Volunteer Opportunities with Community Development Halton
CDH is an organization that is dedicated to strengthening and building the Halton community through acts of service. The CDH is committed to embracing equality regardless of one's race, sexual orientation, gender or disability; it is all about inclusion and welcoming differences.
Primarily, CDH has a program called ‘Volunteer Halton’ where locals are encouraged to sign up and volunteer alongside other patrons to help those in need. Volunteer drivers, Connections Among Generations and the Believe Initiative are all-volunteer programs that provide aid and a helping hand to the community. Connections Among Generations is a more recent program dedicated to offering those in retirement homes or elderly who live alone letters of support and care. According to the CDH website, “CAG is a one-year outreach intergenerational project, working with schools, retirement homes and other groups to write letters, create artwork and deliver messages of hope and kindness to older adults who live alone in Halton.”
Heather E. Johnson, Director of Volunteer Halton joined Acton UP in an interview regarding CDH and the positive impact the program has had on the local community.
How has Community Development Halton affected Halton?
Volunteer Halton is a pillar program of Community Development Halton and as such provides unique services to nonprofit, grassroots, and community groups in Halton Region. We envision a Region where volunteerism is accessible, inclusive, and valued, contributing to community well-being and engagement. In 2021, over 5,000 people connected with local nonprofits to get involved which has strengthened our community's outstanding response to COVID-19; we’ve seen more people in our communities willing to contribute their time and talents to a cause than ever before.
Why Volunteer with Community Development Halton?
Volunteerism is a critical aspect of our social and economic recovery; it is essential to strengthening community resilience. Across Halton, we see the incredible impact that volunteers have in our community as they step in and step up for organizations and causes across the region. Informally and formally, volunteers of all ages fulfill the many needs in the community such as preparing and delivering meals, providing friendly phone calls to the lonely, ill, or isolated, creating messages of hope distributed to older adults, tutoring students, and engaging in advocacy work in-person and on-line.
What has the response been like to the Connections Among Generations Project?
The response to Connections Among Generations has been amazing! The community has come together, creating messages of hope which are distributed to isolated older adults across the Halton Region every month. With our partners, Food for Life, and the Burlington and Oakville Rotary Clubs, approximately 750 older adults receive a monthly package that contains cards, letters, and puzzles, each created by hand and with care by people of all ages, including many high school students from Halton Region. Every month we receive phone calls, emails, and letters from package recipients expressing their joy and thanks for the care and thoughtfulness that went into each item.
Volunteer Halton has seen wild success and accomplishments since its infancy and many families have been greatly impacted by the kindness of CDH volunteers. Impact stories are available to read on the CDH website, here. stories like Margaret Hogervorst who volunteers with the Friendship Luncheon congregate dining program at the Sir Colborne Senior Centre with the Town of Oakville.
(Photo: Courtesy of CDH website)
There are many ways to get involved as a volunteer in Acton. Check out the current roles available on Volunteer Halton’s VOLUNTEER NOW. To learn more about Connections Among Generations and to get involved, go to the Community Development Halton website at https://cdhalton.ca/age-friendly/connections-among-generations or contact Heather Thompson, Director of Age-Friendly Initiatives at 289-348-1503.
Comments