A Next Door Volunteer Family: Meet the Majors

They are a family of five from Hartland — each one with a unique, meaningful story to share about giving back to their community through service at Next Door.

“Honestly, I just love this whole program — you create a magical place here for children,” said Beth, the mother of this family.

Beth’s oldest son, Ben, made the family’s first connection with Next Door in 2015 after learning about the organization online. For Ben’s Eagle Scout project, he collected over 3,000 books from across the country for Next Door’s Books for Kids program. His Boy Scout Troop helped clean and repair the books in the Major’s garage and later came to Next Door to read to children in the library.

“Reading has always helped me and I just think you can give that gift to other kids, that love of reading, pretty easily and Next Door is a way to do that,” Ben said.

Beth and her two other children, Marie and Cazzy, were next in line to volunteer at Next Door. They started reading to children in the library and volunteering with Next Door’s Books for Kids Mobile Library, which visits Next Door’s 11 partnership sites and community events to give away free books for kids.

“Going out in the community and seeing where these books are needed and seeing firsthand the children getting the books and taking them home is really cool,” Marie said.

L-R: Ben, Marie, Cazzy, Beth and Sean Major 

As a yoga instructor, Beth led classes for children as part of special programming with the Mobile Library. She later taught a yoga class to expectant mothers in Next Door’s Prenatal Services program and currently teaches yoga for Next Door staff as part of a mindfulness initiative.

One of the family’s most heartwarming displays of generosity came in September 2018. The Majors came to Next Door to distribute 100 book crates for children in Next Door’s home visitation program, helping them create a home library. Cazzy organized this plan for his Boy Scout Eagle project – sanding, painting and labeling each crate. He also organized a book drive, collecting 500 books for Next Door.

“It was a lot of work over the summer but it really felt like it was all worth it to see the kids so happy that day. It was better than I imagined it would be because the kids really seemed to appreciate it,” Cazzy said.

We can’t forget about Dad Sean who twice has turned his garage into a workshop to support his sons’ Eagle Scout projects for Next Door. We’re so grateful for the Majors and their creative and loyal service to the children and families of Next Door!

Click HERE for a FOX6 News link featuring Cazzy Major’s book crate project for Next Door.

Click HERE to learn more about volunteering opportunities at Next Door.