Community Service Ideas for Seniors

Thanksgiving launches the season of giving, making this the perfect time to engage in community service. You’ll be helping others, but you’ll also be helping yourself. As Winston Churchill famously said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”With that in mind, we’ve compiled the following community service ideas to get you started both during the holidays and into the new year. You’ll find opportunities to give back, whether you like to be out and about or would rather give back from your own home. 

Thanksgiving Community Service Ideas

While we feast on turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving, 47 million Americans face hunger, including one in every five children, according to the non-profit Feeding America. Feeding America works year-round to help those facing food insecurity, but makes a special effort this time of year to offer community service opportunities to anyone who wants to lend a hand. If you’re interested, check out this page on their website where you can use the search tool to sign up to shop, sort and pack food, deliver food, or help with cooking and food prep. Feeding America offers other ways to help, including hosting a food drive, feeding a family, and donating food. It’s all about finding the right fit for your schedule, talents, and abilities.

Working through an organization like Feeding America is a great way to get started with community service, but it’s not the only way. Pay attention to what’s going on around you in your own community. Look out for bulletin boards or social media sites requesting assistance. Ask friends or family if they know of any community service ideas.

The reality is that there are people who need a helping hand all around us, whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen or taking homemade soup to a friend who just got out of the hospital. 

Year-Round Community Service

With age comes wisdom. Put yours to good use by checking out one of the following community service opportunities geared toward seniors. 

• AmeriCorps Seniors is a government agency that connects older adults with people in need. The Foster Grandparent Program offers the chance to mentor young people with the kind of comfort and love that kids need to succeed. 

• Elder Wisdom Circle pairs younger people with seniors who give free advice on everything from job interviews to relationships.
• A Million Thanks offers the chance to support our military by collecting and distributing letters of thanks to members of the military. 
• Warm Up America delivers hand-knitted and crocheted blankets, clothing, and accessories for people in need.
• Career Village allows you to use your accumulated knowledge to help students who want to be you when they grow up. 
• The Smithsonian is seeking digital volunteers to help with transcribing historical documents and more. 

Community Service in Your State

If you’re looking to get involved in your community, a good place to start is the Department of Aging in your state. These agencies recognize that older adults have the time and wisdom to help others — and seek to take advantage of that by connecting seniors with those in need. While each state offers different opportunities, it’s worthwhile to look up your state department of aging to see what community service ideas they are backing and promoting. 

How Community Service Helps You

Although it’s not why we do it, the reality is that — as Winston Churchill said — participating in community service can be as good for you as it is for those you help. 

There’s a freedom that comes when you’re not building your resume anymore. Instead, you’re building your legacy and contributing to the world around you. The benefits, which you can read more about here, are both mental and physical. You’ll be learning and growing, socializing, and giving back. The result is a dopamine boost that decreases stress and increases relaxation while helping those in need.

It’s a win-win situation that continues to pay off long after the season of giving is over. Springpoint has been helping active seniors plan for a future filled with confidence since 1916, offering Life Plan Communities, senior care communities, a family of affordable housing residences, and age-in-place home care options. Contact us to find out more.