There are people who think that disabled people can only be the recipient of volunteerism and not the benefactor, but this ideology is just not true. Volunteering is beneficial to every person no matter their age, race, gender, or disability. Although there are obstacles that disabled people may face while volunteering, such as inaccessibility of volunteer locations or lack of transportation, there are many opportunities out there for those who are disabled or handicapped that want to volunteer. Some examples of volunteer opportunities for the disabled include:
- Serving meals at soup kitchens
- Stocking shelves at food pantries
- Preparing and providing meals to seniors
- Cleaning up parks and helping keep communities beautiful
- Volunteering at animal shelters
- Volunteering at nursing homes
People choose to volunteer every day to obtain new skills, build their confidence, and gain work experience. Volunteering is a great way to better yourself and build connections and networks of support. If you are interested in learning more about the volunteerism opportunities in your community, contact your local government, or do a quick online search! The volunteer possibilities are endless.
Dr. Barbara Edwards, Princeton internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.
I would like to know if opportunities exist to volunteer a “Baby Cuddler”?
Please let me know.
Have a healthy and happy New Year!
Hi Elizabeth, Happy New Year to you as well! Please see my blog post on this topic, it has a list of local hospitals that participate in this kind of volunteerism. Here is the link to that blog: https://www.drbarbaraedwards.com/benefits-of-being-a-baby-cuddler/.