I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

--Mahatma Gandhi


Click here for a descriptive flyer.
 

Senior Buddy Readers

...do you enjoy children?   ......can you volunteer one or two hours per week?   If your answer is YES, you’re needed as a Senior Buddy Reader.

Current Opportunities
Nathan Hale School (Tues. 9:15-11:15 am)
Casimir Pulaski School (Tues. 1:00-2:45 pm)
Hanover School (Thurs. 10:00-11:30 am)
Thomas Hooker School (Thurs. 1:30-2:30 pm)

What do you do?
• Spend 1-2 hours each week with 1st and 2nd grade Meriden students
• Students do the reading - you help them with words and pronunciation

What do you get?
• The joy of helping local students who need assistance
• Weekly outing to serve your community

If you are a senior in good health with 1-2 hours per week to give to a child, contact program coordinator Cathy @ 203-599-8085. Or speak to fellow Y's Men Buddy Reader Terry Clarke.

Click here for a descriptive flyer.

VNA HealthCare
 

Call Susan Wright at 860.493.7166 or e-mail to learn more about the following volunteer opportunities:

Meals on Wheels - Now in its 50th Year!
Each day volunteers from our program deliver nutritious meals and goodwill to the doorsteps of seniors and disabled individuals who are unable to shop or prepare their own food. Nutritious meals are delivered to almost 1,000 people each day thanks in part to the manpower and dedication of our individual and corporate volunteer teams.to find out how you or your business or organization can give back to the community by assisting VNA HealthCare.

Hospice and Bereavement Volunteers
Our hospice and bereavement volunteers play an important role in enhancing our patients' quality of life to the greatest extent possible by helping them live at home more comfortably with their loved ones. Hospice volunteers can provide precious respite time to weary family members and offer comfort and support to patients simply by being there. Bereavement volunteers support grieving families through in-home visits, phone calls and support groups. All volunteers will receive special training, ongoing education and supervision.

Administrative Volunteers
Volunteers are always needed to help out with various tasks in our Cheshire, Glastonbury, Hartford, Southbury, Waterbury and Windsor Locks offices. You can work with any of our departments on a variety of projects including special events all at your own convenience. This is an excellent opportunity for retirees who want to remain active in the community.

Supportive Technology Volunteers
Volunteers can help install vital equipment, such as home health telemonitors and the Lifeline Emergency Response Unit, in patients' homes to help them continue to live healthy and independent lives. Training and ongoing support is provided.

Special Event Volunteers
Special event volunteers help prepare materials for and staff a variety of community events including flu immunization clinics, the Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing Gala, and fundraisers including our annual golf tournament.

Volunteer Opportunities at MidState Medical Center

  • The Volunteer Department at MidState is looking to increase volunteer staffing in high-volume, high-traffic areas. Information desk receptionists stationed at various entrances are needed late afternoons and early evenings, including weekends. If you enjoy meeting and greeting the public, have excellent telephone skills, and are able to use a computer to access information, please call Nicole Kaczmarczyk, Volunteer Coordinator, at (203) 694-8742 or email nicole.kaczmarczyk@hhchealth.org for more information.

  • Certified pet therapy dogs provide hours of comfort to support patients who may otherwise have no visitors or may feel lonely and isolated in a hospital setting. Anyone having a registered therapy dog that is certified by a legitimate therapy dog organization is welcome to join our volunteer staff. Please contact the volunteer office at MidState Medical Center.




Meriden Public Library

WANT TO HELP THE MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
AND LEARN ABOUT MARKETING ON THE INTERNET?

Volunteers are needed to help the Friends of the Library sell books in the Bookstore or on Amazon.com. If you can spare a couple of hours in the morning on one or more days per week, call the Bookstore at (203) 639-1505. The sales activities are located at the Friends Bookstore, 105 Miller St., Meriden . All proceeds from the sales go to support the library. For details, click here.
 

Got an hour a week to spare? Why not put it to good use, helping to make a kid strong; strong enough to refuse drugs and alcohol, strong enough to stay in school, strong enough to stay out of gangs.

Learn how you can help, volunteering as little as one hour per week.
Call 860-852-0045 or click here.
 

Thresholds of Cheshire CT

For over 25 years, Thresholds in Cheshire Connecticut has been teaching a five-step decision-making process to interested inmates in Connecticut's prisons. Thresholds was originally developed by Milton "Mickey" Burglass while he was incarcerated in a Louisiana prison in the mid-1960s. After Burglass' release he attended Harvard University where, for his doctorate, he formalized his decision-making process into the highly successful program known as Thresholds.

The decision making process is one that we have found helpful in our personal lives and it is our wish to teach it to others. It is up to the individual that is taught to apply and use it or not. The process that we teach is about having control over your own life and what direction it goes in. We gain control through the decision making process. It teaches how to come to a decision that is the individual's alone. No one else can make a decision for you using this 5-Step process.

New volunteers are required to attend a Thresholds volunteer training course before they can begin working with a client. We thoroughly train all new volunteers and provide excellent materials to help you in preparing for your sessions. At the course, you will be thoroughly trained to teach Thresholds' 5-Step decisional model. We traditionally hold 2 training sessions for new volunteers each year. These sessions are held in Cheshire and are given on a Saturday and Sunday.

More info
 
 

Women and Families Center

We have many opportunities for men, especially with our At-Risk youth program. Predominately our program attract women, involved in social service; however, our at-risk youth program is predominately male. It would be wonderful to have more men involved in our program to be an example for our youth. Additionally we have a case management program where we work with individuals in our communities to link them with the appropriate services to best fulfill their needs. This is a new service added to our SAIR*Corps program along with our expansion to recruit 33 members. Also through our Sexual Assault Crisis Program, there are many opportunities to counsel and give presentations to “Help end Sexual Violence.”

More info
 

Other Opportunities
  1. If you are associated with an organization that would like to host an Elderhostel informational presentation you can contact Ms. Eleanor M. Kepler at cek51@aol.com. Ms. Kepler is a volunteer Elderhostel Ambassador and can bring you up-to-date on the many new types of programs available varying in length from one to 32 days. For general information visit www.elderhostel.org or for more information on the Ambassador program, email ambassadorprogram@elderhostel.org
  1. Many Ysmen are involved with volunteer organizations that focus on services to seniors and their caregivers. The North Central Area Agency on Aging (www.ncaaact.org) is a private non-profit organization devoted to enhancing the quality of life of older adults by ensuring they have access to quality and cost effective services. They provide assistance and financial support to numerous local agencies who are carrying out community-based projects serving older adults and their families. If your organization is providing such services and you would like to find out more about NCAAA, contact:

Maureen C. McIntyre, Assistant Director, NCAAA
Two Hartford Square West, Suite 101
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 724-6443 ext. 283
mcintyremc@yahoo.com
 

And a Few Other Opportunities

Foster Grandparent Program & Senior Companion Program (203-752-3059)
Meriden Board of Education Volunteer Program (203-634-7985)
United Way Volunteer Center (203-235-4403)