Share The Holiday Spirit With These NYC Volunteer Opportunities
Posted in Giving back by volunteering
NYC Volunteer Organizations
For many New Yorkers, the holiday season is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past year and prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead. Unfortunately, not everyone can count on seeing a friendly face this holiday season. Due to a higher rate of factors like poverty, mobility restrictions, and linguistic isolation, New York City seniors experience social isolation at a higher rate than national averages.
Since the holidays tend to bring out the best in people and we recently celebrated International Volunteer Day on Monday, SelectCare Home Care Services wanted to share a few senior-focused volunteer programs with our community. By dedicating as little as an hour every week, we can each do our part to ensure our older neighbors aren’t forced to face another holiday season on their own.
Below are four volunteer organizations you can join to help brighten up a fellow New Yorker’s day.
Many older New Yorkers find comfort and companionship in their pets, however, caring for a four-legged friend can become a challenge when mobility restrictions make activities like going for walks and purchasing food difficult. PAWS NY (Pets Are Wonderful Support – NY) matches volunteers with elderly clients throughout the city, offering at-home services like dog walking and cat litter cleanup, as well as running a small pet food pantry and providing foster housing in the event a client is hospitalized, ensuring pets and their owners remain happy, healthy and engaged.
To learn more about how to volunteer at PAWS NY, click here
Travellers, Artists and Chefs – Citymeals On Wheels
Since delivering their first meal in 1981, Citymeals has become a New York institution responsible for sending more than 50 million free meals to those who need it most. Such a stunning success would not be possible without dedicated volunteers. Volunteering with Citymeals can take a variety of forms thanks to the breadth of their current programming. Depending on a volunteer’s interest and availability, they can get involved by delivering meals to homebound New Yorkers, performing friendly visits either in-person or by telephone, or by designing and writing handmade cards sent to Citymeals clients on birthdays and other holidays.
To learn more about how to volunteer at Citymeals On Wheels, click here
Social Butterflies – Visiting Neighbors of New York
Established in 1972, VIsiting Neighbors of New York pairs volunteers with elderly clients for friendly social visits, as well as providing a helping hand when clients need to make medical appointments or go shopping. While many visiting neighbor services have somewhat strict availability requirements, VNNY offers more free form scheduling options that make getting involved easier than ever.
To learn more about how to volunteer at Visiting Neighbors, click here
On behalf of SelectCare’s Staff, we wish everyone in our community a happy, healthy holiday season, a promising new year, and applaud everyone who chooses to take time out of their busy schedule to bring some holiday joy to those who need it most.