Retire-To Volunteering

090 Sue Baumgartner—Senior Ride Nashville

Still Going Strong—Thanks to Senior Ride Nashville

Ninety-three years old and still going strong—thanks to volunteers at Senior Ride Nashville! Three days a week this lady goes to the Y for exercise, and once a week she goes to her own volunteer commitment at St. Thomas Hospital. She doesn't let her age hold her back from what is important to her, but without Sue Baumgartner and the other volunteers at Senior Ride she would be homebound. Losing opportunities to take care of herself physically, to have social contact, and to contribute to the well being of others would almost certainly send her into premature decline.

Senior Ride Nashville's creators—the Council on Aging of Middle Tennessee and the Senior Transportation Leadership Coalition—recognized the hazards of no longer being able to drive and found a way to meet the need. Begun just in 2017, the program is growing as more people learn about it—both riders and volunteer drivers.

As a volunteer, Sue is appreciative of the how easy the management team makes her job. Every Friday the next week's requests are posted online. She can select what fits her schedule and preferred driving radius. She gives half a day a week. The minimum requirement for volunteer drivers is one time a month.

Typically, riders need to go to doctor appointments, the grocery store, or a social engagement. They can request a second stop on the same trip if need be. They must also be able to get themselves in and out of the car, and the management team works to match their abilities to do so with the vehicle that will be most suitable for them. Currently, riders need to plan their outings at least three days in advance; however, sooner turnarounds may come as the organization grows. Any last minute cancelations are quickly communicated to the driver, respecting the volunteer's time.

Riders pay $6.00 per round trip. Very often in appreciation they want to tip or give a gift to their drivers, but the volunteers are strictly volunteer. They find their pay in knowing their service contributes the quality of life of their aging riders.

"I marvel at the people I meet," says Sue. She enjoys the conversations and is inspired by their spirit. Retired herself, she finds in them great role models for her own path ahead. She sees possibilities for when she is 93 and is glad Senior Ride Nashville will be around for her too.

For more information about the program, visit seniorridenashville.org.

089 John Hisle—Jubilee Jobs

Second Chance for a Better Life—Jubilee Jobs

Nearly 40 years ago the Church of the Savior in Washington, D.C. stepped into the job market—not for themselves, but for others. A group of members realized their neighbors in a nearby low-income housing project were struggling to find work. So with the call to "love your neighbor" in their hearts, they began Jubilee Jobs, which has subsequently prepared and placed nearly 26,000 people in the workforce.

Volunteers with the program begin helping applicants develop a resume´. Most have never done so, which is one of their barriers to employment. Most also come with other obstacles they must overcome, including past incarceration, addiction, or homelessness, as well as having barely any computer skills and very limited access to computers.

Jubilee Jobs, however, is a wrap-around program, providing not only that first-step resume´ assistance, but also computer access and coaching on filling out online applications. What's more, applicants receive training and practice in interviewing, which helps them overcome their fears and become confident. Too, the program coaches interviewees on dressing appropriately and will secure needed apparel. Additionally, volunteers work with applicants on expected workplace behavior and anger management.

A growing number of employers know about Jubilee Jobs and will invite applicants who have gone through the program to interview. Prospective employers view the organization as a trustworthy first-round screener that makes their job of hiring easier. If after an interview applicants are not selected, they still have hope because Jubilee Jobs volunteers will continue their work with them until they do land a good job.

For 10-year volunteer John Hisle, retired from executive management in health care, working with Jubilee Jobs one day a week is a blessing. Through the program he has met, gotten to know, befriended, and been befriended by people he would not have otherwise. He is inspired by the resilience of the human spirit he sees in these applicants who are eager to learn and who don't give up. For John, mentoring his new friends is a way to give back. He knows he is blessed to be a blessing to others.

Why would a church become involved in the job market? The answer lies in the name "Jubilee." In the Bible the Jubilee Year (every 50th year) was a part of God's economy of grace, which provided for the land (the source of wealth at the time) to be redistributed to the original owners, giving a second chance to people who were caught in some way by forces that had left them impoverished and on the margins. Helping people have a second chance at a better life is the vision of the faith-based program and the volunteers at Jubilee Jobs.

