Volunteer opportunities

Our Board members champion the importance of exceptional board leadership and believe that our organization needs a strong and effective board to fully realize its potential for good. Board members are active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and are engaged in identifying and securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary for Minuteman Senior Services to advance its mission. If interested, please call Board Liaison Karen D’Amico at 781-221-7011.

Join our Social Connections Program and become a friendly visitor and essential shopper for an hour once a week. Volunteer Friendly Visitors provide an important “quality of life” service, as regular social contact is proven to improve health and wellbeing. Help with essential shopping and provide company over the phone or in person to reduce social isolation for a local older adult. We provide support and training—and you make a meaningful connection with a new friend.

Can you spare a few lunchtime hours, two times a month or more? If so, you can deliver nutritious lunches to local homebound older adults in our service area. Meals on Wheels Drivers deliver between 6 and 20 meals twice a month or more, with time for a quick chat and wellness check. The need is great! Volunteers can work independently or as a team.

Help out at your local hot lunch program where older adults gather for a nutritious meal. Volunteers are needed to help set up, serve, and clean up. Dining Assistants work with the Dining Coordinator to create a welcoming community, encourage conversation, update route sheets, and set up/serve and clean up after lunchtime meals. Assistants are trained to comply with safe food handling practices and procedures as well as local fire, health, and sanitation codes. This is an opportunity to meet a lot of great people.

Become trained and certified to co-lead multiple-session healthy living programs. These classes are designed to improve balance, diet, and exercise, and to help people with chronic disease improve their self-care. Once trained, lay leaders are asked to commit to two classes within one year of certification and attend related team meetings.

SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Everyone) counselors provide Medicare beneficiaries and people new to Medicare with free, objective, and accurate information regarding health insurance options. Interested volunteers with strong computer and critical thinking skills participate in a 40-hour state certification training program,* learning the details of Medicare, MassHealth, and other state or federal public health benefits. Volunteers are mentored and participate in ongoing education offered monthly, so they are well prepared to provide in-person counseling at sites throughout our service area. The SHINE counselor time commitment is between 4 and 10 hours each month.

Please be aware that we are required to do a federal background check on all SHINE volunteer applicants.

* Certification training is scheduled annually or on an as-needed basis.

Assist older adults or adults with disabilities who need help with their monthly bill paying and related paperwork. Volunteer bill payers establish a list of monthly income and expenses, sort (financial) mail, organize bills for payment, balance checkbook and reconcile to bank statement, write checks from a designated account for the consumer to sign, and perform other related tasks as agreed on by the consumer, volunteer, and program coordinator.

Become trained and certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to impartially investigate and resolve complaints and problems of residents in long-term care facilities and rest homes. Ombudsmen visit residents regularly to receive and resolve resident concerns. Ombudsmen are also a source of information on community resources and residents’ legal rights. Volunteers receive training through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The commitment is approximately two hours each week.