I Want to Volunteer! Where Do I Start?

Supplement to the book "Aging in Stride"

After his children grew up and moved away, retired grocery executive Leslie found himself spending more time than he liked watching TV.  He investigated opportunities through VolunteerMatch, and decided to attend training to serve as a school crossing guard for the neighborhood elementary school, whose bus funding had been cut.

Each morning and afternoon, Leslie arrives at the busy corner in time to shepherd his young charges across a busy intersection. Leslie says, "My grandkids live far away—but these are my adopted grandkids!"

Locating volunteer positions in your area means finding a good match between the available opportunities and your own skills and interests. You might be surprised at how your special talents can be put to use—and you might find yourself tapping into your potential in new ways you hadn't even envisioned! As you search for an organization that can use your help, first consider...

• your special skills
• your work experience
• special knowledge you can share
• your interests and the things that are important to you
• the amount of time and commitment you are willing and able to offer.

Next, investigate the organizations in your community that welcome volunteers and provide training for committed individuals:

• hospitals and other healthcare organizations
• schools
• community agencies (such as senior centers or public library) 
• charitable organizations
• parks and recreation department 
• churches and other faith communities 
• cultural groups (museums, theaters, art societies, music groups) 
• civic organizations
• political groups.

No matter what your answers, if you have the desire to give of your time and energy, volunteer opportunities await you! Here are some places to begin your search:

• You might start with your local Senior Services office. A directory of local offices can be found through The Eldercare Locator. Just enter your location and the Eldercare Locator will in most cases give you the website address and phone number.
  
  
• Another rich source of volunteer ideas is U.S. SeniorCorps, which is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Opportunities include the Foster Grandparents Program, Senior Companions, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
  
  
• The U.S. Government's FirstGov portal website includes Public Service and Volunteerism, a directory of organizations and government agencies that seek volunteers.
  
  
• VounteerMatch is a non-profit online service that matches prospective volunteers with service opportunities in their communities.
  
  
• The U.S. Administration on Aging also maintains a directory of volunteer opportunities, including contact information and web links.
  
  
• Civic Ventures is leading the call to engage millions of Baby Boomers as a vital workforce for change. Volunteers are engaged in a variety of programs to make a difference—from education to healthcare to homelessness.
  
  
• The Points of Light Institute, sponsor of National Volunteer Week, is a collective network that manages millions of volunteers and 50,000 volunteer driven community impact projects annually around the country. The website includes a directory of member volunteer centers across the U.S.

Volunteering can be an important part of healthy aging—a way to keep your skills sharp and your mind challenged, while giving back to the community and the world. The need for volunteers has never been greater. Fortunately, more and more seniors are answering the call, serving their communities, sharing their gifts, and helping others!

By Joyce Remy, Editor, and Dennis Kenny, Co-Author, Aging in Stride–Plan Ahead, Stay Connected, Keep Moving. Copyright, 2009.