For more information about Jubilee Jobs, visit jubileejobs.org.

For other faith-based organizations, including churches, that have "entered the job market" in various ways, check your local area. In the Nashville, Tennessee, vicinity one church to contact is Brentwood United Methodist Church at bumc.net and type in "career transitions" in the search bar.

088 Pat Dishman—Full Moon Pickin' Party

The Full Moon Pickin' Party—A Natural for Volunteers

Like many people whose professional life keeps them behind a desk, Pat Dishman longed to be outside. Unlike many people in that circumstance, Pat did something! Ten years before she retired, she began volunteering on weekends with Friends of Warner Parks.

Only nine miles from downtown Nashville, the fields and forests of Percy and Edwin Warner Parks provide a nature experience in their 3,100 acres to a million people annually. In support of this 91-year-old treasure in the city and working in partnership with the Metropolitan government, the Friends of Warner Parks organization coordinates volunteers, raises funds, carries out trail maintenance, preserves the historic aspects of the parks, and provides nearly 1,400 educational programs each year—plus six Full Moon Pickin' Parties! (After all, Nashville is Music City!)

On the Friday nights closest to the full moon, May through October, musicians and music lovers come out Percy Warner Park's Equestrian area to make music under the stars. Three bands play "on stage" during the course of this family-friendly evening, but everywhere else are impromptu groups of people playing their own instruments with friends and strangers alike. Everyone is having fun!

A very popular event, the Pickin' Parties raise money for the various projects of the Friends of Warner Parks, but the Friends are also investing their time and energy as volunteers so that the funds go into making the parks a place for all to enjoy for free. Pat and her husband typically staff the booth selling "BeFriend Warner Parks" T-shirts.

But Pat has done many different things, including rolling up her sleeves to help rid the parks of invasive plants, planting new trees, and assisting with the work needed to open a new section, the Burch Reserve, which was purchased and prepared by the Friends, adding more than 200 acres to the parks exclusively for hikers. While "trail maintenance" may sound daunting to unskilled or older volunteers, Pat has great praise for how well the volunteer coordinator, Paul Fowler, matches the task to the skill and energy levels among the ones who come to lend a hand. She credits him also for developing a culture of helping volunteers learn new skills so they enjoy the work and are proud of their accomplishment and contribution.

To find out more about the Friends of Warner Parks, go to warnerparks.org. Or come by the parks' Nature Center, where you may well be greeted by Pat Dishman, who also volunteers in the museum. But you won't find her behind the desk!

087 Nelson Santos—Volunteer Overseas for Free

Spreading Love Through Action—Volunteer Overseas for Free

You care about others, and you are adventuresome. Volunteering overseas appeals to you, but not at the price quoted in the fancy brochures! You and Nelson Santos are kindred spirits. Fortunately, he's blazed a trail for you. With his help, you can volunteer overseas—for free.

Nelson has only had to spend plane fare for the last several years to volunteer in amazing places: Alaska, helping with a donation drive for hospice; Nepal, building schools; Mexico and Thailand, working in dog shelters; Myanmar, attending to the sick and dying in the care of a monastery; and Mexico, caring for children in a refuge for the underprivileged. He spends two weeks to two months in each assignment.

The experiences have challenged him and, in his words, made him "a stronger man." They have also been deeply satisfying as he sees that his putting love into action has changed not only him but also those he has served. To find these opportunities, Nelson had to do a lot of searching on the web. That has led him to creating a path for others. Now with more than 7,000 "members" in his online Facebook community, he is able to assist them in finding volunteer opportunities for free, as well.

In addition through his online service, Nelson prepares those who are interested. He recommends starting to volunteer close to home, on a week-long mission trip, or on a minimal commitment basis while on an overseas vacation, such as at a dog shelter or soup kitchen. These "toe in the water" experiences are often enough to help people take the plunge, dedicating more time in more challenging situations.

Nelson also encourages people to volunteer from their strengths, rather than going hoping to learn a new skill. Carpentry, construction and repair skills, medical expertise, and teaching and training others at various levels are especially needed and of great value to the serving agency. He also reminds new volunteers that the host will provide food and accommodations but not to expect too much. These places willingly share from what little they have, which is not like going back to a hotel at night for a shower and a steak. Volunteers may work harder than they have ever before, but the payment of love is priceless.

