Monnie Gilliam, Voice for Older Texans, Teacher for Youth

By Curt Buckley

That’s why Monnie Gilliam of Fort Worth says his volunteer work, with AARP and many other organizations, is vital to the betterment of his community. Mr. Gilliam has partnered with AARP for three years and says he has been heavily involved in his community for as long as he can remember.

Carmel Snyder, who leads AARP’s work in the Fort Worth area, first reached out to Monnie about joining Fort Worth’s Community Action Team and speaks highly of his work.

“Monnie works tirelessly to make Fort Worth a better place to live. He’s a role model, not only to his community but other AARP volunteers as well,” says Carmel.

His current efforts on the Community Action Team, an AARP taskforce charged with tackling local issues, include bringing Fort Worth into the network of Age-Friendly Communities. Monnie and the team are also in the process of getting public transportation expanded through the Fort Worth Alliance Airport Corridor, where the bulk of manufacturing jobs are.

“People can get jobs up there, but currently, they have no way of reliably getting there unless they have their own car or pay a cab to take them to work every day,” Monnie explains.

Monnie has also served on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission, where he was a former chair, and is still a fixture at city council meetings and other local government proceedings.

While his experience in local politics no doubt helps with his AARP efforts, Monnie draws on a different expertise when working with the community’s youth. Born and raised in woodsy East Texas, his youthful passion for the outdoors morphed into a mission to teach kids about the joys of nature and the importance of protecting it.

“With so many kids just staring at the boob tube all day, I always try to stress getting out and getting to know your surroundings,” Monnie says. “Enjoying all the great things nature has to offer, but taking care of it, too. You know, leaving it like you found it.”

His work with the Kids Environmental Education Network (KEEN) fosters that love of the environment at a young age for inner-city kids. KEEN allows children the chance to see and connect with nature through field trips to fish, photograph, and more at state parks. It’s these adventures, Monnie believes, that will inspire a lifelong relationship with the great outdoors.

“One of the most pleasing things is watching the excitement of a child catching a fish for the first time,” Monnie observes.

He’s also currently involved with local police community efforts to create safer streets as well as with the Morningside Children’s Partnership, a partnership between the local school district and the University of North Texas, to improve the lives of families in the Morningside neighborhood.

Though some of us may be wondering where he finds the time, we can all be thankful for the amount of good Monnie has done in the Fort Worth community. He puts it best when bringing his volunteer work into perspective.

Interested in volunteer with AARP Texas? Shoot us an email.