Get Social…and Volunteer for the Hungry!

With the holidays just ahead, most of us look forward to the abundance, food, family, friends and community. But for some, Thanksgiving—and the holidays in general—can be a time when some older adults feel alone – and hungry!

According to Feeding America research, 1 in 11 seniors aged 60 and older, or 8.7% of the senior population, were food insecure in 2022. And it’s not just older adults feeling the pinch.  According to the Military Family Advisory Network, “Our latest study shows that one in five military and veteran families experience food insecurity—rising to one in four among active duty military families—compared to one in eight U.S. households.”

How to help – volunteer!

One solution is to get out and volunteer. From putting together care packages for the troops abroad, to stocking up a food pantry, or delivering groceries to families and seniors, there’s a place for you to help other – and help yourself too.

Helping those less fortunate or food insecure doesn’t just help those we serve. According to the Harvard study, Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach, older adults who volunteer as little as two hours per week substantially lower their risk of early death, become more physically active, and improve their overall sense of well-being compared with those who don’t volunteer.

Where to volunteer

So where can you sign up? Consider the following year-round charities particularly in need around the holidays.

Soldiers’ Angels

In 2003, Patti Patton, great-grandniece of Gen. George Patton, started sending her son care packages when he was deployed in Iraq. After he told her he was the only one to receive them, Patti started to send them to the entire platoon and the Soldiers’ Angels charity was born. Today, the nonprofit boasts 180,000 volunteers doing myriad good deeds throughout the country for our beloved Military Veterans and their families.

“We just had 136 events around the country for our Veterans,” says Amy Palmer, President & CEO, Soldiers’ Angels, based in San Antonio. “Our senior volunteers do everything, from writing letters to soldiers to helping at a food pantry or visiting VA nursing homes,” Palmer says. Soldiers’ Angels also works directly with VA hospitals to provide box lunches and gift cards to the VA cafeteria, or canteen, for low-income and homeless Veterans that may not otherwise know where their next meal is coming from.

The veterans are grateful, Palmer says, but she’s also seen volunteers come to life helping others.

“I met a senior at Bible study who was lonely and wasn’t taking care of herself. We set her up to visit patients at the VA and every time she walked in, they’d call out, “There’s our angel’. It lifted her spirits so much; she now had a purpose.”

AmeriCorps Seniors

Food insecurity remains a serious issue among older people, minorities and the disabled, so, for seniors in better circumstances, they may find fulfillment helping others by distributing meals with AmeriCorps Seniors. As a national organization, they work with organizations such as Hunger Free America to distribute food.

“Our volunteers are 55 plus and can choose how and when they want to help. They can deliver groceries to an elderly neighbor, or support a family impacted by a national disaster or even help a child with their reading. We work with many local organizations,” says Erin Schneider, acting press secretary, office of communications and marketing, AmeriCorps, based in Washington, DC

“The benefits to volunteers are great, too,” Schneider adds. “Not only does our peer-to-peer program help seniors stay connected with others, but our 2019 study on volunteering found 84 percent of volunteers reported improved or stable health, with 88 percent claiming a decrease in feelings of isolation, and 78 percent less depressed.”

The AmeriCorps Pathfinder tool, says Schneider, helps seniors find volunteer opportunities by state and specific to the area where they live. This unique tool provides concise descriptions of the various opportunities, making it a breeze for volunteers to choose their own best fit.

“Through our programs, AmeriCorps offers opportunities with different time commitments and requirements, meaning you can serve in whatever capacity works for your goals and lifestyle,” Schneider adds.

Other Charities with Opportunities to Volunteer:

Founded in 1979, Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. With a network of more than 200 food banks across the country, this organization secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of food and groceries annually. Whether you sort, pack or distribute food, help is always needed.

We all recognize the iconic red kettle donation drive during the holidays, but most people don’t know that The Salvation Army offers a year-round senior lunch program, community breakfasts and emergency food assistance. To volunteer, visit their website and enter your zip code to find the closest opportunities.

Meals on Wheels is renowned for its nationwide service that delivers meals to the homebound: America, Let’s Do Lunch program. Meals are picked up at a central location and delivered directly along a pre-determined route to the homes of several seniors in a particular area. If this sounds appealing, set up a volunteer schedule that works for you, whether it’s once a week, once a month, or as needed.

Tips For Volunteering

* Start small (maybe an hour or two a week) and try not to over commit. Rather than let others down because you’ve taken on too much, start with a manageable routine and take on more only if you have ample time and energy. Remember: The job should fit your likes as well as the organization’s needs. Do consider volunteering at several charities to find your right fit.

* Look at opportunities close to home and consider convenience. We all want to be flexible and available, but if it takes you three busses or an hour to drive to the location, you’re going to lose enthusiasm and look for excuses to quit.

* Depending on the job (such as visiting veterans at the VA), expect a background check, an expense that should be covered by the organization. Less personal activities, such as sorting food at a food bank, will likely only require you to sign a liability waiver.

* Go solo. It may be fun to volunteer with a friend, but you will meet more people if you go by yourself because it gently forces you to meet new people!

Your help is needed, and a world of opportunity awaits. Since this is your time, look for work you can commit to and that you’re likely to find fulfilling.

YOUR TURN

Have you volunteered in a food bank, pantry or other group?  Share your experience in the comments!

Photo (top) courtesy of Soldiers’ Angels (Orlando).

 

Jennifer Juergens Thomas has a lifelong interest in how people get together.  As a former AP reporter she covered feature stories and later wrote about conventions from Anaheim to New  Zealand as editor of Meetings and Conventions magazine. She was a public relations consultant for clients like the Society of Incentive and Travel Executives focusing on how and why people need to get together. An Orlando resident, she continues to contribute to Meetings Today magazine among other ventures.