Now working full time volunteering and expanding his online assistance to other potential volunteers, Nelson supports his own financial needs only through the sale of his T-shirts. He says, "My purpose us to show kindness, help the needy, and inspire others to do the same." For him volunteering is a lifestyle—not an event. It's a way to spread love.

To find out more, follow Nelson on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travelingvolunteeryogi. He is also working on and will soon launch a website: volunteeroverseasforfree.com. Look for it.

If you are interested in supporting Nelson's efforts or you just like really cool T-shirts, check out smilingtimes.com.

086 Amy Bond—Monroe Harding Foster Care Services

Disrupting the Disruptions—Monroe Harding Foster Care Services

Disrupted! Disruptive! Disruption. These three words are a concise description of the experiences of children who land in foster care. Something has torn apart their family. The trauma may come from within the family or from forces outside. The family is disrupted.

In children, trauma frequently manifests itself in disruptive behavior. Losing their family and their sense of safety, security, and being loved shoves children into "survival mode," off balance and struggling desperately to regain their footing. Acting out is a frantic grasping for a steadying hand. Disruptive behavior is also an indicator of another change in the brain itself. Unchecked, those changes have generational consequences. Often the young people in foster care have parents whose lives have also been previously wounded by trauma.

"Disrupted" and "disruptive" need disruption. Monroe Harding Foster Care Services steps up to interrupt the negative and help children and families heal and, when possible, to reunite and move forward positively. Key in that "disruption" are the volunteer foster parents. Currently through Monroe Harding, 45 families have opened their homes and their hearts to provide stability, security, and love. Research has shown that routine, that feeling nothing bad is going to happen, and a sense that someone cares all help the brain to heal and the disruptive behaviors to cease. The love and support that the foster families give make change possible even for the most traumatized.

Amy Bond, Monroe Harding's Foster Care Coordinator, prepares prospective foster parents and provides training and other support for them. The process may take as long as six months before receiving a child, but many of those 45 families have been fostering children for multiple years, one for 25 and another for 30. They've found great reward in doing so. With nearly 9,000 young people in foster care in Tennessee alone (and nearly half a million in the U.S.), more volunteers are needed. Countering a pernicious stereotype, Amy points out that foster parents don't get rich off the limited funds they receive from the state. Foster families are carefully screened, and the remuneration is only a minimal attempt to cover the extra expenses incurred by taking in a child.

Monroe Harding has been providing care for 125 years, first for orphans and now for the young people in foster care. They regularly see foster families open their hearts (regardless of the expense) because they know that their loving care is a needed and positive disruption for a young person and for generations to come.

For more about Monroe Harding, including other volunteer opportunities, visit monroeharding.org.

For similar programs in your area, search for foster parenting.

085 Don Schulze—Nations Ministry Center Citizenship Classes

Citizenship Classes—No Trivial Matter!

"I'm a lot of fun at parties," quips Don Schulze. "I know a bunch of 'trivia.'" Don also makes his classes lots of fun, but his class material is not trivial. As a volunteer for the Nations Ministry Center in Nashville, Tennessee, he teaches citizenship preparation to immigrants who want to make America their official country as well as their home.

Most of Don's students are refugees. They've fled persecution, survived war, endured the hardships of overcrowded camps, and now have to navigate a new culture, a new language, and a new life. Not shying away, they choose to take the next step to become United States citizens.

To pass the test, applicants must answer only six questions correctly. Sounds easy, but the catch is that the questions chosen come from a pool of 100. So students have to know all 100 answers to be sure of passing the six they are asked. No trivial task! The test is the equivalent of a final exam from a high school civics courseU.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, government structures, American history, and the principles upon which this country was foundedinformation many native born citizens couldn't easily answer at a party!

Don teaches with a lightness that includes fun as well as facts, learning to know each student and recognizing the ranges of challenges individuals face, and listening to their stories as well as teaching the material that will be tested. "I have enormous respect for these people," says Don. "It's humbling to realize the obstacles they have had to overcome." Getting to know the people and seeing them desire this next step into citizenship keeps him volunteering.

