ARCHIVED BLOG
Volunteerism as a Fountain of Youth
By Mei Cobb, Director of Volunteer & Employee Engagement,
United Way Worldwide
Giving back to others isn’t just good for the community—it’s good for your health, too. In fact, volunteering at any age improves your physical and mental health exponentially. Not only do volunteers have lower mortality rates and less depression, but when you volunteer later in life, it contributes to living longer and can even decrease the risk of dementia. By volunteering just two hours a week, older adults can reduce early level disability.
I Am Senior Corps: A Poem and a Purpose
“Foster
Grandparent”
by Senior Corps volunteer Juanita Davis
Each day when I awake
I know the road I’m taking
To fulfill my needs and others
And the difference I am making.
I rush off to see the children
And start an interesting day.
I’ll listen with my heart and mind
To all they have to say.
They show appreciation
With a hug and so much more.
This fills my life with happiness
What else could I ask for?
I know I make a difference
And it makes my life worthwhile
To be a Foster Grandparent
To a very special child.
Oklahoma’s Provide-A-Ride Program Mobilizes Senior Citizens In Service
As we conclude Volunteer Mobilization month this October, we take a look back at the important service volunteers provide in our communities. Provide-A-Ride, a program designed, implemented and managed by RSVP of Central Oklahoma since 1995, ensures low-income senior citizens who reside in Oklahoma County have safe, reliable and free transportation to and from their medical appointments.
RSVP volunteer drivers utilize their own vehicles to provide one-on-one, door-through-door support for seniors who can no longer drive. Through Provide-A-Ride, 5,200 senior citizens without transportation have received 123,900 rides to medical appointments and treatments since the program began, and 300 volunteers have donated 120,000 service hours to help their peers overcome transportation barriers.
Through grants and other resources—including the energy and efforts of citizens age 55 and over— the Senior Corps programs: Foster Grandparents, RSVP and Senior Companions help meet the needs and challenges of America’s communities.
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