Riverbend GIVES

Riverbend GIVES stands for Gather. Inspire. Volunteer. Engage. Support. This award-winning community service event is an opportunity for families to come together to make a difference for our neighbors in need. 

February 7, 2026 | 1:00 pm

Parents and students at Riverbend GIVES

Riverbend GIVES is an annual event where families gather to do projects that help people and animals in need. From hand-knitting scarves for people experiencing homelessness and creating “care kits” for hospitalized children to assembling bookcases for someone coming out of homelessness or designing Valentines for our nursing home neighbors, there’s a project for everyone!

Come for the whole time or stay a short while; complete one project or complete them all! This event is a wonderful opportunity to teach our children about the joys of giving back to the community.

Everyone is welcome, and there are activities available for all ages. Families are invited to bring a nut-free snack to share. This festive, meaningful event is a highlight of the year at Riverbend!

Sign Up to Volunteer
  • Assembly line
  • Valentines table
  • Building a bookcase
  • Students at Riverbend Gives
  • Building a bookcase
  • Alumni at Riverbend GIVES

How to Help

Donate Supplies: We need lots of supplies to make this day a success. If you’d like to donate materials, please visit our Amazon Wish List. This list directs you to your own Amazon cart. You can either have the items sent to your home and you can bring them to Riverbend, or you can adjust the shipping address and have the items sent to Riverbend (must be delivered by February 3rd). We’re so grateful for your support of this special family event!

Contribute to Friends of Boston’s Homeless: Donate new men’s and women’s socks, new underwear, travel-sized toiletries, and small winter apparel (gloves, hats, scarves). Donations can be dropped off at the Gym Circle and Children’s House entrances.

Contribute to Natick Service Council’s Food Pantry: Donate cleaning products, personal care products, toilet paper, diapers and wipes to the Natick Service Council. Donations can be dropped off at the Gym Circle and Children’s House entrances.

Please note, Riverbend GIVES is not a drop-off event. Parent/guardian accompaniment is required, and no childcare will be provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! We’ve designed the event with all ages in mind. Every station has something even our youngest community members can do. For example, young children can help place snacks in bags at the Newton Food Pantry station, decorate cards with stickers and crayons, or make simple bird feeders with cheerios and pipe cleaners. While some tasks (like cutting or tying) may need adult assistance, there are plenty of hands-on activities perfect for little hands.

That’s perfectly okay! Dr. Montessori taught us that children learn through observation and absorbing their environment. Even if your child is running around the gym, they are watching and learning from the generous actions of others around them. As Dr. Montessori said, “Children have a tendency to imitate…They must adapt to this world and be able to do all the things that are done in the environment.” By bringing your child and modeling service, you’re planting important seeds for the future.

The event runs from 1:00-3:00pm, but families are welcome to come and go as needed! There’s no requirement to stay for the entire time. Many families with young children find that 30-45 minutes is a good amount of time to visit a few stations. You can rotate through activities at your own pace and leave when your child is ready.

We recommend starting with these stations for the youngest participants:

  • Bird Feeder Station: Simple, tactile activity perfect for little ones
  • Card Making Station: Stickers, coloring, and decorating with minimal mess
  • Newton Food Pantry Snack Bags: Easy assembly line work placing items in bags
  • CocoTree Kids Underwear Sorting: Simple sorting and organizing tasks

Station captains will be there to help guide your child and adapt activities as needed.

PIN Community Service Award

Riverbend received the PIN Community Service Award in 2025, honoring our commitment to community service through the Riverbend GIVES event. PIN (Parents’ Independent School Network) is a network of parents at some of the top independent schools in the area. This award includes a grant that help fund Riverbend GIVES. We appreciate the special recognition of how this annual event inspires our students to engage in hands-on service to others in our community!

Learn more about the Parents’ Independent School Network here.

Check the Riverbend Calendar for this year’s date, time, and registration information (if applicable).