10K Challenge

Here are some ideas for ways to serve with your kids: 

•  Help out at a school (through book buddies, in a classroom, etc.).

• Tutor a student in a subject that you're good at. 

• Visit with residents or volunteer at an assisted living facility.

• Pick up groceries or run errands for a neighbor in need. 

• Offer to do someone’s Christmas shopping.

• Volunteer at a non-profit organization in your city. 

• Volunteer at the hospital.

• Fluent in another language? Offer translation/interpretation services for free.

• Offer to do handyman jobs for someone in need.

• Help a neighbor with mowing, landscaping, painting, etc.

• Walk dogs at the Humane Society.

• Volunteer at a blood drive.

• Use any of your unique talents or skills and get creative with serving your community.

Here are some ideas for ways to serve with your kids: 

• Visit with residents at a nursing home.

• Go Christmas caroling at a nursing home.

• Have kids make cards for nursing home residents.

• Have kids make cards for the troops.

• Volunteer with the Fireman’s Cheer Fund in the fall/winter.

• Put together hygiene kits for those experiencing homelessness.

• Make Christmas cards for kids in the hospital.

• Make blankets for babies in the NICU.

• Fill duffel bags at Beloved for kids entering the foster system.

• Make a treat and take it to a fire station/police station.

• Help with cleanup near the walking and bike trails.

• Clean up trash at a park or playground.

• Rake leaves for someone.

• Shovel snow for someone.

• Bake cookies for a neighbor.

• Take food (fresh or non-perishable) to Love Chapel.

• Gather gently used clothes and donate.
• Make a meal for someone in need.

• Make freezer meals that you can deliver to folks who may need them.

This list will grow and change throughout the 10K Challenge, so be sure to check back for more ideas. Some of these ideas are related to our community, but can be used as inspiration no matter where you live. 

1. Become a book buddy at an elementary school.
2. Volunteer in a classroom.
3. Join Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
4. Help a teacher clean/organize their classroom.
5. Help a teacher with grading papers.
6. Help a student with their homework.
7. Tutor a student with a subject that you’re good at.
8. Know another language? Tutor a student in that language.
9. If you have above-average grammar skills, offer to proofread documents for organizations.
10. Volunteer at an after-school program.
11. If you’re a student, volunteer at Dance Marathon or other school-run community events.
12. Volunteer in a special needs classroom.
13. Volunteer at a special needs prom or event.
14. Check with Developmental Services, Inc. for volunteer opportunities.
15. Volunteer at a summer camp.
16. Check with Mill Race Center for volunteer opportunities.
17. Teach a course at Mill Race Center.
18. Help at a nursing home.
19. Visit with residents at a nursing home.
20. Write a thank you note to your teacher/your child's teacher.
21. Have kids make cards for nursing home residents.
22. Pick up groceries for a neighbor in need.
23. Have kids make cards for the troops.
24. Help someone prep for an event.
25. Offer to do someone’s weekly shopping.
26. Purchase some extra canned goods and deliver them to a food bank.
27. Grab a group of friends/family, and help fold and pack clothes for Orphan Grain Train.
28. Volunteer at Brighter Days.
29. Check with Brighter Days for any current supply needs.
30. Check with Turning Point for any current volunteer needs.
31. Check with Turning Point for any current supply needs.
32. Put together hygiene kits for those experiencing homelessness.
33. Make cards for children in the hospital.
34. Volunteer at the hospital.
35. Make blankets for babies in the NICU.
36. Hold babies in the NICU.
37. Make hats for babies in the NICU.
38. Make hats for cancer patients.
39. Volunteer at the Hospice Concert in Columbus (or other hospice events).
40. Fill duffel bags at Beloved for kids entering the foster system.
41. Check with CASA for current volunteer opportunities.
42. Fluent in another language? Offer translation/interpretation services for free.
43. Provide free childcare for someone in the community who needs it.
44. Ring bells for Salvation Army around the holidays.
45. Make a treat and take it to a fire station/police station.
46. Help at a Parks and Recreation event.
47. Help with cleanup near the walking and bike trails.
48. Volunteer at Foundation for Youth.
49. Check out the United Way volunteer site for current opportunities.
50. Help someone change their oil.
51. Offer to do handyman jobs for someone in need.
52. Help someone move.
53. Help with landscaping at a school, park, or organization.
54. Mow a neighbor’s yard.
55. Rake leaves for someone.
56. Shovel snow for someone.
57. Power wash for someone.
58. Bake cookies for a neighbor.
59. Help someone with a painting project.
60. Clean up trash at a park or playground.
61. Help someone craft a resume.
62. Help with job applications for someone who speaks another language.
63. Teach life skills to a teen (how to change a tire, how to tie a tie, etc.).
64. If you’re a photographer, take headshots for those entering the workforce.
65. If you’re a photographer, take senior pictures for free for those in need.
66. Help a person or organization build a website.
67. Use any of your unique talents or skills and get creative with serving your community.
68. Know another language? Put your second language into use in unique and helpful ways in your community.
69. Walk dogs at the Humane Society.
70. Help clean and groom cats and dogs at the Humane Society.
71. Help with laundry at the Humane Society.
72. Help with cleaning, organizing, and yardwork at the Humane Society.
73. Donate pet toys/gear to shelter/Humane Society.
74. Give blood.
75. Volunteer at a blood drive.
76. Check with the Red Cross for current volunteer needs.
77. Check with Camp Atterbury for any volunteer needs with refugees.
78. Volunteer at a Love Chapel hot meals site.
79. Help fill bags for Love Chapel around Thanksgiving or Christmas.
80. Take food (fresh or non-perishable) to Love Chapel.
81. Check with Love Chapel for all current volunteer needs.
82. Take new or gently used baby clothes to Clarity.
83. Check with Clarity for any current volunteer needs.
84. Donate gently used jackets to a coat drive.
85. Donate backpacks or school supplies to a school drive.
86. Donate clothes to Salvation Army.
87. Help clean up the public blessing boxes or Little Free Libraries in the community.
88. Take books to a Little Free Library in the community.
89. Volunteer at the library.
90. Donate furniture to Salvation Army/Sans Souci.
91. Volunteer at the Ethnic Expo info booth.
92. If you're a hairdresser, offer to cut someone's hair for free.
93. Check with your local fire department about volunteer opportunities.
94. Make a meal for someone in need.
95. Make freezer meals that you can deliver to folks who may need them.
96. Run a bake sale/craft sale/other fundraiser and donate the earnings to an organization in the community.
97. Volunteer at a farmer’s market.
98. Volunteer at the polls during election season.
99. Drive a neighbor who can’t drive to appointments.
100. Run errands for a neighbor who is unable to drive.

Absolutely! While this challenge is starting in Bartholomew County, Indiana, we hope that it encourages you to serve in your community, no matter where you live. We'd still love to track and count your hours towards the 10,000 hours, so be sure to fill out the tracking form.

Anything that serves your community in a tangible way counts towards the challenge. Whether that's serving an organization, an individual, or a space, those volunteer hours can be counted towards the 10,000 hours. If you need some inspiration, check out the "100 Ways to Serve" list above. 

Yes! Any service hours you complete in your community between September 11, 2022 and September 10, 2023 can count towards the 10,000 hours, even if it's a role you started prior to the challenge. Be sure to submit your hours so we can track those (if it's an ongoing volunteer role, you can enter those hours as frequently or infrequently as you'd like).

We'd love to help. You can email us, and we'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.