Our Little Helpers Program introduces families with young children to volunteering while making new friends in the community! The curriculum was created by Carol McHorse, a certified teacher with an early childhood education specialization, and all of our facilitators are certified teachers. Each session includes a story and an age-appropriate service activity for families to do together as well as time to play and get to know each other.
This program is exclusively for 3- to 5-year olds who have not yet entered Kindergarten. The program fee for our sessions is $150 per child. We offer fee assistance to families with a demonstrated financial need.
Begin your Little Helper’s journey by submitting an interest form for information on upcoming sessions when they are available. You can expect an enriching experience where your preschooler will develop empathy through age-appropriate service activities. Each child needs one adult participant, and spaces fill quickly with just 10 spots per session.
Summer 2025 Registration is now closed for Session One and Two.
Volunteering is a good thing for all families to do. It’s important to help others live a better life.
[After volunteering together], we now have conversations regularly about helping those in need. He includes being a volunteer when he describes himself in school projects. Volunteering is now a part of who he is.
Generation SERVE offers Little Helpers Learn & Play sessions seasonally—in the spring, summer, and fall. Stay updated on registration dates and session details by visiting our Little Helpers page, subscribing to our newsletter, or following us on Instagram and Facebook.
Little Helpers is specifically designed for children aged 3 to 5 who have not yet started kindergarten with a curriculum focused on the developmental needs of preschoolers. Therefore, toddlers under 3 and children already in kindergarten are not eligible to participate.
Sessions take place at various locations around the Austin metro area. Specific venue details are provided to registered participants prior to the start of each session. Please note that locations are subject to change.
Yes, Generation SERVE offers fee assistance to families with demonstrated financial need. To inquire about financial assistance, please contact us directly at contact@generationserve.org.
Families can receive a refund minus a $20 processing fee until two weeks before the program start date. After that date, the program fee is non-refundable. If you need to cancel prior to this period, please reach out to us at contact@generationserve.org to discuss your options.
Generation SERVE is committed to inclusivity and will make reasonable accommodations for children with special needs. Story time and service activities have some flexibility to them, especially because caregivers participate with their children. We encourage families to discuss specific needs with us in advance by emailing contact@generationserve.org.
In rare instances, sessions may be canceled due to inclement weather according to our weather policy. If this occurs, our team will contact you as soon as possible on the day of the activity to reschedule or organize a make-up session.
Each Little Helpers session is uniquely tailored, and spots are limited. While we understand that schedules can change, we cannot guarantee the ability to switch sessions. If you need to discuss your situation, please contact us at contact@generationserve.org.
Confined toddlers and infants are welcome to attend but not participate. Older siblings and free-range toddlers are not allowed to attend. All participants must be in the 3 to 5 age range and must have paid and registered for the program.
Yes, another adult caregiver is welcome to accompany your child to the session. Please ensure that the substitute caregiver is aware of the program's structure and guidelines.
No, all participants must have paid and registered for the program. We try to foster group bonding and build a comfortable atmosphere for the preschoolers in our program, and bringing an unknown person changes that dynamic.
If your child's friend is interested in participating and meets the age criteria (3 to 5 years old and not yet in kindergarten), please have their family register them through our registration page.
Due to the structured nature of the program and limited session spots, we are unable to offer make-up sessions for missed classes.
Absolutely! Families are welcome to enroll in future sessions of Little Helpers if your child is still in the 3- to 5-year-old age group and has not yet entered kindergarten. Some activities may be repeated, but no two sessions are identical. Your family will have a different experience every time with different kids participating, different activities and (in some cases) a different facilitator.
After completing Little Helpers, families can explore any of our all ages Family Volunteering opportunities on our calendar and continue to progress to others based on the designated age range of each activity as your children grow.
Your family is also welcome to participate in another Little Helpers session if your child is still in the 3- to 5-year-old age group and has not yet entered kindergarten.
After each Little Helpers session, we also provide participating families with ideas to continue serving on your own, which are suitable for children as young as three.
For the fastest reply for direct concerns over the weekend, text our Weekend Monitor at 512.271.4933. You can also call this number or email the address above.
For third party service hour verification requests, please fill in the following contact information
Name/Title: Program Manager
Email: contact@generationserve.org Phone: 512.271.4933
Please note that Generation SERVE does not maintain traditional office hours due to the nature of our work, so we ask that you contact us in advance to coordinate any drop-off or delivery.
