We all know the saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.”
When you’re raising a preschooler, you know this as truth. A community around you isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between surviving the week and feeling like you belong and are supported where you are.
Not all parents of preschoolers have the support of community, though. In West Linn, many nonprofits try to bridge the gap and lend them that much-needed hand. But so many of these local nonprofits run on community power.
Volunteering is one of the simplest ways to turn “I wish I could help” into something real. Here’s a short roundup of family-centric nonprofits in or near West Linn where you can volunteer in ways that are meaningful and actually fit your daily life, even as a busy parent of a preschooler.
Youth Music Project
2015 8th Avenue, West Linn, OR 97068
Exposure to music can have a significant impact on a child’s development, and Youth Music Project believes kids deserve access to music education regardless of income. YMP even has a music program designed for preschoolers. Volunteers keep YMP’s programs humming, and they often step up to support the annual fundraiser, assist at open mic nights, distribute flyers, help during student concerts, among other things.
West Linn Food Pantry
1683 Willamette Falls Drive, West Linn, OR 97068
Food security is always at the forefront of every parent’s mind, especially when their child is still very young. West Linn Food Pantry provides emergency food services for families in need. This nonprofit actively needs volunteers to help package food boxes, assist with their Thursday walk-ins, and deliver groceries to seniors and homebound individuals.
Lake Oswego Sustainability Network
1960 Egan Way, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
As parents, it’s natural for us to worry about the future of our kids. Protecting the environment is one way of ensuring that our kids have a future to look forward to. Lake Oswego Sustainability Network (LOSN) is a nonprofit that engages communities in promoting and practicing sustainability through reducing waste, using clean energy, reducing climate emissions, and many others. LOSN is powered through volunteerism, and there are plenty of opportunities available. It can be as simple as contributing photos or articles for their social media and newsletter or committing to taking part in their strategic action teams.
Children’s Center of Clackamas County
1713 Penn Ln A, Oregon City, OR 97045, United States
Children’s Center of Clackamas County helps children who have been exposed to any form of abuse, neglect, or endangerment through trauma-informed services. These services include therapy, family support, and education, with the goal of helping kids and families heal. Volunteers at the Center can assist with administrative tasks, getting therapists organized, coordinating events, or even facilitating therapy sessions.
If you’ve been thinking, “I want to help, but I just don’t know where to start,” pick one of the organizations above and take the smallest next step today. You can submit a volunteer application, email a coordinator, or sign up for a shift. Those tiny actions can add up fast.
And if you want to volunteer right here in your child’s world, Little Nestlings is also accepting volunteers. You can help us distribute flyers, do general upkeep like weeding or organizing the art studio, or spend an hour reading to the kids.
It takes a village to raise a child. Through volunteering at family-centered nonprofits in or near West Linn, we can build a strong community where our children can grow up strong, supported, and thriving.