Diakon has been providing services for seniors for many years. They offer a wide range of vital resources to help seniors remain independent in their home.
APPRISE is a program that offers free health-insurance counseling to people with Medicare to help them understand health insurance benefits, explore options and assist them with paperwork.
Meals on Wheels provides nutritious, hot noon-time meals to homebound older adults Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays with two additional cold meals. The meals supply one-third of the seniors' Recommended Daily Allowance of nutritional needs.
Their five senior community centers, located in Mahanoy City, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah and Tremont, offer a variety of programs and services geared to those who are 60 and older. In addition to daily programs and services, the centers offer nutritionally balanced lunch-time meals.
Volunteer Home Care helps seniors who can no longer drive get to important medical and social service appointments and assist with grocery shopping.
You can help them in their efforts by donating your time and talents. Volunteers are needed for all programs.
APPRISE is looking for counselors to work one-on-one with consumers. Meals on Wheels needs drivers for weekly meals and for monthly food tote delivery. The senior centers need individuals to help with meal prep and activities, and Volunteer Home Care is recruiting drivers.
Onsite training, specific to each program, is provided to all volunteer applicants. Mileage reimbursement is available. Contact the agency at 570-624-3020 for details on any of these volunteer opportunities.
The third annual Holistic and Metaphysical Expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Stonehedge Gardens in Tamaqua.
Use the above contact info for those specific volunteer opportunities and find other opportunities at www.schuylkill.us/cvia. Community Volunteers in Action can be reached at 570-628-1426 or jjohnston@co,.schuylkill.pa.us. Check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/communityvolunteersinaction.
Donation room volunteer
Times: As needed and available.
Responsibility: Sort, organize and maintain order in the donation room.
Skills: Volunteers must complete a minimum of 40 hours of classroom and five hours of observational training, be aware of and follow all Schuylkill Women in Crisis policies and procedures, and adhere to the SWiC confidentiality policy. Must have the ability to work independently and follow direction.
Location: Pottsville
Contact: Schuylkill Women in Crisis, 570-622-3991.
Wellness volunteers
Times: As needed and available.
Responsibility: Help agency in a variety of roles.
Skills: Ability to perform assigned tasks.
Location: Pottsville
Contact: Michelle, Schuylkill Wellness Services, 570-622-3980.