Volunteer

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Volunteer Positions

Transportation Program Volunteer Drivers

The ADRC Transportation Volunteer Driver Program would not be possible without the dedication of its volunteer drivers. Volunteer drivers provide a non-emergency portal to portal transportation for elderly and disabled passengers to medical appointments and back home. Medical appointments take precedence, but drivers may be given the opportunity to provide transportation for other reasons such as nutritional, social, or employment needs. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicle (which needs to be in good working condition) to provide this transportation and are required to have proof of valid automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license on file at all times with the ADRC. They are reimbursed for the following expenses: mileage at the current IRS mileage reimbursement rate round trip from their home, meal expenses incurred during trips that are outside the driver’s home county, and parking fees. The ADRC provides all necessary training as well as an Emergency Preparedness Pack to each volunteer driver at no cost. Volunteer drivers are given a user ID and password for the web-based dispatch program to volunteer for rides most convenient for them. Volunteers are provided an iPad to best utilize the dispatch program.

Meals on Wheels (MOW) Drivers

MOW volunteer drivers deliver hot and cold meals to MOW participants who have mobility barriers in Polk and Burnett Counties. They are not only in charge of ensuring each meal is delivered to the MOW participants in a timely manner, but also provide a daily check-in to make sure everything is ok with the MOW participants. Knowing someone will be checking on their aging loved one four days a week, is an enormous relief for many caregivers. MOW volunteer drivers use their own vehicle to deliver the meals, are reimbursed for their mileage at the current IRS mileage reimbursement rate, and donate their time. Contact us if you are interested in helping deliver.

ADRC Dining Site Volunteers

Our dining sites serve hot meals Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Fridays each week and we have multiple dining sites throughout Polk and Burnett Counties. Some of these sites use volunteers in a number of different capacities including (but not limited to): dining area set up, cleaning tables after meals, and helping with dishes. These volunteers cannot help with the cooking but they can help with a number of other duties needed to create a clean, well-organized, and positive experience for dining participants.

ADRC Board

The ADRC Board is a 13 member board comprised of individuals from Polk and Burnett Counties and the St Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. They meet every other month, rotating locations, to:

  • Set policy and provide policy guidance for the agency
  • Assure input from the consumers, service providers, and local constituents in policies, practices, and goals for the ADRC
  • Be accountable for the mission and goals of the ADRC
  • Identify unmet needs and develop strategies to address them

Community members can serve a maximum of 2 consecutive 3-year terms and are reimbursed for mileage at the current IRS mileage rate.

Polk County Aging Advisory/Burnett County Aging Advisory

The Aging Advisory Committee meets minimally quarterly, usually, it is every other month. There is a per diem of $50 per meeting and mileage reimbursable at the Federal IRS mileage rate.

Members of the Aging Advisory Committees

  • Advise and assist in the design and execution of the Aging Plan
  • Assure input from consumers, service providers, and local constituents in plan goals for the ADRC.
  • Be accountable to the mission and goals of the ADRC
  • Identify unmet needs and develop strategies to address them.

Nutrition Project Council Members

The Nutrition Project Council Members are volunteer representatives from each dining site location who are participants of the ADRC Nutrition Program. The Project council is made up of one primary meal site representative and one alternate representative from each dining site within each county. Council members can make recommendations to the Aging Unit Supervisor regarding food preference of the participants, dining center operations and to support and assist in the ongoing development of the nutrition program. Alternates are backups to the primary meal site representative and are offered the opportunity to serve as the primary representative when the primary project council member resigns. Council members are participants of the nutrition program’s dinging and Meals on Wheels (MOW) programs. A family member, caregiver, friend or neighbor may represent a MOW meal participant who is home bound. The project council meets each quarter for 1-2 hours and meetings rotate between each site within each county. Members are reimbursed for mileage at the current IRS mileage rate and donate their time.

Primary representatives can serve a maximum of 3 consecutive 2 year terms. Alternates can serve for an unlimited amount of time but are unable to vote to approve the agenda and the previous meeting’s minutes.

The Voice Bundling

Each month The Voice, the ADRC newsletter, gets distributed to 180 different businesses throughout Polk and Burnett Counties. The Voice Bundling volunteers count out and bundle for each business they get distributed to. This group of volunteers meets at the end of each month for 2-4 hours. In addition, The Voice Bundling volunteers prepare the bulk mailing that goes out to almost 300 Polk and Burnett County residents. 

The Voice Delivery

Once The Voice is counted out and bundled for distribution to the businesses, volunteers deliver them to businesses and locations throughout their assigned area as close to the 1st of each month as possible. These volunteers are not reimbursed mileage and donate their time. Routes are based on towns and can range from as little as one small town to as extensive as multiple routes. This is dependent on need and volunteer interest.

Healthy Aging Workshops and Programs

The ADRC provides four evidence-based workshops and various other programs related to healthy aging. See the Healthy Aging page to learn about the three workshops–Stepping On, Powerful Tools for Caregivers, Healthy Living with Diabetes, and Living Well with Chronic Conditions. These programs are taught, sometimes, by volunteers that have a passion, experience, and continued interest in the topic. If you have a background in working with older adults, caregivers, and/or individuals with chronic health conditions we may need you! To lead each program, all potential leaders must attend virtual training through the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging. Throughout the year we provide other healthy aging programs such as caregiver support groups, memory cafes, and more! We often need volunteers to help with these programs as well! Experience needed depends on the program but we are often in need of people with all different backgrounds. 

Polk and Burnett County Dementia Coalition

The Polk and Burnett County Dementia Coalition works to enhance the quality of life for ALL people impacted by dementia in our communities. Help increase awareness and education around dementia and available resources, eliminate the stigma and isolation associated with dementia, and help create and sustain needed programs and resources for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” ~~Margaret Mead

Become a Volunteer for the ADRC of Northwest WI

If you are interested in volunteering for the ADRC of NW WI please call us at 877-485-2372 or complete the following form with your contact information and the areas in which you are most interested in helping out with!

Other Volunteer Opportunities

There are many other agencies in our area that rely on volunteers every day! If none of the volunteer opportunities within the ADRC of NW WI sparked your interest, maybe a volunteer opportunity through one of these other agencies will!