By Drew Johnson
It seems like every week there is a new study coming out about the health benefits of being involved in the community around you. One great way to do that is through volunteering! According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering improves physical and mental health, provides a sense of purpose, teaches valuable skills, and can nurture new and existing relationships (especially for older adults).
Here at South County Community Services, we have many different volunteer opportunities. Volunteers are an extremely important part of our processes and services—they run our pantry, greet people when they come into the building, drive seniors to important appointments, deliver food, and much more. They are also integral to our governance; as a 501(c), we have a board of directors that provides financial oversight, sets the strategic direction of the agency, and plans events, again among many other responsibilities. (It’s not all work through—just last night we all went out to Vicker’s after our monthly meeting!)
Volunteers also run some of our smaller programs—Wednesday Winners and Safe At Home are both programs that volunteers do a huge amount to support and coordinate themselves (and both are funded by the Vicksburg Foundation, by the way).
We are always looking for volunteers who want to join our organization. Right now, we need help with the following volunteer positions…
Wednesday Winner Volunteer: Help run the Wednesday Winner program—a twice monthly socialization program for adults with disabilities.
Front Desk Volunteer: Pick one day a week to greet people as they come into the building.
Board Member: Attend monthly meetings and provide input on financials and decision-making.
Metro Driver: Use our 10-passenger Metro van to drive seniors to and from doctor’s appointments (flexible scheduling).
If you are interested in volunteering with SCCS please go to southcountycs.com/get-involved to find our volunteer application, which you can turn in electronically. We would love to have you—and so would the community around you!
Drew Johnson lives in Kalamazoo and is the Director at South County Community Services. He has a small quarter acre homestead with chickens, bees, and hops (and more!), a wonderful wife, and three energetic children. He can be reached at 649-2901 or ajohnson@southcountycs.com
For more information on South County Community Services, please check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/southcountycs or visit our website: southcountycs.com.
