C4 Saturday, April 15, 2023 THE DAILY NEWS

When is the right time for How to find the right

kids to start volunteering?
Metro Creative Connection
Aristotle once said the es-
sence oIt’s well documented
that volunteerism offers many
benefits to those who are recipi-
ents of the charitable work as
well as the volunteers.
According to The Corpora-
tion for National & Community
Service, one in four Americans
volunteers. Volunteers come
from all walks of life and various
age groups. Nearly one-quar-
ter of all volunteers are people
younger than the age of 24.
Parents and guardians who
want to introduce their children
to volunteerism may not know
when is the right age to do so.
Many experts agree that there
isn’t a definitive age for children
to get involved in volunteering.
No child is too young to volun-
teer. Joseph F. Hagan Jr., M.D.,
a clinical professor of pediatrics
at Larner College of Medicine
at the University of Vermont,
says helping out during the tod-
dler and preschool years helps
shape a child’s sense of moral-
ity.
Rather than wondering if a
child is too young to volunteer,
adults should focus on find-
ing the right activity to match
the child’s age. For example,
a three- or four-year-old child
Children are never too young to volunteer. Finding the
right fit can inspire a lifetime of giving back that benefits
youngsters throughout their lives.
can fill bags or boxes with do-
nated food or help gather blan-
kets and towels to donate to
an animal rescue. However, a
toddler or preschooler may not
have the stamina to complete a
5K walk.
Volunteerism doesn’t even
have to be in the traditional
sense of working with an estab-
lished charity. A youngster can
pick flowers from a field and de-
liver them to an elderly neigh-
bor. Or a preschooler can invite
a child playing alone to come
play together. A toddler who
loves sorting items can help sort
recycling items at home and
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
watch a parent deliver them to
the recycling center.
Another way to engage kids
in volunteer work is to match
their interests with the tasks.
Many kids can’t get enough of
animals, so they may want to
help out an animal organiza-
tion or be involved with a con-
servation group. A child can
collect change to “adopt” an
endangered species.
Kids also can visit a chil-
dren’s hospital and deliver gifts
to youngsters battling illnesses.
In such situations, kids may be
more engaged if they help kids
their own ages.
volunteer opportunity for you
Metro Creative Connection
Giving back to one’s community can pro-
vide a sense of purpose and improve an indi-
vidual’s overall well-being.
Data from Volunteer Hub indicates that
people who volunteer improve their health by
strengthening their bodies, improving their
moods and reducing stress.
Volunteerism also produces additional
benefits, including boosting one’s positive
perception to others. A study from Career-
Builder found 60 percent of hiring managers
see volunteerism as a valuable asset when
making recruitment decisions. Furthermore,
human resources executives attest that con-
tributing to a nonprofit can improve leader-
ship skills.
By understanding the value behind volun-
teer work – for the people or organization on
the receiving end as well as the volunteer –
more individuals may decide to donate their
time and services. However, finding the right
volunteer opportunity may take some trial
and error. The following are some tips for
finding the right fit.
n Consider skills and interests. Before
choosing a volunteer opportunity, make a
list of activities that you enjoy. This may help
guide volunteer choices. For example, if you
like hiking, you may volunteer to clean up a
local park.
n Assess your skill levels. Is there some-
thing you are particularly adept at doing? For
example, if you are a certified public accoun-
tant, you may be able to volunteer by mentor-
ing young accounting students, or doing taxes
or bookkeeping tasks for the elderly or less
Volunteering can bring joy
to one’s life, especially
when individuals find an
inspiring opportunity.
fortunate.
n Think about commitment level. Figure
out how much time you can spend volunteer-
ing. Maybe you only have the weekends or a
few hours in the evenings? Understanding
how much free time you have can help you
choose opportunities that fit within these pa-
rameters.
n Research potential organizations. Not
all nonprofit groups are created equal. Uti-
lize resources such as CreativeVolunteer that
vet charitable groups to determine if they are
trustworthy.
n Define your goals. Have goals in mind
when selecting opportunities. Defining a goal
can help you maintain the motivation to vol-
unteer and see a project through to comple-
tion.
n Start small. Wade into a volunteer op-
portunity slowly to see if it is the right fit. This
may include volunteering one day a week or
month. Increase the time you spend volun-
teering once you’ve found the right place for
you.
Volunteering can bring joy to a person’s
life, especially when individuals find an in-
spiring opportunity.

Celebrating
our many
Wonderful
Community
Volunteers!
All Babies Cherished would like to
thank our dedicated volunteers for
“Offering help for the Journey” serving all year long.
Your commitment to our ministry
A special Thank You to our Volunteers, is a true blessing!
for helping us so we can help others!
For information regarding serving at
Join our team and make a difference! All Babies Cherished
(585) 345-0417 • geneseecancerassistance.org Please Contact Sue Sherman at 585-344-5660.
THANK YOU
“Our Volunteers are
“Our Volunteers are Changing
Changing Lives”
Lives” THANK YOU
to all our wonderful
volunteers that help
to all our
in our wonderful
cafeteria and
volunteers that help
with our fundraising
THANK YOU in our cafeteria and
efforts!
with our fundraising
TO OUR HOME VISITATION
TO OUR HOME VISITATION efforts!
PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS!
PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS! St. Joseph
Regional School
For
For your
your dedication
dedication and
and invaluable
invaluable St. Joseph
2 Summit St., Batavia
effort
effort in helping older adults stay
in helping older adults stay Regional School
585-343-6154
connected at home.
connected at home. www.sjsbatavia.org
2 Summit St., Batavia
585-343-6154
Call today to
to learn
learn more
more about
about www.sjsbatavia.org
Call today
receiving services or to volunteer!
receiving services or to volunteer!
585.343.0614
585.343.0614

