How you can tap into your life experience to give back.
As the hustle and bustle of career and responsibilities wind down, volunteering can serve as a second act for many people, offering a new chapter of life experiences. Volunteers often find purpose, connection, and a feeling of usefulness in their “second act.”
That’s how Charles started 15 years ago when he noticed an AmeriCorps Seniors advertisement in his local paper seeking volunteers to help community members during tax season. After spending 30 years as a certified public accountant, Charles of Decatur, Ala., knew he could tap into his experience to help others navigate tax filing. He’s now a site coordinator for Athens-Limestone County RSVP at the Decatur Public Library, where residents of Ardmore, Athens, and Decatur can receive no-cost tax preparation services.
“I enjoy doing it because I’m able to give my experience back to the community,” said Charles. “I’m glad to use my background to help anyone who comes to me needing assistance.”
Giving And Also Getting Back
During tax season, Charles and his fellow tax counselors often spend up to 35 hours per week ensuring their neighbors are filing correctly and maximizing their refunds. The RSVP team consists of ten tax preparers. Together, they plan to file about 1,100 tax returns this year, securing their clients over $1 million in refunds.
“We help people of all ages through our no-cost tax services, but a lot of our clients are retired and living on social security, and they can’t afford to pay someone hundreds of dollars to file a simple return,” said Charles. “It feels especially good to help save them money but also to talk to them one-on-one. When I was a professional, people would drop their information off and leave. Now, I get to sit across from them and engage with them while we’re working.”
The ability to help others while also forming connections has been invaluable to Charles. “It’s been a big change from private practice, but a good one,” he said. “I’m sharing a skill that I sharpened for more than 30 years while also benefitting from staying engaged and socializing with others in my community.”
Many Different Ways to Help
Volunteers with an affinity for math are enlisted to support thousands of people through the daunting tax season. But there are numerous ways to volunteer through AmeriCorps Seniors. Every year, nearly 140,000 volunteers are matched with opportunities to use their skills and experience to give back to their communities.
Whether that’s planting a community garden, tutoring or mentoring children, delivering meals, providing companionship for other older adults, or offering services like tax preparation, through three signature programs – RSVP, Foster Grandparent, and Senior Companion – AmeriCorps Seniors connects volunteers with opportunities that also meet their personal backgrounds and interests. Time commitments range from just a few to 40 hours per week.
Your “Second Act” is Waiting
Volunteering can serve as a new chapter of life experiences. The benefits of service are felt by both the people volunteering and those they’re serving. This holds particularly true for older adults, tapping into their skills to benefit their communities in practical and, in some cases, life-changing ways.
Pursue an opportunity to give back, like Charles. Be it tax-related or another passion, now's your moment to make a difference in your community.
