Like many parent groups, you might have just gotten your plans off the ground for Teacher Appreciation Week. But please don’t hang up your appreciation hat just yet—hopefully, you’re also planning to thank your volunteers as this school year winds down.

Here are a few things to keep in mind about volunteer appreciation:

1. There’s no such thing as too much volunteer appreciation. In other words, don’t get into the “did they do enough to deserve thanks” game. If someone helped, she deserves your thanks for it. All volunteering matters.

2. It’s totally OK to spend group funds on appreciation. A breakfast, a token of appreciation, a lunch—if you have the money, there isn’t an issue if you choose to go those routes.

3. Many of the best appreciation efforts are low-cost or free, like handwritten thank-you notes, public acknowledgments on social media, and coffee and pastries right at school. The sincerity of your thanks counts for much more than how much you spend. 

We have some great resources that can help:

10 Quick and Easy Volunteer Gifts

6 Keys to Volunteer Appreciation

Originally published in 2016 and updated regularly.