After retiring, Don and his wife moved from California to Nashville in 2011. His interest in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) led him to the citizenship classes when he learned about the Nations Ministry Center from his church. The Center, which resources new arrivals to this country in a variety of ways, has other volunteer opportunities, as well. Among those are job coaching, helping school children learn to read in their new language, and assisting families, as they find their way in a new city and a new life.

For more about the Nations Ministry Center, listen to Retire-to Volunteering Podcast #80 or visit their website nationsministrycenter.org.

084 Katie Richards—Nashville Neighbors

Friends for Good—Siloam Family Health Center

Take a moment to appreciate your friends. You know you can count on them for a listening ear when you're trying to figure out things, for good information and advice when you need direction, for help when you're in a bind, and yes, even for fun. Research has documented the value of friendships, showing that they contribute to the health, wellbeing, and confidence of people.

Siloam Family Health Center serves the under-served population of Nashville, especially newly arrived refugees. The 25+ year-old program includes a primary care clinic, seeing 4,000 to 5,000 patients a year. Additionally, the center provides health education programs for their clients. And as "a whole-person health care ministry," Siloam has developed a program connecting the refugees with volunteer teams of new "friends," their own Nashville Neighbors.

According to Katie Richards, Siloam's volunteer coordinator, a team is composed of six to 14 adults, usually ones who already know one another, such as being from the same church or sharing another type of friendship tie. Siloam provides training about the kinds of needs and questions the refugees face and also about the specific culture from which the refugees have come. Siloam also pays for an interpreter to facilitate communication between the team and the family. Team members share the responsibility for being good neighbors so they, as friends, can support one another in this new venture and no one person is overwhelmed. The team commits to six months as Nashville Neighbors.

What happens during those brief months? Many of the refugees have fled violence and war in their home country only to be "housed" in a crowded refugee camp in yet another country, sometimes for as many as 14 years. Leaving behind whatever little support system they had and coming to America, they face a new language, new systems, new expectations of them, new challenges. Having friends to "walk along side them" makes something as "simple" as filling out an application (in a language that they don't speak) and negotiating other common tasks of daily living in a new culture and society much more manageable.

As for the friends on the team, as they get to know the names, faces, and stories of their new neighbors and see them blossom with better health, wellbeing, and confidence, the Nashville Neighbor teams find their own hesitations dissipating and the blessings flowing both ways.

For more information about Siloam, visit siloamhealth.org. To find out more about Nashville 4rNeighbors, contact Katie Richards at 615-921-6114.

083 Kate McKinnie—The Next Door

Wild Praying Women Create The Next Door

They called themselves the Wild Praying Women! Concerned for the sufferings of people, they didn't know what to do, but pray. Funny thing about prayer—it often leads to action, which is what the Wild Praying Women found out. But now they had a clearer vision of where to concentrate their efforts, as well as their prayers: women and their families.

The result is The Next Door, where 82 women at a time struggling with addiction (especially with opioids), mental illness, trauma, and/or incarceration can receive effective, caring treatment in a comprehensive residential program for 30 days plus outpatient services, alumni meetings, family services, and affordable housing options for themselves and their children after they have completed the initial stay at the facility. In 2017 alone 1,442 women and 367 family members found their way to a new life, simply by walking through The Next Door.

Kate McKinnie, the volunteer coordinator, points out that many treatment centers for various reasons do not use volunteers, but especially since The Next Door was founded by volunteers—those Wild Praying Women—the organization values the contributions of volunteers and offers numerous meaningful ways to support the women and the center, including lunch and dinner teams, childcare helpers, clothing closet workers, ambassadors for the program, and Bible study leaders. Girls Night In events provide fun activities, led by volunteers who may bring their own expertise, such as in arts or crafts, or who can create a good time for all, perhaps around a movie or a special theme.

While many volunteers are on site, others work behind the scenes. Serving nearly 1,500 women a year requires lots of supplies, and the wish list is long—including such items as socks, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, hairbrushes, even stamped notecards so the women can write to their families. Volunteers organize collection drives to fulfill these basic needs. Still other "virtual volunteers" (working from home) write notes of welcome and support to the women, most of whom have not had a lot of encouragement and hope in their lives.

