Online Library
Active Retirement Community
Residents living in active retirement communities are leading busy, rewarding, and productive lives from their active retirement communities. While many are involved in 2nd and 3rd careers, others are improving their physical health with diet and exercise, and some are taking classes and learning new skills. Active retirement community is a new phrase that describes the larger community of "boomers" marching enthusiastically into a new stage of life from their active retirement communities. The new "boomers" love to have play and have fun but they also can't quite imagine not being fully involved and engaged in their new active retirement communities. They have redefined "active" and continually challenge the old norms for retirees.
One of the strongest characteristics of the new "boomers" in active retirement communities is their desire to give back. In AARP's January '06 magazine, (excerpts below) Jennifer Uscher shows "active adults" many ways to "Make a World of Difference-Without Leaving Home."
"Ms. Uscher says, "The following organizations seek virtual volunteers in any location who are interested in international issues, health, mentoring and advice, helping seniors, knitting and crocheting, animals and wildlife, or who can offer specific professional services. Note that these are just a sampling of opportunities available to active retirement communities; you can find thousands more by searching the following databases." Join many others retirees in active retirement communities who are sharing their love, wisdom, skill and expertise with others.
Nabuur.com: The Global Neighbour Network
Volunteer "neighbours" join in online discussions with representatives from communities in developing countries. Meet active adults from foreign countries from your active retirement community.
Ashoka
This organization supports the work of social entrepreneurs-practical visionaries who possess qualities traditionally associated with leading business entrepreneurs, but who are committed to systemic social change in their field-worldwide. An active retirement community favorite.
Ann Foundation
This nonprofit's mission is to improve the quality of life for children with visual and hearing impairments. Volunteers from many active retirement communities dedicate time to this worthwhile cause.
icouldbe.org
Volunteers mentor underprivileged teens online and help them with educational and career planning. Acitve retirement community members find that this is a great way to help.
Elder Wisdom Circle
Active retirement community residents and People age 60 and over share their wisdom and know-how with advice seekers who come to the organization's website. Active retirement community residents share their life's experiences here.
AARP Volunteers
The state offices of AARP seek volunteers to work on many key issues, such as opposing cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, promoting drug affordability legislation, utility and tax reform, the quality of long-term care facilities, and consumer protection. Many retires living in an active retirement community find fulfillment in helping others through this organization.
Telephone Reassurance Programs
Volunteers make a regularly scheduled, often daily, call to people in their active retirement community who are elderly and/or disabled and homebound to check on their well-being and offer companionship. http://www.eldercare.gov/. Active retirement communities...others helping others.
Warm Up America!
Knit or crochet an afghan (or part of an afghan) that will be donated to battered women's shelters, hospitals, or victims of natural disasters. Active retirement community residents give back through this organization.
Project Linus
Create a handmade blanket or quilt that will be donated to children who are seriously ill or who have experienced trauma. Project Linus recently sent over 24,000 blankets to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Details are available online. Active Retirement Community members practice their quilting skills while helping those in need.
Binky Patrol
Donate your handmade blankets-sewn, knitted, crocheted, or quilted-to children and teens in need across the United States. This is a favorite for many residents of active retirement communities across Central Florida.
Afghans For Afghans
You can donate knitted or crocheted wool hats, mittens, socks, sweaters, vests, and blankets to the needy in Afghanistan. An active retirement community favorite.
Project FeederWatch
Volunteer to count birds at your backyard feeder during the winter for a scientific census coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Hours of natural enjoyment from your active retirement community.
Pet Fostering
Animal rescue organizations nationwide need people to provide care and a temporary home for kittens, puppies, and other pets that are ill, pregnant, or have behavioral problems. Pets 911 A favorite effort for many active retirement communities.
Raising Puppies
Organizations such as Guide Dogs of America, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and The Seeing Eye need people to act as foster parents for puppies that later will be formally trained as guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired. Many of our active retirement community neighborhoods are just right for this cause.
Operation Hope
Volunteers with a background in the financial industry (mortgage brokers, bankers, tax consultants, etc.) work as virtual volunteers, providing ongoing case management from any location with Internet access to victims of the 2005 hurricanes and other disasters, offering financial and budget counseling over the phone. Those living in an Provide financial knowledge from your active retirement community.
Lawyers Without Borders
This organization channels legal pro bono services and resources into human rights initiatives, legal capacity-building projects, and rule-of-law projects around the world. info@lwob.org. Florida's active retirement communities continue their participation in the legal process from this site.
Red Cross Virtual Journalists Program
Volunteers with a background in journalism or communications write articles for the VolunteerNews section of the RedCross.org website. BoeslM@usa.redcross.org. Many active retirement communities help the Red Cross through this medium.
VolunteerMatch
Go to the website and select Virtual from the Distance drop-down menu on the left side of the home page. A useful resource for active retirement community residents.
Idealist
Go to the website, click on Volunteer Opportunities on the right side of the home page, and then put "virtual" in the City/town or Description fields. Residents in active retirement communities find this a great opportunity to volunteer their time and experiences.
United Nations Online Volunteering Service
Use this database to find online volunteering opportunities with organizations that serve communities in developing countries. Many living in active retirement communities use this database as a source of volunteerism.
Network for Good
On the website's home page, click on the Volunteer tab and choose Search for an Opportunity to get to the Volunteer page. Here, on the left-hand side, under Select a Distance, choose Virtual from the drop-down menu. Active retirement communities have residents that actively search this site for opportunities to continue their ongoing active retirement community lifestyle.
We, at CRF Communities, hope that the above list of organizations will better enhance your lifestyle in your new active retirement community.
