Volunteer Services

Ongoing Opportunities

Older Adults

Activity Planner for Older Adult Residents of Surlow Apartments: Plan and help residents plan cultural, social and educational programs to increase interests and activities. Organize and arrange activities such as craft classes, music performances, film nights, chair exercise class, teas and cooking afternoons. Let creativity be your guide as you meet residents and plan fun and interesting activities. Surlow Apartments is an independent living facility on Milwaukee's east side. JFS provides social services to the residents. Time Commitment: 5-7 hours per month minimum.

Adopt-A-Grandparent: Families needed to welcome an isolated, lonely older adult into their family's life. Share celebrations of holidays, birthdays and other important life events together. Hear the interesting stories that a JFS Older Adult client would like to tell and learn about each other's lives. Talk about a report card, a new job, a good recipe or a soccer goal and bring the love of a family into this person's life. Visit 1 - 2 times per month for an hour or two.

The Driving Club: Volunteer drivers take JFS clients to and from medical appointments, grocery stores or other short essential errands. Drivers can take assignments on a regular or occasional basis to match personal schedule preferences.

Friendly Visitor: Provide companionship and cheer to an isolated older adult in or out of the home. Visits can be devoted to sitting and chatting, enjoying a cup of tea, playing cards, taking a walk or sharing stories. Many friendly visitors also help with paperwork, errands, grocery shopping or reading. Visit either weekly or every other week for 1 - 2 hours.

Shopping Friend: Be a grocery shopper or run errands for an older homebound adult who can no longer partake in these activities. Volunteers needed on a regular or occasional basis.

People with Exceptional Needs

Sandy Naimon Breakfast Club Buddies: Brighten the lives of adults with chronic mental illness at a weekly group brunch in an eastside restaurant. Led by JFS professional staff, volunteers join in on the conversation and add to topics like sports, movies and current events. Volunteers must be able to tolerate cigarette smoke.

Habush House Exercise/Activity Leader: Bring healthy exercise ideas to developmentally disabled residents on a weekly basis. Chair-type exercises in the cold months and outdoor walks for the pleasant months would be a great addition to their lives. Late afternoons or weekends for an hour would work best.

Russian Speaking Clients

ESL Tutor: Teach English as a Second Language to Russian émigrés on a weekly basis. Basic English or Conversational English Practice classes are available. Classes are 1 hour.