Volunteering

Lydia Oliphant decided to try out volunteering with AARP in Houston at the recommendation of her friend’s daughter. Now, more than two years later, she's pitched in a multitude of ways, including with Fraud Watch Network talks, walkability audits and events for family caregivers.

Volunteering is not out of the ordinary for Sunny Fitzwater; in fact, she grew up with it. From a young age, Sunny’s parents taught her the importance of volunteering, and she also instilled this value in her children. Each of them volunteer in their communities.

At age 78, Manuel Garza of Brownsville is a fighter—he supports and fights for issues near and dear to his heart.

In a big city like Houston, where many residents depend on their vehicles, it can be difficult to find safe sidewalks. Volunteer Mari Okabayashi is working with AARP to make Houston a more walkable community for people of all ages.

From registering Texans to vote, to helping women get educations, to advocating for family caregivers, Eva Bonilla gives back to the Fort Worth community--and beyond. In honor of Women’s History Month, Eva Bonilla one of twelve Latina women being featured in the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History's "Mujeres Poderosas: The Legacy of Strong Latinas in Fort Worth" exhibit, which opens on March 4.

AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus once said, “The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.” Every day, people give their time to help members of our age 50+ community, people like Donald and Angie Hamm. They met Veronica de Lafuente, who leads AARP’s outreach work in the Rio Grande Valley, at a Life Reimagined event in Brownsville last year.

Each year, AARP volunteers and staff give back in a slightly different way. On Sept. 11, a nationwide day of service, we step out of our community events and away from our desks and choose a different place to serve. This year is no different. Across the state, we're going to do something a little out of the ordinary--from walking dogs at animal shelters to serving meals to homebound seniors. Would you like to join us? If you're a current volunteer, reach out to your staff partner. If not, please shoot us an email.

We carefully chose the issues we're focusing on during the 2015 Texas Legislative Session. One of the key elements is that all these topics are close to home for countless Texas families. So chances are you have a relative, neighbor or friend with a personal experience highlighting why at least one of these issues are important--and why Texas legislators should take note and work to fix or improve the situation.

Featuring our knowledgeable volunteers is something AARP does well and this month Dr. Ricardo Chapa, a long-time AARP volunteer, represented AARP Texas well on the small screen.

By Curt Buckley