Now that the “giving season” of the holidays is past, you might be tempted to pat yourself on the back for the presents you dropped off at Toys for Tots, kick your feet up and wait for the spring thaw to bring your neighborhood back to life. Resist the urge to hibernate! At EPPIA, we believe that the giving season is year-round and we want to make it easy for you to find or become a volunteer.

If you’re feeling the urge to give back, have some time on your hands or you have a skill that you’d like to put to good use, check out www.edenprairievolunteers.org. According to the website, Eden Prairie Volunteers connects interested citizens to volunteer opportunities within the Eden Prairie community. Their purpose is to promote citizenship and increase community involvement through enhanced access to community service. A sample of the volunteer opportunities they have listed include delivering meals during lunchtime for Meals on Wheels, assisting with recreational activities for adults with special needs in a licensed adult day care center or escorting residents of a senior care facility to chapel service on Sundays. Eden Prairie High School’s SLIC (Students Learning in Communities) program provides students a chance to give back. Students can stop in the SLIC room (#240) at the high school to check out one-time or on-going volunteering opportunities such as helping with pre-school classes at the Family Center, working with seniors or people with disabilities, or helping with events at the public library. The Senior Center offers many diverse volunteer activities such as answering phones, driving seniors to trips & activities or assisting with special programs. But don’t feel like you need to join an organization to be a volunteer – opportunities are everywhere! Contact your church (faith organization), library or school to find out what important needs they may have for you.

The above mentioned sources where you can become a volunteer would also be great places to start in FINDING a volunteer. The H.O.M.E. (Household and Outside Maintenance for Elderly) Program that is run by Senior Community Services offers help to Seniors age 60+ who live independently and need some help maintaining their house, townhouse or apartment.  Clients typically require aid due to physical limitations or difficulty paying the full cost of other services.  Their website, http://www.seniorcommunity.org also lists winter volunteer opportunities. Most importantly, on those days when your sidewalk needs shoveled, gutters need cleaned or groceries need delivered, remember when your neighbor told you, “let me know if I can help”, and give them a call.

If you have questions about other community information and support, the Eden Prairie FamiLink Resource Center 952-294-5950, a partnership between Eden Prairie Schools and the City of Eden Prairie, will provide information and referrals to connect you to valuable community resources.  

For more information on EPPIA, please visit our Web site: www.edenprairieaging.org.

Eden Prairie Professionals in Aging (EPPIA) is a professional networking organization made up of representatives of diverse organizations all committed to the welfare of seniors in our community.  
 Lisa Schmidtke is the owner of Housecalls Network, Kerry Holtmeier Hallee is the Community Resources Coordinator for the Eden Prairie FamiLink Resource Center, Joyce M. Konczyk is a Geriatric Care Manager and Joanne Bartel is director of Prairie Adult Care