Volunteerism Remains Steady -- Except in Georgia

The number of Americans who volunteer dropped slightly in 2010, according to a federal report released on August 9.

Nearly 63 million Americans, slightly more than a quarter of the population, volunteered for charities last year, providing services valued at nearly $173-billion. That’s down from 2009, when 63.4 million adults, or nearly 27 percent of the population, donated their time.

The volunteer rate has not changed significantly since 2006, hovering around 26 percent. Volunteerism reached nearly 29 percent from 2003 to 2005 and has been as low as 20.4 percent in 1989, says a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is based on annual and monthly surveys of roughly 100,000 Americans age 16 or older, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Georgia was well below the national average at 22.3% for 2010 – down from 24.4% in 2009. Come on Georgia! Get out there and volunteer!

National Senior Citizens Day

This Saturday, August 21, is National Senior Citizens Day which honors the contributions our senior population has made to our nation and honors the accomplishments throughout their life. On this day, we are encouraged to recognize and show appreciation for the value and contribution of elderly people to home, family and society.

In his Presidential Proclamation (August 19, 1988), President Ronald Reagan said "For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older."

Older people are living longer and staying active, so make sure you're nurturing your community to be the best place for people to grow older. Volunteer to help an elderly person clean up their yard or take out the trash. Host a senior citizens game night in your area, several times a year. Go to a nearby retirement home and put on a show. Be supportive of their hobbies and interest. Sit and listen to all the stories they may have to tell. And more importantly, just be courteous. Don't hesitate to ask for their help in return - retirees make great volunteers!

On National Senior Citizens Day, we should:

• Spend some time with senior citizens
• Show our appreciation for senior citizens
• Do volunteer work in support of the elderly
  

If you are a senior citizen, enjoy your day any way you desire. After all, this is your day! Make sure to take advantage of senior citizens specials and discounts. There's bound to be plenty offers today.

Volunteerism!

I picked up my son from an incoming flight at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport last week, and witnessed a remarkable display of spontaneous patriotism. As each uniformed U.S. Armed Services man or woman came up the elevator to the baggage claim area, the fifty or so people waiting to meet their respective air passenger broke into spontaneous applause, regardless if they were waiting for a soldier or not! The service personnel and their families were humbled by the applause for their homecoming.

Volunteerism is at the heart of America, or some might say that volunteerism is the heart of America. The 2008-2009 SCS Annual Report celebrated our volunteers who donated more than 44,000 hours of service to our seniors in need. This annual report can be found on the SCS web site, as well as numerous opportunities for volunteerism – whether hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly. Please join us as we celebrate the lives of our senior citizen clients – and we’ll save our applause for you!

By
Brad Catherman
Vice President of Gift Planning

How Old Do You Feel?

What is the answer to this question: How old do you feel?

Well, that depends for many people. I find it amazing when I talk to someone in their 80s and they say they feel like they did when they were in their 20s, less some additional aches and pains. And as I age, I realize that what they are saying is true! My mind sometimes tells me that I am in my 20s again.

We are only as old as we want to be and only as old as we feel. Those individuals who are older yet feel younger usually are active in some capacity. Many use their retirement years to give back to the community via volunteer opportunities, and others simply make plans to keep themselves active and busy with friends and family.

This harkens back to when my grandmother was still with us. She was a fun, energetic lady who stayed busy with her church. She always had projects to complete, lessons to review for Sunday School, and to prepare for an event/dinner at the church. She used to complain that it wasn’t fair that in her mind she felt young yet her body was ‘dragging along’. To this day, I believe she lived her life ensuring others were served. This gave her a purpose, something to do and accomplish.

So, do you want to feel younger? Then we invite you to volunteer to stay young in mind, active, and healthy.

-- by Patrick O’Kane, Director of Operations

Retirees Needed to Volunteer

What do retired Boomers want in terms of volunteer opportunities? Do they want an office-type job for four hours a day for an ongoing period? Or, something with less commitment of time and brainpower?

The National Council on Aging recently released the preliminary study results from a two-year pilot program. In a nutshell, they had 22 nonprofits, big and small from all over the country participate in Leadership-Level Volunteerism. This pilot program gave specific duties to the retired professionals and core job responsibilities. The overall end result was that this cohort did in fact like to volunteer as long as it was a meaningful experience, knowing they were assisting with the good of the community. They were satisfied that they were able to use their skills, knowledge and talent acquired over the years into these new ‘job’ positions.

SCS would like to hear from you. If you are a retired Boomer and looking for something more meaningful as it relates to volunteer opportunities, call me at 404-605-8445 to discuss. Maybe you are a retire Human Resource professional or a public relations expert or maybe you want to volunteer at the board of directors level… all and much more are good! You’ve got talent – shall we put it to good use?

