Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer with
Age Well
Looking for volunteer opportunities in northwestern Vermont? Consider volunteering with Age Well!
By dedicating your time and skills, you become an essential part of the network that fosters a sense of community and well-being for Vermont’s aging population. Whether you’re assisting with meal deliveries, participating in social activities, or offering companionship, your involvement directly contributes to enhancing the quality of life for older adults in northwestern Vermont.
Join our network of over 1,000 volunteers—we can all be proud of supporting older Vermonters.
Why Volunteer?
Our mission is to provide the support and guidance that inspires our Vermont community to embrace aging with confidence. The time you donate will be repaid many times over by the relationships and memories created and the knowledge that you’ve made a difference.
Volunteer Susyn Dees explains why she loves providing services to older Vermonters.
My name is Susyn Dees and I’ve been with Age Well for just about three years as soon as I retired I was on the hunt so that was my retirement goal was to get hooked into some agency that could use my my skill set I’m a lifer I think I just I think they’re just so fabulous there and what they do as well I was just retiring from a long career of teaching and was looking for the perfect match for my skill set and uh felt like I hit the jackpot when I met up with the folks at Age Well I um had been working with people who were needing some services around their medical care so that was that was just a grace because I was so happy to find that match that I had been searching for for a bit of time and not only that the people that I work with at Age Well are just the best organization I can even think of they provide services that I had no idea that were available to people in this northern Vermont area and I tell folks all the time if they suggest that their parents or someone are in need of services that this is the agency that you want to start with and they’re always so helpful everyone there is always so gracious when you call them and or they call you and um just are always on the ready for whatever needs to have happened I love the clientele as well and so that’s a big part of what keeps me at Age Well and I have broadened my experiences with Age Well because I just think that everything they do is a super valuable service to all those in the community and and I was also quite humbled to find out um what extensive needs there are in the in this area and something that um is very humbling for me and makes me much more appreciative of everything that I have so I just love Age Well I think they’re the greatest I began primarily working with clients who needed to either help getting to the doctor’s offices and or help at the doctor’s office so that was really where I was looking for my volunteer services initially and I found it really rewarding that you do have opportunities to make connections with people even in a short period of time that you have deliveries and people are are super gracious about having meals delivered each and every day I’ve also you know just done simple things like go pick up an air conditioner and deliver it to someone or a microwave or they’re just such a variety of things that people need and I know that they do a whole lot more than that but those are the things that I’ve been able to help with so it’s very gratifying.
I’ve been a Meals on Wheels volunteer for a little over three years. I’ve learned so much about this program and the help it brings to people with food insecurities. There are people out there in need. I’m very fortunate that I’m not. I think that the Meals on Wheels volunteer bringing lunch may be the only other human contact that a lot of our clients have on a daily basis.
So it’s not just bringing the meals. We’re bringing socialization, we’re bringing a warm smile. We’re bringing another person saying, Hi, how are you today? And that’s also important for all of us to be able to do that. Makes me feel that I’m doing such a big service for very little effort on my part.
Volunteer Programs
There are several ways to give your time to those who need it most throughout Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties. Volunteer opportunities are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm (no weekend or evening availability). From Veterans visiting other veterans, providing transportation, to grocery shopping or the programs outlined below, you can give your time and impact a life volunteering with Age Well.
AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program
Make giving back your second act! AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers bring their unique skillsets and experiences to help people and communities thrive. AmeriCorps Seniors programs are open specifically to Americans age 55 and older.
Meals on Wheels Volunteers
Join an incredible team of 800+ Meals on Wheels volunteers in Vermont delivering over 1,000 meals everyday! Meals on Wheels volunteers build new connections with their neighbors while checking in on their safety and addressing food insecurity. There are many ways to be a Meals on Wheels volunteer, you can have a regular weekly or biweekly route, substitute in for our openings in advance, and be “on call” as a standby volunteer in case we need last minute coverage.
