This area of community service requires parental cooperation more than any other as it requires parents to have scrutinized neighbors or to participate. One easy way to approach neighborhood outreach is with an attitude of “since we’re doing ours, let’s do theirs.”
Neighborhood Outreach Plan
This is a two-part plan, involving first a goal from the service at home section. If a child helps a parent with a chore, it not only provides great talk time, but it cuts
down the time needed to do the task. Therefore the extra time could be put into doing the same thing for a neighbor.
They can then scrutinize for a neighbor who, either from age or health issues, might be unable to do the task themselves. The parent and child can agree to do the task for that neighbor.
It may include any of the following:
– Raking leaves
– Walking the dog(s)
– Shoveling snow
– Removing yard debris after a storm
– Grocery shopping
– Moving trash cans on trash day
– Walking the neighbor’s pet
Whatever parents do outside, ask them to consider who on their street might appreciate the same chore accomplished.
It is true that neighbors are often distrustful of each other these days, and it could be that your efforts are not met with a warm reception. To cut down the chances of that, encourage parents to take a moment to knock on the neighbor’s door and explain that their child is learning about helping others in Sunday school.
Then ask if the two of them could accomplish the chore. People are very lonely these days. They may end up serving the neighbor who will have a tear of gratitude in her eyes.