Get Involved with FiftyForward

Among the secrets to success of our organization through the years have been the financial support from the community and the involvement of hundreds of dedicated volunteers – joining hands with a slim professional staff to fulfill our mission.

Here are some easy-entry ways to become involved with FiftyForward to help us continue to enrich the lives of older adults in Middle Tennessee.

Join!

For $75 in annual dues, plus a $25 joining fee (2008 rates), you can become a member of FiftyForward.

Most individuals join our organization at one of our centers in order to take full advantage of the classes, social events and other opportunities offered there.

For more information, please click here.

Volunteer!

Research has established a strong relationship between volunteering and health. Volunteers “have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.”  (CNCS: The Health Benefits of Volunteering 2007)

FiftyForward values the life experiences, skills and enthusiasm of older adult volunteers. Each year, nearly 3,000 seniors give approximately a quarter of a million volunteer hours of service to FiftyForward and its community-based programs.

To learn more about available opportunities, call the numbers listed, or click on the link at the bottom of the page to fill in a volunteer interest form.

Our seven centers are always looking for volunteers to help with programs and events. Contact the center nearest you to learn of options for involvement and service. Click here for the list.

On the FiftyForward corporate level, we offer opportunities to become involved in a number of areas on working committees whose leadership are members of the board of directors.

The standing committees are:

• Communications
• Development
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Leadership
• Program Resources
• Public Policy
• Strategic Planning

Living at Home

Our FiftyForward Living at Home program offers a variety of opportunities for volunteers to work with homebound older adults.

• RESPITE CARE PROGRAM provides volunteers to give in-home weekly companionship to frail, elderly person who has a family caregiver. Respite gives the caregiver a chance for rest, as well as time to take care of such tasks as buying groceries. Volunteers spend 2-4 hours each week acting as a companion to the homebound individual. A four-hour training session is required to prepare for providing respite care. A background check is required prior to training. To volunteer as a respite caregiver, please call 743-3421.
• SENIOR COMPANIONS are low-income adults, aged 60+, who in exchange for volunteering a minimum of 20 hours per week helping other mature adults, receive a stipend, meal and transportation assistance. Duties may include respite care (a break for caregivers) or companion care for senior adults who live alone and need extra support. A background check and extensive pre-service training is required. To inquire, please call 743-3421.
• VICTORY OVER CRIME offers support, case management, legal system advocacy, homemaker services, counseling, referral to community services and volunteer assistance. Volunteers provide eight hours per month of service. Through home visits, they help assigned individuals with safety planning, daily household needs, transportation, support at court hearings, as well as offering other types of supportive services. A background check is completed prior to pre-service training. Ongoing in-service training is also required. To volunteer, please call 743-3436.
• MEALS ON WHEELS provides weekday, weekend, and holiday (Thanksgiving and Christmas) lunches to homebound individuals. Volunteers are needed to help deliver lunches. Meals are picked up between 10:30 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday. Routes generally take an hour to deliver. Volunteers have a choice of delivery area, days to deliver, and how often to deliver based on route openings. Weekend meals are picked up at 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Volunteers are also needed to deliver meals on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. To volunteer as a deliverer, call 463-2264.
• ADULT DAY SERVICES provides a safe, caring environment, social interaction, exercise, and other engaging activities for older adults who need to be in a supervised setting during the day. Nutritional meals, transportation, and social services are also offered. Caregivers receive support and encouragement and are assured that their loved one is comfortable and safe during the day. Volunteers are needed during weekdays to facilitate and help with activities, assist with serving lunch and to socialize with the participants. Individuals and volunteers groups of all ages are welcomed. To volunteer, please call 463-2266.

FiftyForward RSVP

RSVP provides opportunities for adults 55 and older to utilize their skills and experience at public or private non-profit organizations and schools in Davidson and Williamson counties. Click here to visit the program’s Website for more information on available opportunities.

FiftyForward Foster Grandparents

One of the charter sites for FGP more than 40 years ago, FiftyForward’s program continues to train and support senior adult volunteers who work one-on-one with 1,000 children with special needs during the school year. Click here to learn more about this program and opportunities for volunteer service.

Donate!

Click here to learn more about opportunities to support FiftyForward financially.

To donate online right now, click here.

To learn more about our endowment opportunities, click here.