Parish Volunteer Days for Seniors - A Diocesan Campaign

As part of their Covenant, the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and Episcopal Senior Ministries, in cooperation with Episcopal-affiliated senior housing in the Diocese, are launching a campaign to encourage each Episcopal congregation in the Diocese to commit to one Parish Volunteer Day for Seniors. St. Mary’s Court, in Foggy Bottom, Friendship Terrace in Northwest Washington, Christian Communities Group Homes and its Age-in-Place program in Northeast Washington, Collington in Mitchellville, MD, St. Philip’s Home in Brandywine, MD, and St. Mary’s Home (Cedar Lane Apartments) in Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County are all possible recipients of the talents, experiences, and time of parishioners in the Diocese. If you have a youth group, a choir, mission volunteers, musicians, workers, this is an easy way to provide meaningful outreach that will impact the volunteers as well as the seniors being served.

The campaign is to encourage each congregation to provide volunteers for one project, one day, once a year, for one of these Episcopal-affiliated homes or services. Scheduling is flexible and the time commitment ranges from one to six hours.

Mission volunteers can share their experiences with a slide show and narrative. Choirs, chorale groups, and musicians can provide a musical program for residents. Youth and adult groups can spend a morning cleaning out the yard of a senior so that he or she can get safely to the sidewalk. Provide bingo or another game event, plan a one-on-one helping visit, help celebrate a holiday with a special party. Building a day of service into the church program calendar promotes volunteerism, outreach, as well as an awareness of the challenges of growing older in our community and the resources made available through the Episcopal Church.

All projects need a few weeks lead time for the staff to work with volunteers on appropriate planning and scheduling. You can also find the list of contacts and possible volunteer projects here.

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