New Children's Book Turns Volunteering into Uplifting Adventure

This uplifting tale follows friends Lucas and Emily as they spend a day volunteering at the city food bank while visiting several smaller ones closer to home. The book shows young audiences how giving back can be exciting, eye-opening and full of surprises—from sorting cans and packing lunches to meeting new people who rely on and support the food bank.

“Kindness is contagious,” said Grunenwald. “I wanted to create a story that shows kids how powerful their actions can be—even small ones. Volunteering doesn’t have to be boring or serious; it can be an adventure!”

Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure is the sixth book in the Lucas and Emily’s Adventures series, a delightful collection of stories about grandkids and grandparents bonding through everyday “adventures,” such as cooking, gardening and exploring the wonders of the animal kingdom. Written with children ages 5-10 in mind, the series is meant to foster relationships with family members and friendships with others.

Grunenwald is also the creator of the Grandparent Merit Badges series of books (available in English and Spanish), which features hands-on activities that kids love, designed to spark laughter, learning, and connection between grandparents and their young grandchildren. As readers complete each activity, they earn colorful merit badges and certificates of merit, celebrating the joy of simply spending time side by side.

“We should all support our local food banks. Whether by giving money or food or volunteering your time, it’s all helpful. The need is enormous,” Grunenwald added. “People should put down their phones and iPads and spend time volunteering at a local food bank.”