SERVE at Home
Family Volunteering Programming:
SERVE at Home Activity Format
SERVE at Home (SAH) activities are a flexible way for your family to spread kindness and help our community on your own, anytime, anywhere! To find these activities quickly on our Activity Calendar, use the “format” filter on the left to search for SERVE at Home opportunities.
These activities are designed to reduce travel time and make a difference for our partner organizations at your own home and at your own schedule. In addition to your time and effort, most of these activities require your family to provide the needed supplies and sometimes deliver or mail items to our partners. Each activity has its own supplies, requirements, and delivery details explained in the specific event details, so be sure to read carefully and select the activity that best fits your family before you RSVP.
SERVE at Home activities are a part of our Family Volunteering program and designed to be completed as a family experience. A minimum of two family members, including at least one adult, are required to work alongside each other for these activities and experience volunteerism together. The extra accountability steps like taking photos and submitting the form in a timely manner make the family approach essential for these activities.
We also limit RSVPs for each SERVE at Home to one per person to provide as many service opportunities to as many volunteers as possible. Duplicate tickets for the same activity will be canceled in our system and not available for dual submission.
There are two main types of SERVE at Home activities with regards to completion deadlines:
1) Most SERVE at Home activities have a flexible due date that allows each family to schedule the tasks according to their own needs within a general window of time. We ask that these SERVE at Home activities be completed within a month of the calendar listing.
2) Some SERVE at Home activities have a firm due date set by our partner organization that is often related to a specific event, holiday, or task. In these instances, the activity requirements on the event detail will have clear language regarding delivery instructions and specific timing so that your family can help our partner in a timely manner. We ask that the SERVE at Home form documenting the completion of these tasks be submitted within seven days of the specified due date.
To fully complete the SERVE at Home activity and receive credit for the service hours in our system, your family must fully complete this process:
SERVE at Home activities that have not been submitted in a timely manner (usually over a month after specific due date or general calendar listing) will have the RSVPs canceled in our system and not be granted service hours. This timeliness policy allows our non-profit staff members to both process the volume of monthly submissions in a manageable way and maintain Generation SERVE’s status as a certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award.
These activities are designed to reduce travel time and make a difference for our partner organizations at your own home and at your own schedule. In addition to your time and effort, most of these activities require your family to provide the needed supplies and sometimes deliver or mail items to our partners. Each activity has its own supplies, requirements, and delivery details explained in the specific event details, so be sure to read carefully and select the activity that best fits your family before you RSVP.
SERVE at Home activities are a part of our Family Volunteering program and designed to be completed as a family experience. A minimum of two family members, including at least one adult, are required to work alongside each other for these activities and experience volunteerism together. The extra accountability steps like taking photos and submitting the form in a timely manner make the family approach essential for these activities.
We also limit RSVPs for each SERVE at Home to one per person to provide as many service opportunities to as many volunteers as possible. Duplicate tickets for the same activity will be canceled in our system and not available for dual submission.
There are two main types of SERVE at Home activities with regards to completion deadlines:
1) Most SERVE at Home activities have a flexible due date that allows each family to schedule the tasks according to their own needs within a general window of time. We ask that these SERVE at Home activities be completed within a month of the calendar listing.
2) Some SERVE at Home activities have a firm due date set by our partner organization that is often related to a specific event, holiday, or task. In these instances, the activity requirements on the event detail will have clear language regarding delivery instructions and specific timing so that your family can help our partner in a timely manner. We ask that the SERVE at Home form documenting the completion of these tasks be submitted within seven days of the specified due date.
To fully complete the SERVE at Home activity and receive credit for the service hours in our system, your family must fully complete this process:
- RSVP using your Volunteer Account so we know you are planning to complete the activity so we can let our partners know the need is being fulfilled.
- Complete the activity! Be sure to take pictures of your family working together on this project for your form submission.These pictures stand in for our Activity Leader taking attendance and are essential to granting service hours. For more details, see FAQ below.
- When you have finished all steps of the activity (including delivery or mailing of any items as outlined in the activity description), please complete our SERVE at Home form and attach your photos there to let us know you've completed the activity.
- Allow for processing time after submission. SERVE at Home hours are entered manually by our staff and processed in the order submitted. Please allow up to 14 business days for SERVE at Home hours to appear on your volunteer history. For more details, see FAQ below.
SERVE at Home activities that have not been submitted in a timely manner (usually over a month after specific due date or general calendar listing) will have the RSVPs canceled in our system and not be granted service hours. This timeliness policy allows our non-profit staff members to both process the volume of monthly submissions in a manageable way and maintain Generation SERVE’s status as a certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award.
FAQs
How do I submit SERVE at Home hours?
Follow the directions in the confirmation email for the specific SERVE at Home activity you completed and use our SERVE at Home form to verify your participation and request your “attendance” be recorded in your Volunteer History. Please allow up to 14 business days for the hours to appear on your account.
Do I need to complete and submit my SERVE at Home service hours by the date on the activity calendar?
Some SERVE at Home opportunities have specific due dates included in the posting, and the submission of those hours should follow those instructions to ensure we fulfill the nonprofit partner’s needs in a timely manner.
All other SERVE at Home hours should be completed within a month of the calendar listing. Follow the directions in the confirmation email for the specific SERVE at Home for submission and use our SERVE at Home form .
All other SERVE at Home hours should be completed within a month of the calendar listing. Follow the directions in the confirmation email for the specific SERVE at Home for submission and use our SERVE at Home form .
What kind of photo should I provide for verification of my participation in a SERVE at Home activity?
The photos you submit should clearly demonstrate your engagement in the specified SERVE at Home activity. The purpose of the photo verification is to celebrate your efforts and showcase the meaningful contributions you are making. Different photos should be taken for each activity completed- photos cannot be reused.
Here are a few tips to help guide your photo submissions:
Relevance: Ensure that the photo directly relates to the SERVE at Home activity in question.
Action-oriented: Capture moments that showcase you actively participating in the activity, whether it's crafting, organizing, or any other form of service.
Date and Time: If possible, include a timestamp or date in the photo to provide additional context.
Here are a few tips to help guide your photo submissions:
Relevance: Ensure that the photo directly relates to the SERVE at Home activity in question.
Action-oriented: Capture moments that showcase you actively participating in the activity, whether it's crafting, organizing, or any other form of service.
Date and Time: If possible, include a timestamp or date in the photo to provide additional context.
What if I don’t see the SERVE at Home hours I submitted on my account?
Hours are entered manually by our staff and processed in the order submitted, so please be patient with us as we process the data as efficiently as we can.
Please allow at least 14 business days for SERVE at Home hours to appear on your account. The service hours will appear on your account after the date the activity is listed on the calendar, so if you submit them in a very early window, you may wait longer than 14 days to see them.
Please allow at least 14 business days for SERVE at Home hours to appear on your account. The service hours will appear on your account after the date the activity is listed on the calendar, so if you submit them in a very early window, you may wait longer than 14 days to see them.
What if I need my SERVE at Home hours documented in my Volunteer Account faster than 14 days?
High volume due to lots of awesome volunteers, and small staff making the magic happen… If you need expedited submission processing or a signed report faster than our normal time frame, you may request to pay an expedited service fee of $15 via [email protected]. This extra service is subject to availability. Please note that the team members processing these requests work during business hours only and may not be able to accommodate all requests.
Email us at [email protected] with any questions.