All of us interns (and our bosses) on our office building floor hope we contributed to some Bright Beginnings for homeless children in DC yesterday.

We have been planning a service project since the beginning of the summer and all agreed we wanted to work with children. Bright Beginnings seemed like the perfect choice. Interns and supervisors from myImpact.org (obviously!) NCoC, Points of Light and Mobilize.org spent five hours playing with children, cleanings toys, helping with lunch, setting up for nap time and numerous other duties.

(One of the myImpact interns, Thien-Y, hard at work on the slide, as well as others from the non-profits on our floor)

(“Cleaning” playground equipment.)

The children were the best part of the experience! They were climbing all over us, touching our hair, holding our hands and genuinely making us feel more welcome than I typically do at family gatherings. They were all so energetic and happy, it was hard to imagine them as not having a stable home. It was very rewarding to be a part of their lives - even if it was just for the day.

(Just a couple of the great kids we had the opportunity to play with)

The staff and volunteers at Bright Beginnings were very accommodating and helpful. I would definitely recommend this organization if you are considering a group volunteer outing! The experience was very rewarding, and it’s nice to know we helped make the day a little easier for the children at Bright Beginnings.

Bright Beginnings is a child and family development center that offers a “bright start” for homeless infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families. It serves children whose families are living in crisis shelters or transitional housing. The program prepares these children for kindergarten and stabilizes their families, according to the Bright Beginnings website.