Very young volunteers

You did an admirable job writing about parents who want to teach their kids about taking care of community members less fortunate than others (Jan. 10 Life, etc. section article "Never too young to care"). However, you neglected to include one vital aspect of volunteering for anyone, and especially for parents of young children: safety.

Getting young children to understand about "helping others" is a good thing, but shelter kitchens, and sometimes even food pantries, are busy places, with sharp objects and people moving fast -- sometimes carrying large pots filled with hot food.

Toddlers underfoot in such places can be more of a liability than an asset. Parents are best advised to find out if the project or group for which they wish to volunteer has an age minimum for volunteer workers, or if there are volunteer opportunities appropriate for young kids.

As the founder of a volunteer group that's been cooking monthly for almost eight years at a Chapel Hill shelter kitchen, I can attest to the delight of having our now-teenage kids join us for our monthly lunch duty. But they are well-versed in the safety rules of the kitchen, and know how to handle themselves (and there is always an adult present). Safety -- for their children and for the clients -- should be the first priority of any parent volunteering with their kids.

Maureen Dolan Rosen

Chapel Hill