Bonnie started volunteering with The Center after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic because she felt called to help out during this time. “I never knew from week to week if my job would start or stop. I needed something that had flexibility, but I wanted to do something meaningful.” Bonnie spent part of her career as a Registered Nurse …

Don began working with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving in Spring 2020 after the start of the pandemic. Don is no stranger to volunteering and serving his community and has spent a lifetime giving back. A few of his past volunteer roles include serving as a coach for his children’s sports teams, Cub Scout leader, high school mentor, and with …

Daksha knows the needs of older adults as both of her parents currently live with her, including her 85-year-old father who Daksha helps drive to doctor’s appointments. But what about older people who don’t have family nearby to help get them to doctors’ appointments? This concern led Daksha to look for an opportunity to help older people who are not …

Today, The Center for Volunteer Caregiving celebrates its 30th anniversary. We asked a few of our longest tenured volunteers to reflect on the support and services they’ve provided to older adults and adults with disabilities living independently in Wake County and the impact it has had on their life. (The number in parentheses is the number of years they’ve volunteered …

Emily has been volunteering with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving since August 2021. At that time, she had recently moved to Raleigh after living in California for 10 years and did not know anyone in the area. The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to connect with others in her community so she actively sought out volunteer opportunities. She found The …

People are inspired by all sorts of reasons to volunteer with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving. Scott witnessed first-hand his parents and in-laws struggle to remain in their homes as they aged, and their experience inspired Scott to become a volunteer with The Center when he retired in late 2020. “As [my parents and in-laws] aged, they needed assistance with …

Patti began volunteering with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving in 2018. When Patti retired, she wanted to give back to members of her community. What began as a quick internet search for local volunteer opportunities quickly turned into a rewarding experience. During her search for volunteer opportunities, Patti was struck by The Center’s historical legacy and its goal of helping …

“I’m making a person’s day helping them.” One reason many of our volunteers choose to work with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving is the opportunity to give back. Caregiver respite volunteer, Cynthia Bridges, is one of these examples. She saw first-hand how important caregiver support is when her mother developed dementia. Cynthia’s mother lived with her until she moved to …

“I get lots of advice and wisdom from the [care receivers].” Lavanya began volunteering with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving in 2019. When she moved to the Triangle area she knew that she wanted to contribute to her new community, but she didn’t realize how many benefits she would receive as a volunteer with The Center. “It is a give and …