Fifty-five percent of U.S. teenagers volunteered during a recent year, led by the nation's education system where 68 percent of kindergarten through 12th-grade schools now offer or recognize community service opportunities for students.
Want to encourage your own kids to volunteer?
It's not just people in need who benefit: Experts say helping others can offer young people a host of rewards, from a stronger sense of community to improved self-esteem. Plus, volunteering can help bulk up a college application or a résumé.
So how can you persuade your children to volunteer? Here are some tips from the Huggable Heroes program, via the North American Precis Syndicate.
A 12 year-old girl who had beaten cancer when she was younger, annually designs holiday cards to help raise money for pediatric cancer research.
The card she created this year was given to the two men who haul trash, along with ten dollars.
On that day, the garbage truck pulled over to a stop, while the men inside talked about the girl whose name was listed on the back of the card, along with her picture.
Then, after a few minutes, they returned to the family home. They had something for her.
With the number of homeless pets nearly doubling compared to last year, a nine-year-old boy decided to take action. Thanks to his Central Florida Animal Pantry, the only one of its kind in the state, a lot of pets are no longer in need.
The response has been overwhelming, with pet stores, schools and people in the community all donating food. During a recent week in December Zach Wilson gave away 1,800 pounds of food in bags and cans.
In the future, he wants to open a sanctuary for disabled pets and abandoned animals.
Watch the Making a Difference video below, or at MSNBC...
Jake Shaffer was 11 years old when he asked his parents if, instead of Christmas gifts for him, he could bring 100 bagged lunches to the homeless veterans living under the bridge in his hometown of Houston.
Today, four years later, he expands his mission every Christmas, still giving up his own gifts for the chance to deliver hundreds of gifts and thousands of dollars he has collected for the DeGeorge House for homeless vets on the occasion of their annual holiday dinner.
Watch the Making a Difference video below, or at MSNBC...
Fifty-five percent of U.S. teenagers volunteered during a recent year, led by the nation's education system where 68 percent of kindergarten through 12th-grade schools now offer or recognize community service opportunities for students.
A 12 year-old girl who had beaten cancer when she was younger, annually designs holiday cards to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. 
A retriever protected 11-year-old Austin from a charging cougar during a bloody, against-all-odds confrontation Saturday in Canada.
With the number of homeless pets nearly doubling compared to last year, a nine-year-old boy decided to take action. Thanks to his 
Jake Shaffer was 11 years old when he asked his parents if, instead of Christmas gifts for him, he could bring 100 bagged lunches to the homeless veterans living under the bridge in his hometown of Houston.
