Older Adults to Be Highlighted During National Volunteer Week

In recognition of National Volunteer Week, which begins April 15, New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) Acting Director Greg Olsen today expressed appreciation and admiration for New York State’s older volunteers and the incredible value they bring to our state.

In New York State, approximately 700,000 older adults provide more than 119 million hours of service at an economic value of more than $3 billion annually.

“New Yorkers understand that when one does better, we all do better,” Olsen said. “And this legacy is exemplified by the vital services older volunteers provide every day. Older New Yorkers make up the majority of volunteerism in our state—they are the backbone of our communities, and their social, economic, intellectual, and civic contributions are essential to making New York State a better place to live, work, and grow older.”

Older adults are critical to our communities. They work with state and local governments, not-for-profit and community-based organizations, schools, and the private sector, among others, to provide services that help improve their neighborhoods. They are youth mentors and club leaders. They help older residents with transportation, home delivered meals, health insurance counseling and assistance, quality of care oversight in skilled nursing facilities, and much more. Older adults also account for the majority of humanitarian, arts and culture, and faith-based charitable giving in the U.S.

Volunteering improves the lives of those who are helped—and it has tremendous benefits for the volunteer, as well. Studies have shown that active volunteering promotes healthy aging: it decreases social isolation and the likelihood of depression; increases life expectancy; and lowers the rate of heart disease and other chronic illnesses that can lead to costly and intensive medical services as we age.

We must continue to harness the immense talents of New Yorkers of all ages. Volunteering for just a couple of hours each month makes a difference in people’s lives and helps build a stronger New York for us all. There are thousands of local organizations and civic groups looking for volunteers each week. Please visit the Corporation for National and Community Service to search for opportunities in your area.

National Volunteer Week, established in 1974, provides an opportunity to recognize and thank volunteers who lend their time and talents to create change and support their communities. National Volunteer Week kicks off on April 15 with Good Deeds Day—a worldwide celebration that inspires people to do something good, be it large or small, to improve the lives of others and positively change the world. 

Source: NYSOFA