Volunteering can be a rewarding pursuit for people of all ages. That said, it can be an especially fulfilling and engaging activity for older adults, who often look for meaningful ways to spend their time after retirement. Today, seniors can choose from various volunteering opportunities. Whether they engage in work that contributes to the welfare of people, animals, or the environment, any such opportunity can be a way to give back to society.
1. Animal shelters
Older adults who want to work towards creating a safer life for abandoned, rescued, and/or at-risk animals can consider volunteering for animal shelters. These shelters typically need volunteers to carry out tasks such as caring for the animals, cleaning their cages, handling adoption requests and administrative work, and assisting with fundraising. If wondering how seniors can volunteer at these places, the first step they can take is to look for and make a list of local shelters open to offering seniors suitable volunteering opportunities. Here, checking out volunteering options listed by organizations like The Humane Society of the United States can also help. Seniors who want to work with specific animals can look for organizations that focus on helping or rescuing those species. Finding an organization that one appreciates and connects with will help seniors feel even more motivated to volunteer. Along with volunteering, seniors can consider fostering animals, i.e., offering animals temporary care prior to their adoption.
2. National parks
An impactful volunteer work option for senior citizens is assisting national parks or state parks with their day-to-day operations. This is a worthwhile opportunity for seniors who have always had a passion for protecting the natural beauty of their region. A few common tasks that national park volunteers carry out include guiding tourists, educating them about the protected species in the park, and contributing towards the park’s conservation efforts. To begin volunteering at parks and reserves, seniors can either approach the management of such spaces in their region or contact the National Park Service—an organization that connects interested volunteers with a park of their choice.
3. Food banks
Many in the country do not have access to enough food to fulfill their basic needs. Food banks across the country aim to address this need and improve the availability of food. Seniors can also help with this mission by volunteering at a local food bank. These non-profits typically need volunteers to perform daily tasks such as delivering food, raising funds for operations, and buying supplies. To find such opportunities, seniors can visit the official website of Feeding America, which lists all official food banks in every region in the country. This information will help interested volunteers choose a local food organization that they can contact.
4. Affordable housing non-profits
Lack of access to comfortable and affordable housing is also a key issue in the country. Habitat for Humanity is a large non-profit organization that is striving to solve this issue by building safe and suitable homes for low-income citizens. Seniors can volunteer for this organization to help their staff build homes, collect donations, provide disaster relief, and carry out home preservation activities. Those interested can visit the official website of the organization to learn more about what it does and how seniors can volunteer.
5. Senior assistance initiatives
Older adults can also help other seniors through an initiative called Seniors Helping Seniors. This national organization works towards helping seniors live independently. So, its volunteers typically help seniors who need assistance with daily activities and provide them with at-home care and supportive company. This opportunity is a seniors-only volunteer role with a purpose. It can also be quite engaging for volunteers as well as care recipients, as both groups get to bond with those who are at similar stages of life. The organization also ensures that the experience is rewarding by encouraging volunteers to form friendships with those that they are helping by participating in hobbies and activities with them.
6. World peace programs
World peace can be a huge dream for many. Peace Corps is an organization that gives individuals an opportunity to pursue this dream and make efforts to achieve it. While a major chunk of Peace Corps volunteers are individuals in their twenties, the organization also has a few volunteering programs for senior citizens and retirees. For instance, one of its special initiatives is meant for volunteers over 50. Here, volunteers are assigned duties such as teaching and farming, often in a different country, where their accommodation and living costs are covered by the Peace Corps.
7. Child welfare initiatives
Seniors who love spending time and bonding with kids can consider volunteering for initiatives like the Foster Grandparent Program. This is yet another seniors-only volunteering project that offers those over 55 a chance to mentor and tutor children and set them up for a successful future. Additionally, volunteers here get a chance to provide care to children who require special attention. Those who wish to mentor teens can also consider volunteering for the Foster Grandparent Program.
Seniors can also find and sign up for other impactful volunteering or work opportunities in their area that allow them to help their communities. To do that, seniors can find non-profits nearby and contact them.