-- by Patrick O’Kane
Director of Operations

Volunteer for SWEEP! Day 2010

SWEEP! Day
Saturday, May 1, 2010
8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Senior Citizen Services helps seniors repair and maintain their home when they can't do it for themselves. Senior Citizen Services handles maintenance and repairs on the homes of our senior clients that allow the individual to remain independently in their own homes.

Eloise moved into her home 42 years ago with her husband and three sons. They lived in an apartment until the opportunity became available to purchase a home in the English Avenue neighborhood. They loved the quiet neighborhood with lots of seniors when they moved in before all the apartments started going up around them in the 1970’s. Her husband passed away in 1991.

Eloise was born in Alabama and moved to Atlanta when she was 14 years old. She is now 79 years old and worked as a domestic worker her entire life until she retired in the 1970’s.

Join us for Senior Citizen Services’ annual SWEEP! Day 2010. SWEEP! is a focused, high-impact event where hundreds of volunteers perform home maintenance and enhancement projects for seniors. Get out your paint brush and yard gloves for a special day of service in Atlanta. Great activity for groups! Lunch will be provided!

To register, please visit http://www.scsatl.org/ and click on the “SWEEP” link.

-- by Steve Hargrove, Director of Events and Marketing

New Year's Resolutions

Now that the holidays are over, we all look to the New Year. People around the world make new resolutions, yet studies show that only a small percentage are successful in their resolve. However, by truly thinking about a resolution carefully, one can come up with some good ‘life improvements’ that are simple and easily obtainable.

Most people think of diets, exercise, quitting smoking as the staple resolutions. Yet there are many other simply resolutions that can be made… and kept! These simple resolutions can be anything from being on time to work or changing one’s attitude toward life or a certain person. Another simple one is to volunteer your time to do good. We all have a couple of hours every week or month that we could give to support others in need. It’s simple… you do good… and you complete your volunteerism with a warm heart.

So this year, instead of the same old resolution that never comes to fruition, try a more simple and doable resolution – resolve to get involved. Contact SCS’ volunteer department to delivering meals to homebound seniors, assist with home repairs, or many of the other volunteer opportunities that are available to you.

-- by Patrick O'Kane, Director of Operations

Give by Giving Back: Volunteerism

I had the privilege of joining a team of corporate volunteers at the home of Mrs. W. for an SCS HOMES (Home Owner Maintenance and Enhancement for Seniors) project. Mrs. W. is a 66 year-old retiree of the state government where she worked for 34 years. She lives alone in a home she purchased in the mid-1960s, now filled with great memories of raising her family. While the volunteers were painting, landscaping, and wrapping her pipes with winterizing material, she entertained us with stories about the growth and change of Atlanta. A walking encyclopedia of local history, she made each of us feel that Atlanta was more of a large neighborhood than an impersonal city of bricks and mortar. Her “payment” for the kindness that the volunteers showed her that day, she said, was her lifelong devotion to community volunteerism – that she will continue until she is no longer able. A very vibrant woman, Mrs. W. says she “pays back” by volunteering at community centers, a park, schools, and her church.

Do you know someone who has the inspiring spirit of Mrs. W.? Would you like to help volunteer at SCS? Please check our web site for a multitude of worthwhile opportunities. Thank you.

-- By Brad Catherman
Vice President, Gift Planning

How are we doing?

My son thankfully finished his final exams of the school year. (And thankfully, passed all his courses!) He asked me about the kinds of questions that I receive on a daily basis at SCS, and then asked me if SCS has “passing” grades. This dialogue leads me to ask you, our readers and constituents: how are we doing?

On this web site, or by the conventional telephone(!), we are eager and ready to receive your feedback about how we’re doing to serve our various SCS stakeholders. So, here are some “final exam” questions for you as we approach the end of our 44th fiscal year on June 30th:

1. Do we communicate with you often enough about the happenings at SCS?
2. What do you like most about our web site, and how can we improve?
3. Have you volunteered with us recently, and what was your experience?
4. What senior services do you believe we should begin that we currently do not have?


Call or write with questions, comments, or our final marks from you! Thanks, and have a great summer.

- by Brad Catherman, Vice President for Gift Planning

We Appreciate Our Volunteers

The SCS family would like to thank ALL of our volunteers who have given of their time, energy, and money to ensure that seniors in Atlanta have enough food, have a secure and safe home, and have senior centers to attend.

Make sure to stop by and see Mary Hart, Volunteer Services Coordinator, for a token of our appreciation for all that you do. So many volunteers are repeat volunteers, coming back week after week, month after month -- so we could not do it without you.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of SCS and volunteerism is one of our core strategic goals. By leveraging volunteers' time and energy, we are able to control expenses and maintain a smaller staff. These savings translate into more services for seniors, more nutritious meals for their bodies, and more home repairs performed.

