National Volunteer Week 2017 may have passed, but it’s important to carry on the spirit of volunteerism throughout the year. During their time in the U.S., many of our au pairs develop a strong interest in volunteering, finding it both personally rewarding and a great part of the American culture.
At Au Pair in America, we celebrate our au pairs, host families and Community Counselors for their year-round efforts to set a fantastic example of service.Through individual efforts and organized events, our participants engage with their communities nationwide, donating their time and talents to help others.
One of the ways we honor their achievements is to host the annual Au Pair Community Service Awards contest, and we proudly showcase the community service of our au pairs on our website and here on this blog.
Previous nominees include Camille, an au pair from Canada living in Chicago, who fell in love with volunteering. Prior award recipients include Andrea, an au pair from Germany living in Pennsylvania, who became a volunteer firefighter during her exchange year.
A great example of an event in a local community is the annual Kinhaven School 5K and Kids’ Fun Run, which raises awareness for childhood health and fitness and benefits education programs at Kinhaven School in Arlington, Virginia. In addition to our sponsorship, our participants attend for a full day of giving back and having fun.
Last November, Community Counselor Dominique Ortiz and six au pairs volunteered for this event. They helped out by painting the faces of little children and handing out Au Pair in America bags and coloring books.
Dominique and four wonderful Au Pair in America au pairs are all smiles as they volunteer at the Kinhaven 5K and Fun Run.
Our au pairs had a great time providing face painting for all the kids!
Volunteering at community events is a great way for au pairs to have fun and get to experience local culture!
It was our pleasure to support such a fun community event.
We appreciate each and every one of our participants that takes the opportunity to get involved and donate time to helping others. This includes our Community Counselors, who organize many fun events throughout the year for au pairs to get involved in their local communities, such as this Red Cross event in New Jersey and this holiday event in Connecticut.
Au Pair in America also supports community service at several popular events each year, including the New York City Marathon.
We encourage all of our participants to share your stories of volunteering across America, so we can continue to showcase your good deeds. We hope your enthusiasm and generosity will inspire others to look into community service opportunities and ways to make volunteerism a rewarding part of their own lives.
Learn more about hosting an au pair with America’s first au pair program.
