Honor Dr. King’s legacy through the MLK Day of Service
PCA will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As we honor the life and legacy of this civil rights icon, let’s renew his call to serve one another. This MLK Day, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities for older adults looking to carry on Dr. King’s legacy.
Seniors connect, create, contribute to their communities in Philadelphia and beyond
May was designated as Older Americans Month (OAM) 56 years ago to recognize the contributions of this growing population. Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), OAM provides resources to help older Americans stay healthy and independent and to help communities support and celebrate their diversity.
Fight Hunger with Team PCA by donating through May 24
Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) will sponsor a team at the Walk Against Hunger on Saturday, April 27.
Volunteer opportunities for seniors abound at Philadelphia organizations
Philadelphia has a host of organizations seeking volunteers. Here are three possibilities for you to consider. Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University The academy has many volunteering pos- sibilities. “In some positions you greet guests while in others you work behind the scenes,” says Maria Morales, the academy’s manager of volunteer services. She urges […]
Volunteerism takes flight: Senior uses time to care for butterflies
By Constance Garcia-Barrio
Nature has painted butterflies with a cunning brush, notes Chris Johnson, 70, a volunteer in the butterfly exhibition at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 19th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. “This one has what looks like an owl eye on each wing,” Johnson says, referring to the winged insect in his hand. “Thanks to its deceptive wing pattern, the owl butterfly scares off potential predators, like small birds.”
For Senior Companion volunteers, helping others yields great rewards
Dorothy Hembry is so warm and outgoing, it seems like just about anyone would feel comfortable talking with her. It’s a quality that has served her well as a 17-year volunteer with the Senior Companion Program.
Managed by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA), the Senior Companion Program matches homebound elders with volunteers who visit with them, providing a much-needed social connection. Companions may also help with tasks such as light meal preparation, accompanying the person to medical appointments or doing small errands. In some cases, the seniors are isolated and have no family nearby; in others, the senior companion provides much-needed respite for a caregiver.
Submit your nominations for 2019’s Emergency Fund Coalition Community Service Awards
On Thursday, May 16, the Emergency Fund Coalition (EFC) for Older Philadelphians will celebrate its 30th anniversary at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue Hotel. As part of its celebration, the EFC asks your assistance in the nomination process for community service awards to be presented at the luncheon.
Unhappy holidays: Feeling teary, not merry?
By Constance Garcia-Barrio
For many of us – whether we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa — the December holidays don’t come with a Hallmark halo, but rather a gauntlet of potential problems. The passing years may have left us divorced or widowed, like me, or with family members living at a distance. We may also wrestle with thorny relationships and grief. However, we can take steps to navigate the season’s rough spots, go beyond a mask of merriment and find true peace.
School library volunteer shares her time and knowledge
By Constance Garcia-Barrio
It’s said that every life is a work of art. If that’s true, then serving children of different creeds and colors has helped to make Elayne Blender’s days a brilliant creation.
Blender, 70, volunteers three half-days a week at Mount Airy’s Henry Houston Elementary School, tutoring mostly African-American students in literacy and math and coordinating the school’s 12 other volunteers in the school library.