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When I asked my readers for topics they would like to see addressed on my blog, a couple of you asked if I could share more personal stories about my day-to-day experiences as a nursing home volunteer. I love that suggestion!
Unfortunately, my impaired immune system due to cancer treatment, combined with the COVID pandemic, makes it unsafe for me to volunteer anywhere right now. That’s why I’m looking for volunteer activities to do at home.
If you read the post about my New Year’s resolutions for 2022, you know that one of my goals is to reach out to other people with acts of kindness throughout the year. During the month of January, I resolved to do a different at-home volunteer project each week. Today I’ll share what I came up with. Note that you can do any of these projects with the residents in your senior living community, too!
Week 1: Color A Smile
I started out the year by coloring pictures for an organization called Color A Smile. They invite people of all ages to color pictures for those who could use a smile, such as nursing home residents, Meals on Wheels recipients, and our troops overseas.
Their website hosts a library with lots of pictures to print, color, and send to their office for distribution. (Tip: Did you know you can also go to the Crayola.com website and find oodles of coloring pictures to print for free?) Or you can draw your own pictures if you wish.
The organization also offers the opportunity for you to request colored pictures to be sent to someone you know who could use a smile. While they appreciate donations to cover the shipping costs, they won’t turn anyone down because of an inability to pay.
I’ve never really been interested in coloring as an adult. However, I found this project to be relaxing and fun. If you would enjoy coloring pictures with your residents, or as an individual or a family, you can find more information on the Color A Smile website.
Week 2: Operation Gratitude
My project for last week was to write thank-you notes to our deployed troops through Operation Gratitude. I hope you’ll take the time to explore their website, as they offer an amazing variety of ways you can express gratitude to lots of special people:
- deployed troops
- veterans
- new military recruits
- first responders
- wounded heroes and their caregivers
- military families
- healthcare workers
These are just a few of their many volunteer opportunities:
- Write letters of appreciation
- Create cards for deployed service members to use when they write home
- Make paracord survival bracelets.
- Sew hats, bandanas, or drawstring bags
- Host a fundraiser to send care packages to children of deployed troops
Week 3: Valentines For Vets
This week, I’m making valentines for a group called Soldiers’ Angels. They’ll distribute the valentines to patients in VA hospitals across the country.
If you wish to take part in the program this year, you’ll need to work quickly because February 14 is just around the corner. However, Soldiers’ Angels offers lots of other projects you can do throughout the year. These are just a few:
- Bake treats for service members
- Knit or crochet items for care packages
- Adopt a service member and write to them regularly
- Host a collection drive for special projects such as Socks for Soldiers, Halloween Treats for Troops, and Holiday Stocking Stuffers
If you wish to make a long-term commitment with Soldiers’ Angels, they offer a variety of “teams” you can join. Or, you can do a one-time project as I did.
Soldier’s Angels will also send birthday, anniversary, or thank-you cards to a vet upon request. So, please let them know if they can help!
Week 4: Cards for Hospitalized Kids
My final volunteer project for January will be to create cards to send to children who could use an encouraging word. CFHK (Cards for Hospitalized Kids) sends handmade cards to children in hospitals and Ronald McDonald houses in all 50 states. I love their motto: “Doctors provide medicine and we provide hope, joy, and magic.”
You can choose to send cards for specific holidays or general cards to be distributed throughout the year. CFHK will also send you a thank-you note letting you know where they sent your cards.
What other ideas do you have for at-home volunteer projects? Please let me know in the comment section!
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