Whether you’re working part-time or retired, there are 101 ways you can make new social connections and give back to your community if you’re a senior. Volunteering benefits your physical and mental health and research shows it reduces depression, isolation and anxiety while just being fun.

There’s a volunteer opportunity for every passion — plants, pets, art, music and more. If you are a member of a church or synagogue, ask about opportunities to volunteer there or in the community. Here’s some ideas to get you started.

PINELLAS COUNTY

Volunteers in Pinellas is a one-stop shop of volunteer opportunities for a day, with a group and in so many ways, helping at Fort De Soto, Heritage Village, Animal Services and more. https://pinellas.gov/programs/volunteers-in-pinellas/

PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS

Whether you have an hour a week or more to give, there’s a place for you to get involved and make a meaningful impact. You can be a mentor or resiliency coach; a classroom or front office assistant; a field trip chaperone, a guest speaker, an athletic coach, or a college and career center adviser.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Food Insecurity: Feeding Tampa Bay, Metropolitan Ministries, 360 Eats!, The Kind Mouse and most of the area’s food banks are in need of volunteers to gather, organize and distribute food especially ahead of the holiday season.

CASA Pinellas: Volunteer opportunities include thrift store support, community education, outreach support, crisis intervention and providing safe environments for survivors of domestic violence and their children. https://casapinellas.org/

DayStar Life: This community-based nonprofit organization provides essential resources to create brighter futures for everyone. There’s a garden that needs tending, events and many volunteer opportunities. https://daystarlife.org/volunteer/

Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside: Whether you are a builder or have never used a hammer, you can make a difference in your community by working aside builders or helping with events. https://habitattbg.org/volunteer/

Seniors in Service Tampa Bay: Founded in 1984, this organization connects volunteers, age 55 and older, to meet the needs and challenges of at-risk seniors, veterans and children in our community. You can be a valued helper to a homebound senior, a cherished mentor to a struggling child or an appreciated companion to an at-risk veteran. SIS matches your unique skills, abilities and interests with a volunteer opportunity.

https://seniorsinservice.org/volunteer-opportunities/pinellas-volunteer-opportunities/

Lunch Pals: Love kids? Look into Lunch Pals where you can give 30 minutes weekly to meet with a student during their lunch break. Or you can tutor and assist children K-3 through video calls, individually or in small groups, to help them develop their literacy, social and emotional skills.

Hope Villages of America: Help the homeless with their food bank (stock food, sort donations), Grace House emergency housing for homeless families (tutor students, youth program, general maintenance and landscaping) and The Haven domestic violence center.

Health Buddies: You can help brighten the day of seniors in assisted living communities through companionship, crafts, games and books. Health Buddies helps reduce preventable hospital readmissions for individuals living with chronic conditions through telephone interventions that empower them to self-manage their health. Volunteers are trained to provide support to help clients live independently, with dignity.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Tampa Bay: Helping families while their children are treated for medical issues nationally and in Tampa Bay, the Pinellas County locations need volunteers for the house, the desk assisting live-in families, kitchen support and picking up supplies for resident families. https://rmhctampabay.org/st-pete/

PARC Center for Disabilities: You can help with events, group projects and one-on-one opportunities such as story time, teaching art or reading, gardening, grant writing or administrative support. www.parc-fl.org/

MOTHER NATURE

From parks to preserves, you can volunteer to get your hands dirty, assist with events and more at Sunken Gardens, Florida Botanical Gardens, Brooker Creek and Weedon preserves. Local and county parks can all use your help. Help save our turtles and beaches with local organizations such as Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Tampa Bay Watch or Sea Turtle Trackers.

ARTS & CULTURE

Most of the museums are looking for volunteers to give docent tours, help with events and fundraising. If you have an artistic skill, look into the Morean Arts Center and Center for Clay, Dunedin Fine Art Center or Safety Harbor Art & Music Center, which offers dozens of classes.

Love music and performance? The Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association, The Palladium, the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts and Mahaffey Theater, freeFall Theater, American Stage, Studio @620, Central Parks Performing Arts Center and Tarpon Performing Arts Center want you to usher, help with events and more. Clearwater Jazz Holiday has all-year needs for their CJH Foundation as does Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association and Suncoast Jazz Festival.

If books and reading out loud to children make you happy, visit your local library to see if they need after-school tutoring, shelving, sorting donations and other services. A little free library needs restocking and if there’s not one in your neighborhood, considering gathering the neighbors to build one.

ANIMAL RESCUE

Our fur babies need you, from volunteering in shelters to fostering and gathering supplies and services. Friends of Strays, Fluff Animal Rescue, Humane Society of Pinellas, Safe Paws Dog Rescue, Pet Pal Animal Shelter, SPCA Tampa Bay, CJ Paws, Pawlife Rescue Group and others need your help. At Seaside Bird Sanctuary, you can help with rescue, operations, education, hospital care, gift shop and special events. Also check out Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Tampa Bay Watch & Discovery Center. Check out Dogs, Inc. if you are interested in training a service animal or helping with their events.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

From the Y to city recreation programs, senior health expos and local farmer markets and festivals, there are dozens of ways to help out. Check out Shopapalooza and Localtopia, area libraries and free events (yoga at the Pier, at the beach) to see how you can get involved. Local hospitals need your help as well for guest services, visiting patients, gift shop and more. https://baycare.org/about-us/volunteering/volunteer-opportunities