How to Support Veterans or Retirees
Check out Causecast’s United We Serve page for more summer Do-It-Yourself service projects!
Sometimes all you need to help is time. Visiting a retirement home or veterans support center and lend an ear is simple and could mean the world to someone.
Find locations. To get started easily, check out the AARP’s volunteer page or the US Department of Veteran Affairs Voluntary Service site.
See an orientation session. If there isn’t such a thing, see if you can spend a day shadowing some of the volunteers. You should get a good idea for who’s who and what you’ll be doing before you jump in.
Find a job. There are a lot of opportunities in these types of places. You can help the waitstaff, in administrative offices, or keep individual people company. Choose something you feel you could do consistently to become a real part of the community.
Make a connection. Visiting retirement homes or veteran support centers is all about creating a personal relationship. Make a friend you look forward to meeting. Ideally, this will come to not even feel like volunteering.
Bring things to do. Try a deck of cards or a good book. Keep whatever you’re doing stimulating and interesting. Of course, stay open to whatever activities and ideas other people have.
Share your experience. Via blog, word of mouth, whatever. People will come to be interested in who you meet and what you’ve been doing. Encourage people to come with you or sign up themselves.
Photo by Army.mil, flickr
- Posted by Causecast
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