Kids and Community Service: Because people who volunteer are happier and more educated.

Kids and Community Service: Because people who volunteer are happier and more educated.

Teens and kids – it turns out – are happy to volunteer in their communities. Check it out: over 16.9 million kids between ages 16 years old and 19 years old donated hours to a worthy cause in 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It’s no wonder parents and schools encourage young people to focus on feeding the poor, helping the homeless or mentoring the young. People who volunteer in their communities are more likely to be college-educated – just look at the government report – and they’re also more likely to be happy. Research from Harvard University proves that giving actually makes us feel good all around. (Much better than buying stuff.) And people who feel good are – you guessed it – more likely to give. So it creates the most positive social cycle you can hop upon.

How do you get your kids on board? Here are a few resources to get your family started: