

FAMILY Volunteer Story:
The Sakievich Family
"There are a lot of volunteer opportunities for adults to participate in but when I leave my children behind to do a project I feel like they are missing out," says mom.
The Sakievich kids want to make a difference and are able and capable to do so. They volunteer as a family so that they can be empowered to make a difference even if it is something small and simple.
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"My husband and I feel strongly that it's important to establish service and hard work for the benefit of the community as a norm. My hope is that as they get older, they will continue to find ways to work with others for the greater good for no other reason than it's an expectation for being part of the larger human family."
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The family has loved assembling care packages, making sandwiches and picking up litter at the park together. Their absolute favorite experience was getting to play wheelchair games with the JAWS (Juniors Active in Wheelchair Sports) organization.
"Working together for the community doesn't always have to mean giving things; it can also mean sharing special experiences that bring us closer to others who may seem to lead very different lives than us but really aren't that different at all," says mom.
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​The family has become much more aware of the different community groups who do so much for Tucson.
"We didn't know very much about Old Pueblo Community Services before participating in a volunteer project there. My kids learned from staff about what they are doing to help families who are unhoused in our community. I think they didn't truly realize that children could be living without homes (not just adults) before that."
Despite all the hard things that are going on right now for families in Tucson, the Sakievich Family enjoys knowing they are being helpers.