Thank you, Volunteers! It's National Volunteer Month!

To Our Wonderful Volunteers: THANK YOU!

Your Time Makes a World of Difference!

April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month and at AARP Maine, we are grateful and honored to work with extraordinary volunteers every month of the year. The work of these dedicated individuals propels AARP’s mission “to serve, not to be served.” This phrase was coined by our founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, more than 50 years ago and it is certainly still true today.

My entire team is privileged to work side-by-side with many of our volunteers in Maine. Together, we give speeches, testify in Augusta on issues of importance to older Mainers, meet with members of Congress and the state legislature, engage with members of the media and community leaders, participate in planning activities at the AARP Maine state office, train other volunteers and, along with the state office staff, help direct many of our campaigns. I know firsthand that it is the incredible hard work and dedication of every one of our volunteers that makes it possible for AARP to accomplish all that it does on behalf of those we serve in Maine.

I would like to point out a few highlights of notable volunteer-led accomplishments. First of all, you may have taken an AARP Driver Safety course. You may not have known this, but the program is taught and managed entirely by volunteers here in Maine and across the nation! Did you file your state and federal income taxes through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program for tax year 2023? Those returns, more than 10,000 each year in Maine, are filed by hundreds of IRS-trained volunteers for free.

Additionally, some of our volunteers are reaching out to AARP members throughout Maine urging them to contact their legislators on issues that affect our most at-risk residents. Those issues include access to health care options, fair and affordable utility rates, support for Maine's 166,000 family caregivers, affordable and accessible high-speed internet and much more. Volunteers join us weekly as part of our Tuesdays at the State House program to deliver testimony, speak with legislators, and amplify the issues that matter to us all.

Our speakers bureau on scam and fraud prevention is also entirely volunteer-run. A dozen dynamic individuals deliver presentations in communities large and small both in person and online. They host a monthly Fraud Watch over Zoom to answer questions and help Mainers find helpful resources to stay safe from scams. Visit us here to learn more.

Maine is home to nearly 90 communities that have joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. The dedication of local volunteers working in partnership with community leaders, municipalities and other partners is what makes it possible for them to advance lifelong initiatives that benefit residents of all ages. You can read more about their impressive achievements and ongoing efforts here.

Have you joined us for a local coffee or one of our other community events such as a movie screening, virtual webinar or community on-tap? Most are, you guessed it, managed by volunteers! You can find these and other local events by visiting www.aarp.org/nearme.

These are just some of the many ways our volunteers help us make a difference throughout Maine. If you already volunteer with AARP, we thank you wholeheartedly for your hard work and commitment to the issues we address in the state and on the national level. In whatever way you choose to help others, you are making a difference and we applaud your passion. If you would like to learn more about ways you can join our volunteer team in Maine, please visit us here or send an email to me@aarp.org. We would love to hear from you!

AARP helps people fulfill their goals and dreams. We were founded in 1958 because one person, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, believed she could help others. One person really can make a difference.

On behalf of Alf, Bridget, David, Jane, Laura and Winnie, I am sincere when I state that we are grateful to work with each and every one of you and that we look forward to our continued work together.

Noël Bonam
AARP Maine State Director


 

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