So, on behalf of all SCS employees and in honor of Volunteer Appreciation month . . . . Thank you, thank you, thank you to each volunteer.

by Patrick O'Kane
Director of Operations

Great Moments

Great moments are born from great opportunity. That truism has been paraphrased throughout the ages by heads of state, military leaders, industrial visionaries, scientists, inventors, explorers, athletes, coaches, and their observing journalists. Greatness in this sense implies victory by overcoming adversity or simply persevering at just the right time, at the right place. The phrase is an expression of the best we can be.

But great moments are also to be found in seemingly small but no less important moments. Our many volunteers take action every day while serving our senior citizens, their payment being a smile and a kind word of thanks. Our kitchen staff meticulously prepares nutritious meals, following a process that is above standard, yet fulfilled out of pride of accomplishment. And once nourished, our senior clients extend the courtesy to those around them, seizing opportunities to make a difference in the community that they helped to shape.

Greatness lies in the ability to make a positive difference in another life – whether one or many. What opportunities can you turn into great moments for you and others?

By
Brad Catherman
Vice President, Gift PlanningSenior Citizen Services

Renewable Energy: Giving from the Heart!

Much is made these days about “renewable energy” sources. Essentially, energy which passes from one form to another, igniting motion again and again. I recently experienced the “renewable energy” of good feelings that can pass from one person to another, and back again.

A college fraternity brother and I organized a home repair project with some volunteer friends prior to the holidays. The home was owned by a wonderful senior woman who was grateful beyond words. Volunteers brought their youngsters who delighted in scraping, spackling, and painting. I asked one young man if he was having fun, and he said the best thing about the day was that “the lady who lived there gives great hugs… and as many as you want!” And the energy was passed back again.

Sure enough, I also experienced a warm, crushing, hug from the senior citizen whose inner energy of love and gratitude ignited a volunteer team. The experience remains one of the best gifts I received during the holiday season, and one which will keep on giving well into 2009 and beyond.

Happy New Year from the folks at SCS!

-- by Brad Catherman
Vice President, Gift Planning

9 Ways to Help in '09

January brings an opportunity to set New Year’s Resolutions for the New Year. What are some common things we can all do to ensure that Senior Citizen Services remains the safety net for seniors that so many depend on?

1. Invest Time
Many people do not respond to the word “volunteer.” So, I invite you to make an investment of time—whatever that means to you—in the mission of Senior Citizen Services. This can mean delivering meals during your lunch hour once per month, giving a ride to a CareShare senior from time to time, or even organizing a group to complete a half-day HOMES home repair project once per year. There are opportunities for every age, every schedule, and every interest.

2. Share Resources
A donation of $35 helps SCS support a senior attending our Adult Day Center for Alzheimer’s/dementia. A donation of $142 supports a senior for an entire month of Meals On Wheels Atlanta nutrition. Donations of all amounts directly and tangibly translate into services that keep seniors in their homes and communities.

3. Advocate
Local government and the United Way are both constantly seeking feedback in terms of limited human services dollars. A letter or phone call can make all the difference—or better yet, join us at the State Capitol this winter to advocate for funding for seniors!

4. In-Kind really is Kind
Our organization benefits from a wealth of in-kind support. Donating your car for Meals On Wheels Atlanta, donating computer equipment, sewing equipment, copy machines, craft supplies, or even office supplies allow our organization to cut back on operating costs and maximize donations to direct services. Canned food is a growing need for SCS’ new Community Cupboard initiative. “Santa for Seniors” is also a creative way to provide small specific gifts that seniors need.

5. Talk to your Workplace and Worship-place
Workplace matching gifts, corporate giving programs, group volunteerism and workplace food drives are a few ways to engage your workplace in our mission. Places of worship can also make a dramatic impact in volunteerism, special offerings and food drives.

6. Will you?
Including SCS in your Will can ensure that SCS is supported for years to come—especially as Baby Boomers age and require more services than ever.

7. It takes a Committee
A Meal to Remember, SCS’ signature black-tie event, as well as our Golf Tournament, new GeneRACEtion 5K Run/Walk, SWEEP Home Repair event, and Senior Centers Open Houses all require committees of dedicated and resourceful individuals to make them happen.

8. Speak Up
Involving our organization in a speaking event at your favorite club, association, networking group or social group OR volunteering to speak on SCS’ behalf at one of these venues allows SCS to raise its visibility and engage more Atlantans in our mission.

9. E-help
Use GoodSearch when you go to your Internet browser, use Benevolink when you shop online, make sure SCS has your email address to communicate (cutting back on mailing costs) and forward our emails to your family and friends—easy ways to help out!

What did I miss? Surely you can add a few more creative ideas to the list—just email me at jsmythe@scsatl.org. Thank you for entertaining these 9 simple resolutions that will build a better Atlanta for seniors in need.

-- by Jeff Smythe
Executive Director