Volunteering Advice
 

My wife and I are still fairly new to TV, and I'm recovering from knee surgery, so we're just now looking to get involved in some volunteering. We're pretty open to any good cause, but we have one main thought...

We'd like to get involved in something where you work directly, to at least some degree, with the people you help. In other words, we'd prefer not to just donate or collect and such, where you simply work with other volunteers and then send off some donation to an organization. Don't get me wrong...we'd love working with other volunteers. That's part of the satisfaction. We just want some level of direct involvement with those we help.

As I said, we'd consider any group. We've thought about the military and their families, the aged and infirm, children in need, et. Al., but would consider any group.

Any thoughts?

The Wildwood Soup Kitchen always is in need of volunteers and this is certainly working directly with people. The Salvation Army in Leesburg has a need for volunteers at their soup kitchen.

By volunteering at the soup kitchens, you get to see how fortunate we are here in The Villages and there so many who have fallen through the safety nets.

If you really want to be involved "on the ground floor", the Guardian Ad Litem program is always short of dedicated volunteers.

Operation Home Bound and the Christian Food Pantry are two that come to mind.

Operation Homebound

Christian Food Pantry

Take it easy on yourself with the knee surgery. I sincerely wish you the very best. You seem like a great person thinking of others at a time when I'd probably be sitting around crying about my circumstances and wanting someone to volunteer to wait on me!

North Lake Presbyterian Church Lady Lake
975 Rolling Acres Road
Lady Lake, FL 32159
(352)753-8484

Great thread. Like you we plan on doing volunteering when we arrive. Were also more interested in hands on. The last year I have been involved with homeless people working in the soup kitchen at a local church. After preparing bags of food we deliver them to the homeless on the streets of Detroit. Its heartbreaking to see because contrary to popular belief these people are not all drunks/drug addicts. Over half of these people are Veterans. Many times I have been brought to tears when we run across women with their children living on the streets.

I must say it is rewarding handing a person a simple bag of food, along with a bag of clothing and how grateful they are to receive it. It really keeps me humble and appreciative of how blessed I am in life.

You will find doing hands on work and being directly involved with those in need is more rewarding than sending in donations. We have a saying in our group that goes no matter how small be a blessing in someone's life today.

Good luck to you on your search to help others and hope you find what fits your needs.

I agree - great thread - thanks for starting it Polar Bear. Husband and I are also looking for some volunteer opportunities once we move down there. And thank you, buggyone, for mentioning the Guardian Ad Litem program - something I have been interested in for some time now. Sounds like there are a lot of wonderful programs in the area where one can serve.

A lot of ex teachers tutor children at the local schools.

There is a large variety of volunteer opportunities at TV Regional Hospital. New volunteers are always needed.
Volunteer opportunities | Central Florida Health Alliance

Operation Shoebox on Mondays in The Villages!

Each week there is a list of volunteer opportunities, in the Daily Sun.