Among other things, April is VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION MONTH. In its purest form, though, volunteering isn’t about getting recognition, so I want to suggest you show your appreciation for volunteers by being one yourself.
There are countless ways to volunteer your time, talents, and wisdom. Regardless of your mobility, finances, geographical location, gender, age, level of education…. Any and every senior has something to contribute by way of volunteering. And since there is no better time than the present, take a look at the list below, choose one (or more), and get started.
- Spend a few hours a week helping struggling readers learn to read at a local elementary school.
- Host a group of college students or young adults in your home for the purpose of having a study group, learning a hobby, or a book club.
- Bake birthday cakes for nursing home residents.
- Volunteer one day a week to play board games or supervise arts and crafts projects at a childcare center or nursing home.
- Bake cookies for a homeless shelter, women’s safehouse, or soup kitchen.
- Volunteer your skills to a nonprofit. Examples: bookkeeping, typing/computer skills, graphic design, cooking, tutoring, photography, sewing, music lessons, or ‘surrogate’ grandparenting.
- Volunteer your skills and time to a scout troop, 4-H club, or other youth organization.
- If you have the room and are physically and mentally capable, open your home to a foreign exchange student.
- Open your home for holiday dinners or weekly home cooked meals to college students living too far from home to go home.
- Assemble goodie bags, care packages, and hygiene bags for children who are chronically or terminally ill, soldiers, college students, the homeless, and children in foster care.
- Volunteer to hoe a few rows in a community garden or donate your own garden produce to foster parents or a home daycare.
- Meet and greet people at your favorite museum or at a local funeral home when there is a funeral visitation and service.
- Donate stuffed animals to children involved in auto accidents, who are taken from their homes and placed in emergency foster care, or who are displaced because of a fire, or natural disaster.
- Organize a neighborhood walking club, book club, or something else of interest to you.
Are you inspired yet? Good, now go do something!
Guest post By Darla Noble
The views expressed by the author may not reflect the views of Age Safe America, LLC. The content here should not be taken as medical, legal or financial advice. The content here is for informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your own healthcare, legal or financial professional with any question.