Rush Hour’s Volunteer Spotlight: Lutheran Social Service of MN

ST. CLOUD -- You can volunteer to be a senior companion through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

This month on WJON's Rush Hour show, we're featuring Lutheran Social Service's Senior Companion program for our volunteer spotlight.

Janel Heinen is the program coordinator. She says companion volunteers work with seniors to run errands, play games and to just spend time with them.

"Especially low-income seniors who are out there really benefit from having a friendly visiting companion that visits in their home. Or helps get them to doctor appointments or to the grocery store those kinds of things."

Heinen says many volunteer companions will play board games with seniors and take them to events like bingo. She says volunteers play a huge role in seniors lives.

"The whole premise behind this is it helps seniors stay healthier longer and it their homes longer as well."

Volunteer companions do get a monthly stipend to help with some expenses while volunteering such gas and other travel expenses.

If you're interested in volunteering, you must be at least 55-years-old, have dependable transportation and be willing to drive in your service area. You can follow the link below for more details.

The Senior Corps of the Corporation for National and Community Service started the senior companion program in 1974.