every February, is a perfect time to reinforce the values of servant leadership. It’s a season to celebrate the service, sacrifice, and leadership of Black Americans who shaped our nation: from Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, John Lewis, and the countless unsung heroes whose compassion changed communities. Families may find it especially meaningful to Volunteer with Kids during Black History Month to honor those legacies.
By exploring Black history through stories of service and resilience, parents can help children:
- See leadership through the lens of justice and community.
- Understand how ordinary people served first and changed the world second.
- Connect historical lessons to real-world action. Consider making real-world connections as you volunteer with kids during Black History Month.
As moms, we have a unique opportunity to shape not just the actions of our children but the motives of their hearts. When we model service, celebrate leaders from history who served first, and take our kids into the community to help others, we are raising a generation with empathy, courage, and purpose. Indeed, volunteering with kids during Black History Month is a way to create lasting memories and meaningful learning experiences.
This Black History Month and beyond, let’s nurture servant leaders who know their history, value community, and show love in action. Take this time to volunteer as a family with kids during Black History Month so your children can experience the joy of giving back firsthand.
Family-Friendly Volunteer Opportunities in Indianapolis
Here are local organizations where moms can serve with their kids building compassion and leadership through shared experience. Many of these groups encourage families to volunteer with kids during Black History Month, making service both meaningful and educational.
United Way connects families with meaningful volunteer opportunities across the city and can help you find roles that work for kids of various ages, from literacy tutoring to community days of service. Participating as a family in volunteering with kids during Black History Month can make your service even more impactful.
Example opportunity: Creating Summer Fun Kits for Youth
Second Helpings rescues surplus food and prepares meals for neighbors in need, a simple yet powerful way to teach kids about hunger, gratitude, and service while working side-by-side. There is no better occasion to volunteer with kids during Black History Month and discuss the legacy of service in your community.
Example opportunity: Family and Youth Group Experiences are offered twice a month, on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm and Saturday mornings from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, subject to availability.
Gleaners engages volunteers to sort and prepare food for distribution. This is a tangible way for kids to see how service feeds families and strengthens the community. Try volunteering with kids during Black History Month for a hands-on history lesson in service.
Example opportunity: Food Pantry Drive Thru (minimum age 13 years)
Hendricks County Alliance for Diversity envisions a county where all people will be fully accepted members of the community, where all people are welcome and encouraged to participate in the life and growth of the community. Here, consider giving back by volunteering with kids during Black History Month as a family.
Example opportunity: Volunteer as a family to collect donations and assemble kits for unhoused populations
Participate in meaningful, age-appropriate experiences that will empower your young change-makers to use their hearts, hands, and minds for good.
Example opportunity: Children will help ease the transition to foster care for a local child by making cheer cards and assembling a first-night care bag.
Indiana Diaper Bank aims to eliminate diaper need in our community by providing a reliable and adequate supply of diapering essentials.
Example opportunity: Volunteer sessions where families can sort, pack, and stack diapers, manage inventory, and organize the diaper pantry. These activities are great ways to volunteer with kids during Black History Month while supporting families in need.
Tips for Serving alongside Children
- Start with a conversation.
Before volunteering, talk about why you’re serving: what need exists, who it impacts, and how your family can help. If you volunteer with kids during Black History Month, connect your conversation to what’s happening in the community. - Choose appropriate age roles.
Some tasks are better suited to teens than to toddlers, but even young children can help sort items, make cards, pack backpacks, or hand out water at service events. - Reflect afterward.
Ask questions like:
- What did you notice today?
- How did it feel to help someone else?
- What would you like to do next time?
- Tie it into learning about service heroes.
During Black History Month, pair your volunteer time with stories of leaders who served others, making the link between history and action real for your children. One special tradition is to volunteer with kids during Black History Month for extra inspiration.
Use this month as a springboard for service by reading books together (Change Sings – Amanda Gorman), watching documentaries (Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum on PBS), discussing the values these leaders modeled, and then serving as a family. For additional inspiration, remember that volunteering with kids during Black History Month is to celebrate history through real acts of service.
