The kids are alright

Anti-Cruelty Society

Contributing to the greater good isn’t just for adults—there are plenty of local opportunities for little do-gooders to pay it forward, too. Kids as young as five years old can participate in the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s monthly Kids’ Days volunteer program (4100 W Ann Lurie Pl, 773-247-3663), when the nonprofit food bank puts aside forklifts and heavy moving for two hours of more age-appropriate activities like cleaning, packing and sorting. Future veterinarians can get some real-world experience by joining the Anti-Cruelty Society’s Teen Volunteer Program (510 N La Salle St; contact Erin Kelly, ekelly@anticruelty.org), where pet lovers ages 11 to 17 can work with the staff doing animal care, training and first aid. Volunteers get hands-on experience handling dogs and cats and learning to read the animals’ body language, and get schooled on ways they can educate their communities about domestic animal abuse. Once the weather warms up, outdoorsy types ages six and up can join Friends of the Chicago River (312-939-0490, www.chicagoriver.org) during cleanup days and assist with canoe and kayak events like the group’s annual Chicago River Flatwater Classic. If they’re still figuring out what floats their boats, kids ages eight and older can participate with a grown-up in one of Chicago Cares’ 20 or so monthly family-friendly volunteer projects. They run the gamut from cooking and serving meals at homeless shelters to playing bingo with seniors and helping to landscape community gardens. Chicago Cares posts a monthly calendar on its website (www.chicagocares.org) with age-appropriate icons for each project. The organization also creates and leads customized volunteer projects for groups of kids, like Scout and school groups, through its Youth in Service Program (312-780-0800).