Caregiver Volunteer Respite Squad
Join Age Well’s Caregiver Volunteer Respite Squad and make a meaningful impact on families in your community. Our compassionate volunteers provide essential relief and stability to caregivers and the individuals they care for. Age Well provides all Respite Squad volunteers with training on how to support individuals facing cognitive challenges, dementia, or other conditions requiring full-time supervision. By focusing on caregiver wellness, the Respite Squad helps improve the overall quality of care for those in need.
Age Well Administrative
By lending your time and skills to assist with administrative tasks, you play a crucial role in ensuring the seamless operation of our agency, allowing us to better focus on providing essential support to older adults. Volunteering in these capacities not only enriches the lives of our aging population but also provides you with a unique opportunity to contribute to the vitality of our Vermont community.
FAQs
Have questions about volunteering through Age Well? Check out the information in this section and then click the button to apply.
There are several ways to give your time to those who need it most. Opportunities to volunteer are available in Addison, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Chittenden counties.
Time of volunteer opportunities vary. Meals on Wheels are delivered weekday mornings and all other volunteers assist clients Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:00 pm.
You can volunteer as an individual or team! Several local businesses and community groups create volunteer teams. Would you like to learn more?
Call us at 1-802-662-5249.
We are always in need of volunteers in the four counties we serve. However, sometimes there is a high level of need in specific towns:
Addison County: Middlebury Meals on Wheels volunteers needed. Senior Companions and Friendly Visitors needed throughout Addison County.
Chittenden County: Burlington, Essex, Huntington, & Winooski Meals on Wheels volunteers needed. Senior Companions and Friendly Visitors needed throughout Chittenden County.
Franklin & Grand Isle Counties: Enosburgh, Richford, Sheldon, St. Albans, & Swanton. Senior Companions and Friendly Visitors needed throughout Franklin & Grand Isle Counties.
Work with our experts at Age Well to be matched with an individual who needs in home support in one or more of the following areas:
All volunteers must pass Age Well’s background screening process, attend orientation and complete an interview.
Once the signed Volunteer Information form is received, Age Well conducts a background check. This usually takes around 48 hours to be completed. Once the results are received, our volunteer coordinator will contact you for an interview, provide orientation training information, and discuss volunteer opportunities and scheduling.
Additional training is required for the following programs: Meals on Wheels, Respite support, and State Health Insurance Program.
All new volunteers watch the Age Well Volunteer Orientation video which helps you learn about all the services Age Well provides.
There are many ways to volunteer with our program so we want to help you find your niche so we can match you appropriately! We will get to know you and your interests through a short interview. We will also discuss our confidentiality policy, gather information regarding reference checks, and complete other necessary paperwork.
City Market Member Worker Discount
Members of City Market, Onion River Co-op receive a 7% discount for two hours of volunteer time and a 12% discount for four hours of volunteer time. Discounts begin the first of the following month after you volunteer and are not available on alcohol, newspapers, or stamps. Learn more.
Benefits of Volunteering
City Market Member Worker Discount
Members of City Market, Onion River Co-op receive a 7% discount for two hours of volunteer time and a 12% discount for four hours of volunteer time. Discounts begin the first of the following month after you volunteer and are not available on alcohol, newspapers, or stamps. Learn more.
Jiffy Lube Discount
Active Age Well volunteers have access to 15% off select services at Jiffy Lube locations nationwide. With more than 2,000 convenient locations nationwide, Jiffy Lube offers a wide range of automotive maintenance services including brakes, tires and engine diagnostics. Email [email protected] to receive the flyer with discount code.
Smuggler’s Notch Vermonter Winter Daycation Pass
Volunteer at a local non-profit for at least 10 hours per month with a 3-month commitment and receive a Winter Daycation Pass for your immediate family. Learn more.
Volunteer Your Time
Would you like to help Vermonters age well? To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact the Age Well Volunteer Program at 802-662-5249 or [email protected].
