Where to donate your time
The retirement years no longer conjure up a picture of elderly couples sitting on a porch. As our health improves and people are feeling younger, longer, retirees are becoming an active and vibrant part of the community. Because of this, it makes perfect sense that retirees want to remain as busy as possible and use their skill set for the betterment of their community. Volunteering in retirement is one way to do just that.
Volunteer for the Troops
Most people are familiar with the United Service Organizations (USO) and their entertainment of troops abroad, but the organization does much more than send celebrities and comedians to soldiers stationed around the world. The USO is continuously in need of volunteers to make coffee in offices, organize events, greet troops returning home from stations abroad, and provide provisions for troops stuck at airport layovers. Retired military veterans and civilians are welcome to volunteer with the group.
Aside from the USO, there are a variety of charities that work directly with active and retired military personnel, and they are often in need of volunteers. The Wounded Warrior Project, Hope for Heroes, and Homes for our Troops are all organizations that work with the military and are always in need of volunteers.
Working with Children
Whether your grandchildren are around the corner or the country, retirees surely have a lot of love to give, and there are plenty of children in need of mentoring and companionship. Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organization that pairs an adult with a child in need of an active role model in their life. Hospitals are often also in need of volunteers to cuddle babies, read stories to kids, or tutor children who are on extended stays in the hospital.
Volunteer positions of this nature usually require background checks and an extended commitment from the volunteer. If you are a retiree who isn’t going to be traveling a great deal, then this is a volunteer opportunity that is likely perfect for you.
Turn Your Career into Volunteering
A retiree who has worked their entire life in a particular field is invaluable to many charities and organizations. For example, retired lawyers can work with charities to provide counsel for foster children, help animal rights groups or provide legal counsel to charities and organizations. The same is true for other career paths, too. Just because you’ve retired doesn’t mean your skill set needs to retire, also.
If you have worked in a particular career path, you’ll want to check with local charities and organizations to see if your skill set can be put to good use. In many cases, it can. Volunteering in retirement can mean using your lifelong career skills to aid organizations trying to better your community.
Offer Your Help at an Animal Shelter
If you have a love for dogs and cats, consider volunteering in retirement at an animal shelter or humane society. Many of these organizations are stretched thin and rely heavily on volunteers to keep the place running smoothly. They also offer incredibly flexible volunteer schedules, and you can choose to come in on days and times that work best for you. Volunteers are needed for everything from walking and cuddling newly acquired rescue dogs and cats, to serving as a liaison for the shelter.
Now that you are retired, it is time to get active in your community and indulge the interests you didn’t have the time for in the past. If volunteering in retirement is one of those interests, there is undoubtedly no shortage of organizations that could use your help.
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