Undergirded by prayer and supported by caring volunteers as well as a committed professional staff, the center has an 80% success rate, as measured by the lives of the women after three years. Those Wild Praying Women—and all the other volunteers along the way—are truly helping women and their families through their own "next door" to a better life.

For more information about the program, volunteer opportunities, or the wish list, visit thenextdoor.org.

082 George Bone—Memphis Catholic High School

Building for the Future—Memphis Catholic High School

After more than 20 years of volunteering, George Bone was no stranger to the rewards of giving back. But one reward was a big surprise to him. His alma mater, Memphis Catholic High School, wanted to honor him not only for his academic and athletic accomplishments while he was a student but also for the ways he had lived out the potential shown during those years in his work life and on behalf of his community as a volunteer.

At the dinner to pay tribute to him and the nine others being inducted into the school's Hall of Fame, George especially noticed the students who were serving. They were respectful, well mannered, and passionate about their schooling, so much so that George wanted to know more. A second visit and what he learned opened yet another volunteering avenue. "I became fascinated by what the school does and basically just asked, 'What can I do?'" he recalls.

Memphis Catholic High School, much changed from George's day of 50+ years earlier, serves low-income students, 75% of whom are from single-parent families, and for four years in a row all of the seniors have been accepted for college. Part of the high school's success is their internship program. Students go to school almost year round but only for four days a week. The other day they are working in a Memphis area business, earning $2,000, which in turn helps to offset the cost of their private school. The students value the work experience and the knowledge that they are earning their education.

An executive in his career, George put his skills to work laying the groundwork for an alumni association to ensure the continuation of excellence for the school, which will celebrate 100 years in 2022. But his volunteering with the students has kept his passion high! The school has an emphasis on helping the learners develop a moral compass so that they can better navigate the ups and downs of life. Invited to share his stories from his life with the students, George, as a 70-year-old, was surprised and humbled at how readily the 17-year-olds responded, giving back to him a reward he cherishes.

George admits not everyone can volunteer at his alma mater, but schools are all around us, which means opportunities are there too! Schools where parents, grandparents, and other adults are involved are better able to surround their students with needed resources and a crucial message—that people care—both of which make a difference in lives immediately and for a lifetime.

For more information about this school, visit memphiscatholic.org. To find a school-related volunteer opportunity near you, do your homework.

081 Mita Felman—DC Safe

Never Ever Dull—DC Safe

When Mita Felman retired from her career in public health administration and counseling, she didn't leave behind her compassion—nor her sense of adventure nor her willingness to take a risk. She brought all of that to her volunteer job with DC Safe, which takes her into areas of her city deemed unsafe and into circumstances no one wants to be a part of. As Mita says, the job has "never ever been dull"!

Responding to a domestic abuse call dressed in everyday, "normal" clothes, Mita is in contrast to her partner, a uniformed police officer. In such conflicts, experience has shown that having the volunteer along can be calming and reassuring because the police are often viewed in that community with trepidation. With the kind of listening and counseling skills Mita and the other volunteers have, victims will more readily open up in ways that they would not have to the police, especially not to a male officer if the victim is female. Consequently, Mita is able to assist the victim and also the officer, who can then better focus on the situation, the perpetrator, and the law enforcement needs, knowing the victim is in good hands.

A relatively new program of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department, DC Safe is growing as its effectiveness is proven again and again. Volunteers go through a lengthy application process (about six months) as they are thoroughly screened by the department, making sure that the volunteers are a good fit for the challenging encounters ahead. Then the training they receive prepares them further.

Mita has been especially pleased to work with the police, appreciating first-hand their politeness, skill, dedication, and professionalism in the face of conflict and danger. Initially wondering if she'd be viewed as a nuisance or as in the way by the officers, she has experienced only kindness, support, and admiration from them.

For Mita, who has had a wonderful life and career, seeing how others struggle day-to-day has given her a strong commitment to continue to use her skills and life experience in ways that make a difference and give back to others. That commitment also makes her life never dull!

If you have further interest in DC Safe, either to volunteer or to explore possibilities for setting up a domestic violence liaison program in your area, visit https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/domestic-violence-liaison or call 202-506-2901.