214. Homeless...The Power of Shared Experiences: Why Serving Together Strengthens Families

Hey Family Brand! It’s Chris and Melissa here, and today we’re diving into something that has been incredibly meaningful for our family lately—creating shared experiences through service. If you’ve ever felt like life is moving too fast and you’re struggling to connect as a family, this episode is for you. We’re sharing our recent experience feeding the homeless, how it impacted our kids, and why we’re making service a bigger priority in 2025.

One of our biggest takeaways from this experience? Service is like medicine. It shifts the focus away from ourselves and helps us see the bigger picture. It builds gratitude, strengthens our core values, and brings us together in a way that few other things do. We’ve always talked about the importance of being intentional with our family culture, and this was a perfect example of how shared experiences create a deeper sense of identity and belonging.

We also talk about how we planned this experience using JustServe.org, a website that connects families with local service opportunities. Whether you’re looking for a one-time event or want to make service a regular part of your family’s routine, this is a great place to start. And if you don’t have time to plan something big? That’s okay. Even small, everyday acts of service—helping a neighbor, cooking a meal, or simply being more present for someone—can have a huge impact.

Another takeaway? If it’s not on the calendar, it won’t happen. We’ve learned that good intentions aren’t enough—we need to schedule service opportunities just like we would a vacation or a family dinner. This week, we’re challenging our kids to pick our next family service project, giving them ownership in the process. We’ll report back on how it goes!

So here’s your challenge—how can you create more shared experiences in your family? Whether it’s a service project, a trip, or just making time for regular family meals, intentionality is everything. Take some time this week to talk about it, put something on the calendar, and make it happen!

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand
  

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 – Special announcement: Join us for our March 6th Masterclass!
• 2:00 – The inspiration behind our recent service project
• 4:00 – How JustServe.org helped us find a local opportunity
• 6:00 – The impact of serving together as a family
• 9:00 – Why shared experiences build strong family culture
• 12:00 – The importance of scheduling service on your calendar
• 15:00 – Giving kids a say in planning family service projects
• 18:00 – Your challenge: What shared experiences can you create this week?

Let us know what you think and what service projects you take on as a family! We’d love to hear your stories. 💛