The Volunteer Center of Calaveras County ( a non-profit 5-1(c)3 ) operating for the specific purpose of improving the quality of life for the citizens of Calaveras County, without regard to race, creed, religion, or other areas of discrimination, was initially formed for the purpose of creating a pool of volunteers to act as a "safety net" for our senior, low income and handicapped citizens.
We began our quest in June of 1991 to address those needs for which no other programs were adequate and/or available. That challenge still exists today, and due to our population increases, those needs continue to escalate. From 1991 to 2004 the average call for assistance was 350 to 450, however, in 2005 that number jumped to 859.
About half of the calls are for assistance in getting to doctor appointments, the post office and the grocery store (perhaps reading the labels if the client is blind). The balance of calls are for a variety of concerns such as:
Additionally, there was no central coordination of the many volunteer activities in the county. Thus the potential for duplication of efforts, the isolation of some communities, and a need to match volunteer skills with appropriate needs and/or programs. Because Calaveras County is a rural countryside with multiple elevations and many miles between communities, connecting volunteers with volunteer opportunities requires more than just one central operating location in San Andreas. Having Satellite Offices throughout the county, staffed by volunteers, provides the vehicle to connect volunteers with their local community. Refer to "Contact Us" to locate the office closest to you!
We continue to work with other groups and agencies to coordinate and encourage Volunteerism within Calaveras County!
The success or failure of all non-profit organizations, community events and grass-roots efforts is directly tied to the availability of volunteers. It's the connection between the volunteers and the opportunities that has been missing. Nothing happens in a vacuum, so that's why it's important for all of us to share what we can. It takes volunteers of all ages to meet the needs of our diverse communities.
Everyone has something to share and contribute, so please consider sharing your skills and enthusiasm. We are all unique and bring to the educational table, our own knowledge base, skills, lessons from life, and a desire to be useful and productive. Our retired population is a wealth of education, skills and life experiences and is sorely needed if we are to guide our upcoming generations gently and safely into the future.