With the National Honor Society (NHS) induction about a month ago, many students in NHS are struggling to find ideas for hours in the midst of schoolwork, clubs, and sports. Here are several ideas for volunteer hours, whether it be for NHS or any other reason.

Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House in Washington Township, NJ gives pediatric patients and their families a place to stay while their child is in the hospital. They are always looking for volunteers to help out with cooking, cleaning, and more. Volunteering to prepare food for the families is a great way to earn hours with a friend or two. You must bring in pre-packaged and commercially-prepared foods (for the health and safety of the families), which you can then help serve buffet-style. More information and volunteer opportunities at the RMH can be found on the website here: https://www.rmhsnj.org/

Animal Shelters

Most animal shelters in New Jersey are happy to have volunteers aged 16 and older. However, it might be difficult to find an animal shelter to volunteer at for just a day or even a few hours. If you’re willing to make a longer-term commitment to volunteering, many animal shelters need volunteers. If not, several will also accept donations of pet supplies like food, blankets, and toys.

Community Food Bank of New Jersey

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) helps give back to those in need by providing food to thousands of families in New Jersey. They accept volunteers aged 12 and up and have certain COVID-19 guidelines (outlined on the website), but there are several volunteer opportunities there, whether you are looking to help out for a few days, hours, or even just giving food by hosting a food drive. While volunteering at CFBNJ can be a lengthy process, it will definitely provide a lot of hours. More information can be found on the website by clicking the “Get Involved” tab at the top of the homepage: https://cfbnj.org/volunteer/

Peer Tutoring

You can tutor fellow students here at Kingsway for NHS hours. Whatever your strong suit is at school, you can use it to help your peers. Contact Mr. Laverty at [email protected] if you are interested.

Trash Clean-Up

Cleaning up the community is a great way to earn hours since it’s not a long-term commitment and you’ll get several hours each time you volunteer. Many websites have more information about this, but trash pick-ups usually don’t start until the spring when the weather is warmer.

Jobs and Sports

Though these are not volunteer hours, jobs and sports do count for NHS points. Five points can be earned per season of a job or sport.