Volunteering Builds Communities

We are ready anytime! | “IT’S WHAT WE DO”

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Fully Insured & Free Estimates
128 Cedar St. Batavia, NY • 585-343-2400 / 585-356-4300
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 THE DAILY NEWS Saturday, April 15, 2023 C5

Many opportunities for recent grads Volunteering is a way seniors can

Metro Creative Connection
During the months between
graduating high school and
beginning college, or between
getting a university degree and
entering the workforce, gradu-
ates may want to explore the
personal growth that comes
from volunteerism.
Volunteering provides vari-
ous benefits. Some of these re-
wards include networking with
an entirely different group of
people. Volunteering also can
help a person realize greater
happiness by doing selfless acts
for others, while they also can
help one to realize a new pas-
sion. In the future, volunteering
with an organization also may
help with a student’s job search.
There are many arenas
where young people can focus
their volunteer efforts. Here are
some ideas.
n Animal shelter: Animal
shelters rely on volunteers to
help with their operations. They
can be a good fit for anyone with
a passion for animals and ani-
mal rights activism.
n Public service sectors:
AmeriCorp and Peace Corps
have scores of opportunities for
volunteers. AmeriCorp focuses
on domestic issues, while the
PeaceCorp is a branch of the
U.S. government that engages
volunteers in international
service work. Community
engage with their communities
There are many arenas where young people can focus their
volunteer efforts.
involvement, health care, ag-
riculture, homelessness, and
combatting hunger are top pri-
orities for these organizations.
n English as a second lan-
guage: Volunteers can spend
time abroad teaching English
to students. Others may want to
volunteer domestically by help-
ing non-English-speaking indi-
viduals improve their language
skills.
n Community government:
A person may choose to sit on
the board of a school, a neigh-
borhood housing association,
or even explore volunteerism
with a township municipal of-
fice. This will provide valuable
hands-on experience and may
help one lend a voice to is-
sues that affect his or her living
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
situation.
n Religious groups: Church-
es, synagogues and mosques
may have volunteer opportu-
nities focused on community
outreach or programs affiliated
with local nonprofits.
n Conservation groups: Vol-
unteers can work on conserva-
tion projects across the country.
From wildlife management
to trail restoration to invasive
species eradication, there are
a wide variety of conservation-
based volunteering opportuni-
ties.
n Tutoring: Graduates can
volunteer to tutor students in
local schools or overseas.
Volunteerism can fill gap
years or add to resumes for re-
cent graduates.
Metro Creative Connection
Though a significant per-
centage of individuals re-
port desires to retire later
in life, many people stop
working around the age of
62. The desire for a later
retirement may stem from
financial concerns or be-
cause some people wonder
just what they will do when
they’re no longer working.
Retirement is a time for
hardworking individuals to
enjoy themselves and their
newfound free time. Inter-
acting with the community
can keep the brain engaged
and foster beneficial social
connections.
In recognition of the val-
ue of staying engaged, the
following are a few ways
for seniors to become more
involved in their communi-
ties.
n Join a club or group.
Identify an activity you
find interesting and de-
termine if there is a way to
get involved with it in your
community. Senior centers
or adult activity provid-
ers may sponsor local pro-
grams.
n Participate in wor-
ship. Many older adults
find they want to recon-
nect with their faith at this
point in their lives, even if
attending services hadn’t
been a top priority earlier
in life. Reach out to your
local house of worship and
find out when services take
place and which activities
they offer.
n Read to children. Vol-
unteer your services at
the library by reading to
youngsters. Interacting
with other generations can
be inspiring.
n Volunteer at a soup
kitchen or food pantry.
Times continue to be chal-
lenging for many people
who may find it hard to
cover their expenses. Soup
kitchens and food pantries
can be a saving grace for
those who might otherwise
miss meals. Volunteering
some hours at these orga-
nizations can do worlds of
good and help you make a
difference.
n Befriend neighbors. A
passing “hi and bye” wave
may have been the norm
when you were busy work-
ing a job. Now that you
have free time, you can get
to know neighbors better
and even take turns hosting
get-togethers. Moving to a
retirement or active adult
community with others in
similar positions may facil-
itate such friendships.
n Volunteer with local
government. Find out ways
you can become involved
civically. Perhaps you can
run in a local school board
election or try to become a
member of the town coun-
cil?
n Become a substitute
teacher or paraprofes-
sional. Many schools are
experiencing shortages of
qualified staff. You may
find your place helping to
shape the minds of young-
sters by volunteering at
schools or taking on part-
time jobs in the classroom.
Seniors can be more en-
gaged in their communi-
ties, thus strengthening
their “social capital,” the
term scientists often use
to describe the strength of
their social relationships,
and the extent to which
people feel physically and
emotionally supported by
their communities.

g
The Board and Staff of the
TheHolland
Board and Land Office
Staff of the
Museum
Holland would like to
Land Office
thank ourwould
Museum volunteers
like to
y thankfor our
all they do.
volunteers
If you are interested in for all they do.
!
volunteering at the
HLOM, please contact us at the number below.
If you are interested in volunteering at the
(585) 343-4727
HLOM, • 131usW.
please contact at Main St., Batavia
the number below.
(585) 343-4727 • 131 W. Main St., Batavia

AmeriCorps Seniors
Bringing out the Best of America for 38 years

THANK YOU!
Volunteer opportunities for
people 55 years and older

585.343.1611
AmeriCorps Seniors is made possible by AmeriCorps,
NYS Office for the Aging and the Genesee County Legislature