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5 Volunteer Vacations for Families

By U.S. News & World Report

Parents want to raise caring, compassionate children who give back to their community. And there’s no better way to foster a lifelong passion to make a difference in the world than planning a family trip that aims to support and leave a long-lasting impact on different communities. A number of kid-friendly travel destinations are creating ways for families to lend a hand by volunteering a few hours (or longer) on projects that may be the highlight of the trip. “Just as parenting is about more than showing and telling, so too is family travel increasingly about seeing and doing, especially doing things that build character and compassion,” says Ethan Gelber, editorial director for the Family Travel Association.

The five volunteer vacation ideas below combine travel and service into a transformational learning experience for the entire family.

[See: 9 Vacations Where Going Away Means Giving Back.]

Plan a Trip to Give Kids The World Village

Orlando, Florida, has long been one of the world’s top family travel destinations. Give Kids The World Village, a 79-acre nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida, run by volunteers, provides children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a free weeklong vacation and access to Walt Disney World. Vacationing families in Central Florida can take a three- or four-hour volunteer shift any day of the week or spring for a longer voluntourism (volunteer tourism) trip. Parents and children can scoop ice cream, deliver pizza, staff the carousel or assist on village rides together. Volunteers can also participate in evening entertainment programs, help bring beloved characters to life and plan nightly parties.

Plan a Responsible Beach Getaway

Catering to families of all age groups and styles, Beaches Resorts properties are consistently ranked among the top kid-friendly hotels in the Caribbean. In addition to enjoying the surf, sun and sand, families can also give back to the community during their trip. Beaches has partnered with Reading Road Trip to allow visitors to spend time with children at local schools in support of literacy programs. In addition to reading in the local primary schools, families can also bring books and materials for donation via Pack for a Purpose, which lists needed supplies online and arranges for donations to be picked up. Island Impact, another teen-centric voluntourism program organized by Beaches Resorts, gives students the opportunity to earn up to 10 community service hours during their vacation.

[See: 8 Ethical Travel Destinations to Visit in 2017.]

Map Out an Impactful Family Vacation With ME to WE

A social enterprise dedicated to shifting “me” thinking to a “we” mindset, ME to WE offers voluntourism trips in multiple countries that allow families to participate in health, education and economic development projects abroad. Family volunteer opportunities include helping to build a school or renovate classrooms in Kenya, India and Ecuador. If your family is not able to dedicate an entire trip to volunteering, the adventure travel company Contiki Travel has partnered with ME to WE and offers a voluntourism experience as an extension to their Galápagos Islands tour. Families stay at Minga Lodge, Me to We’s rainforest eco-lodge, and help with sustainable development and cacao production.

Lend a Hand With Friendly Planet Travel

The global tour operator Friendly Planet Travel has offered group trips since 1981, and recently the company launched the Friendly Planet Foundation to promote voluntourism opportunities within the countries they’re visiting. For example, on Nepal tours families visit with children at the Bamboo School, which provides education to 1,200 underprivileged youths. Families can also support the Know One, Teach One project in Vietnam that provides homeless teens with a place to live and skills in the hospitality industry. During Vietnam trips, families visit the Know One, Teach One-affiliated restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where they support the project by enjoying a meal and interacting with teens.

[See: Going Green: 5 Top Eco-Friendly Trip Ideas.]

Give Back at Sea

In April 2016, Carnival Cruise Lines launched Fathom Impact Travel, offering weeklong voluntourism cruises to the Dominican Republic. With the ship docked in Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, guests could participate in one of two cultural immersion projects, either preparing chocolate from cacao beans at a women’s chocolate cooperative or producing recycled paper products and crafts at RePapel co-op. While the weeklong voluntourism cruises wrap up in May 2017, Carnival added these unique voluntourism excursions to their ships that make calls at Amber Cove.

More from U.S. News

7 Reasons to Volunteer on Your Next Vacation

Voluntourism 101: The Dos and Don’ts for Planning a Volunteer Vacation

How to Be an Ethical Traveler

5 Volunteer Vacations for Families originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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