About the County’s Senior Volunteer Programs

The County’s Senior Volunteer Programs attract a vibrant group of seniors committed to making the lives of Sandoval County residents better through myriad efforts. Currently, more than 170 volunteers assist with County programming. Volunteers (aged 55 and older) enroll through the Sandoval County Senior Volunteer program, and they are eligible to receive a small reimbursement for mileage and meals. Volunteers who choose the Senior Companions program or the Foster Grandparents program, and are financially eligible, may receive a small stipend for their hours as well as a mileage and meal reimbursement.

Here is how they help the residents of Sandoval County. Thank you for all that you do! We so appreciate you!

Senior Companion Volunteers. This group visits one-on-one with individual clients, providing companionship, and also assisting them with getting to and from appointments and running errands. The program’s goal is to help its clients remain living independently.

Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Those in the RSVP corps work throughout the County in various capacities. You will find them at Senior Centers teaching classes, staffing reception desks, and helping with meal delivery and serving lunches. Others are volunteer drivers who transport County residents to appointments and group outings. Additionally, they work at food pantries and meal kitchens including St. Anthony’s Food Kitchen, Storehouse West, St. Felix Pantry, and the Bernalillo Senior Center Pantry.

Literacy is an important aspect of the RSVP and volunteers work at the Friends of the Library bookstore by organizing and reselling used books that fund scholarships and programs to support literacy in Sandoval County. Volunteers also work with Read-West to teach adult literacy, English as a second language, and citizenship classes. In addition, our volunteers can be found at the Sandoval County Historical Society and Museum archiving and cataloging their collections.

Foster Grandparents Program. This program, dedicated to supporting the education of Sandoval County students, is being reactivated. It had been temporarily suspended during the pandemic. Recruitment is now underway so that volunteers can receive training during the summer and be ready for the fall semester.

This group works in the County’s public schools providing support, tutoring, and mentoring pre-school and elementary-aged students in both one-on-one and small group environments. The focus is learning readiness, reading, and math. These volunteers also provide emotional support and are positive role models for the students. Financially-qualified volunteers in this program may be eligible to receive a small stipend for their hours along with mileage and meal reimbursement.

Needlecrafters and Project Linus members creative crafters keep Sandoval County residents warm and supported throughout the year. They donate their beautiful handiwork to children in hospitals and in crisis, and to people who need a hat, scarf, or afghan to keep them warm. Additionally, volunteers accept donated clothing that they then sort, wash, and resell at very low prices to families with school-aged children at Clare’s Closet.

Sound like something that you would like to do? Please join us. You can make a difference in a senior’s life. Visit: https://www.sandovalcountynm.gov/departments/community-services/senior-services/ to find out more.