Village volunteers know they make a difference in the lives of our older neighbors. When we help someone get to a doctor’s appointment, or change a lightbulb or spend time chatting, it may seem like a small thing for one person to do, but on a collective level the impact across the District is amazing.
The recently released FY2022 impact report for the DC Villages, the collective identity for 13 Villages across the District, found that last year 618 volunteers spent more than 27,500 hours helping older adults in the District and building stronger Villages. That time has a value of $1.59 million, but it means even more to the Village members and other older adults who were helped.
In total, Village volunteers provided 5,354 one-way rides to medical appointments, events, and other locations and made 2,434 deliveries or ran errands for members. DC Villages also organized nearly 4,000 events, which were attended by more than 26,500 people, including many community members who are not yet Village members or volunteers.
Most importantly, Village volunteers had more than 12,000 friendly visits with older adults. These can be simple telephone check-ins or longer in-person interactions and are a critical part of combating the social isolation that people may experience as they age. In fact, more than 55% of all Village activities are focused on combating social isolation. Social isolation and loneliness are directly implicated in poorer health and decreased satisfaction with aging, so these friendly visits — and all the other interactions Village volunteers have with members — are among the most valuable services Villages provide.
To learn more about the work DC Villages volunteers are doing to support older adults across the District of Columbia, view our FY2022 Impact Report here.