What’s Coming Up?
We’ve got a B-U-S-Y spring full of programming coming! That means a lot of programming to support special needs families and a lot of exciting opportunities for the community to get involved!
We get it. There are a lot of opportunities and many are posted on social media or printed on a flyer, but the words don’t really explain what the actual experience will be like. The best way to truly see what we do is to stop by our space for a tour! You get to check out where you would volunteer, ask any questions you have and you can even “test” out the zipline to make sure it’s ready for the next group of kids! Tours are available by appointment when it works for you just by emailing questions@pauseforparents.org.
Here are some answers to common questions we receive!
What does Pause require to become a volunteer?
Online forms, a background check for volunteers over 18 and the ability to have fun! We have professionals in place for the rest. This isn’t click bait - we promise! Kids just want someone to hang out with. That may look like counting how many times they jump on the trampoline, watching them create art they will likely give you because you’ve become their BFF, lead an activity that will bring them hope and confidence or serve the food they can’t wait to eat. (All those calories burned on the trampoline mean hungry bellies!)
What should I know about volunteering with kids that have differing needs?
We all have different needs when you think about it! Pause kids are awesome, fun and funny kids! Some are shy. Some have a lot to share. Some walk, some run and some ride. Some love loud, busy, high energy spaces and some love quiet and calm spaces. YOU get to choose what you do and who you do it with! You can work with kids or choose opportunities that don’t involve kids at all! Overwhelmingly, Pause volunteers come back over and over even after walking in their first time unsure of what it will be like.
What kind of training do I need and what kind of training will you provide?
We will answer any questions you have before the event #WeLoveQuestions!, but most of the training comes once you arrive. We will spend time going over safety reminders (like keeping your cell phone in your pocket) and will show you the space and activities you will be doing. Because our staff is there to handle everything else, there isn’t much training you need!
I’m a little worried about my experience - is there a way to check it out before I commit?
YES, PLEASE! We LOVE giving tours! We also are 100% open to you coming to check it out or be a fly on the wall during an event so you can check it out first once you complete your background check! Remember, you get to say yes to what looks fun and rewarding to YOU!
I have a lot of questions - is there someone I can call or email?
Did we mention we love questions? Just email us at questions@pauseforparents and we will connect with you via email, text or phone. Our staff is super passionate about sharing and we promise they will make you feel completely comfortable asking anything that is on your mind or heart. It’s more than okay to get curious!
This month, we are featuring 3 different ways to get involved! Volunteer, share or donate! Check them out!
1. Save the date to volunteer!
Parent’s Day & Night Out:Be a 1:1 buddy to a child with disabilities, a small group leader or helper (siblings and kids with low needs), an activity station leader, food leader and more!
Friday evening and Saturday morning opportunities in February, March and April. Click here for dates and times!
Respite On Demand: Lead (or help lead!) resilience based activities with a group of kids or be a 1:1 buddy to a kiddo with disabilities - we like to call this Camp Resilience and it’s tons of FUN!
Weekend and weekday opportunities in February, March and April. Click here for dates and times!
Pause Family Fun: Be an activity leader or help with food!
Easter Eggstravaganza: Saturday, April 9th at Pause
Fun at the Farm: Friday, May 6th at Niederman Family Farm
Pause Unlimited: Be a group leader, helper or a 1:1 buddy to bring flexibility to Sunday morning learning! Great for adults and college or high school students who have a faith background and need student service hours.
Every Sunday! Services at 9:30 & 11am!
2. Help us spread the word!
Forward this email to three friends who would be interested in making an impact on a special needs family!
Share our volunteer opportunities on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! You can share straight from our Facebook page @PauseForParents or share the link to our volunteer opportunities page on our website: pauseforparents.org/volunteer-event-registration
Send us a local high school or college club who would be interested in volunteering together at an event!
3. Donate supplies!
Food items! Pretzels, Goldfish, Go-go Squeeze, animal crackers, assorted bags of individual chips, Cheerios and Capri Sun are all big hits!
Easter Baskets & Easter Eggs! The Easter Eggstravaganza is right around the corner! We are excited to provide every child with their very own Easter basket to collect Easter Eggs!
Events Supplies! We are always in need of items like cotton balls, bubbles, empty paper towels/toilet paper rolls and both regular and small pie tins. These supplies help us to put together fun crafts and activities for our kiddos!
No matter if you help out with Pause programming this spring or come to our space to check it all out… CAN DO, you are stepping into the gaps. The small Pause team is able to host these events because of your dedication to our kiddos and for that, we are SUPER grateful!
This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.
