By Mike Festa, AARP Massachusetts State Director
AARP Massachusetts can help you make a difference and make connections. When you volunteer with AARP, you can turn a lifetime of experience into the experience of a lifetime. Our volunteers are skilled, dedicated and passionate. They give back to their communities and help the 50-plus population live their best lives.
Research has proven that volunteering can have a positive impact on our well-being. It can also help us feel less lonely and, with the right opportunity, even make friends.
AARP Massachusetts will be hosting our annual volunteer conference Thursday, April 25 at Holy Cross in Worcester. This year’s theme: Building Powerful Connections. We’ll rundown ways you can get involved with AARP and help fulfill our mission of educating, empowering, and advocating for Massachusetts residents 50+.
There’s a volunteer role for everyone at AARP Massachusetts. Here are just a few:
Advocacy
AARP advocates for a range of issues that matter to older adults. We tackle topics from paying family caregivers to securing affordable housing. Volunteers learn about bills, attend hearings, testify and speak with their local officials.
Speakers Bureau
Volunteers give free virtual and in-person presentations about aging-related topics. Volunteers speak on topics such as Social Security, caregiving, fraud and brain health. You don’t need to be a speaker. You can help with marketing and coordinating logistics as well.
Fraud Watch Network
With new scams popping up every day, AARP wants to help you protect your money. AARP Fraud Watch Network equips people with up-to-date knowledge. If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. As a volunteer, you’ll help teach, give support, and help spread awareness.
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program
Tax aide volunteers provide tax preparation, free of charge. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide helps people 50+ who earn low to moderate income. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest, free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service.
Literations
Literations pairs trained volunteers (age 50+) with first to fourth graders in Boston and Framingham. They deliver evidence-based, one-to-one literacy interventions. Volunteers help students improve their reading and social-emotional skills
AARP’s story is based in helping others. It begins back in the 1950’s. Retired educator Ethel Percy Andrus found a retired teacher living in a chicken coop. The retired teacher couldn’t afford decent housing or health care. Ethel was committed to serving those around her. She got angry, then got organized. She went on to found AARP, setting in motion a new vision for aging that continues to inspire AARP’s work today.
Dr. Andrus lived her life by the motto, “to serve, not to be served,” which remains AARP’s motto today.
Older adults have much to contribute. Whatever causes speak to you, whatever skills, or interests you have, you can find a volunteer opportunity with AARP. It will be fulfilling, and it will make an impact. Whether you volunteer from home or visit the State House, your voice matters. It doesn’t need to be a long-term commitment; every hour helps.
If any of these opportunities interest you, sign up at https://www.aarp.org/iwant2volunteer or send us an email at ma@aarp.org.
RELATED CONTENT:
Five things to know about Social Security (fiftyplusadvocate.com)
