Parenting can sometimes feel like an unending series of questions, from “Is she drinking enough water?” to “What is this rash?” While straightforward concerns can be addressed by any number of experts and sometimes a quick Google search, less tangible questions like, “How can I help my child learn to be kind and compassionate?” can keep a parent awake at night.
Luckily, Lauren and LeAnn Stroupe have some ideas.
Lauren and LeAnn are long-time volunteers at The Food Bank. For Lauren, that service started around the age of seven — as soon as she was able to bag food. Both mother and daughter agree that early service is a great way to cultivate a love for helping others. “I don’t know if I would be into volunteering as much if I didn’t start from a young age,” Lauren muses.
Early volunteerism started Lauren’s passion for service, but that passion has been fostered by the example of others, too. Lauren and LeAnn often enjoy fun-filled volunteer events at The Food Bank through LeAnn’s affiliation with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. Each event gives Lauren the opportunity to spend time with her sorority aunties as well as see their dedication to helping their community. "She's seeing us as adults and parents ... continuing to give our time in the community in which we live ... to try and make an impact and make a difference there," says LeAnn.
For Lauren, volunteering provides a valuable opportunity to build relationships with those in her network and even meet new people who share her interests. “You get to know the same faces that you would see, and they would know you by your first name. You kind of start to get a connection with them,” Lauren relates. “These people want to be there, and this is their passion. That really excites me and makes me want to work harder as a volunteer.”
Lauren also points to her experience at The Food Bank and partner agencies as something that helps her feel fulfilled. When she spends time volunteering at the University of Missouri's Tiger Pantry, volunteers fill orders from grocery lists provided by neighbors — so Lauren gets to meet the people she serves. That interaction brings joy. “Seeing the people you’re serving really helps me out,” Lauren notes.
“I’ve known people personally who have used The Food Bank as a source of food, so just knowing that you’re actually helping people that aren’t as fortunate as you really warms my heart.”
The sense of purpose Lauren finds in her volunteerism comes with an opportunity to better understand her community. Being exposed to the needs and the challenges of others has fostered a whole lot of empathy in Lauren, and she says it keeps her humble, “Knowing that I could also be in this person’s shoes one day. I would love to see that someone would be taking time out of their day to come help me out to make sure I would have the food that I would need.”
While volunteerism is hugely beneficial for the community, it has clear benefits for those who practice it, too. Apart from making us feel good, studies show volunteering can foster a sense of belonging and help refocus attention in a way that decreases stress.
For kids, there are more immediate benefits, too. Volunteerism helps develop leadership skills and improve social skills like communication and collaboration. For those looking to enrich college applications, volunteer experience can help a student stand out in a crowd.
If you want to help a child find a service niche that sings to them, LeAnn and Lauren have a few final pieces of advice. “Make it fun,” LeAnn emphasizes. “Help them see the impact they make … even just modeling that behavior in any way possible is a great lesson that can go a long way.”
For Lauren, it comes down to connecting with others — so she always lets her friends know where she is going in case they would like to join. Lauren encourages anyone starting to volunteer, “Make it into a social event. At The Food Bank, you always have time to talk to people. Even if it's not with your friends, make it something sociable, make it something you’re interested in … Do it with pleasure and be excited to do it.”