Ways To Help
Volunteer
Become a Volunteer
A Work Of Heart
Thank you for considering volunteer opportunities with FSS. Without the helping hands and caring hearts of our volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to provide many of the programs that enrich the lives of older adults. Our volunteers really do make a meaningful difference. Are you interested in joining the FSS volunteer family and giving back to your community? We’d love to have you on our team. Please contact us at 770-461-0813 or info@fayss.org to connect with us.
“I was looking for more ways to get involved and give back to my community when I stumbled upon Fayette Senior Services! I decided to reach out and was amazed at the opportunities available. Deciding on which area to volunteer was a challenge, but knowing I’m a part of this family has not only made a difference in my life, but I know I’m also making a difference in the lives of those I’m serving!”
– FSS Volunteer
Getting Started
We Want You To Enjoy A Positive Experience, So We Will Make Every Effort To Match You With An Activity That Will Be Rewarding For You And Beneficial To The Seniors We Serve
The first step toward volunteering is to complete the application form. Access the link to submit your application online, print and bring the application to the center, drop it in the mail, or stop by and fill one out at either of our locations. Once received, your application will be reviewed, a background check/driver’s license check will be completed, and we will contact you to schedule an orientation.
Before beginning your volunteer service, you will be asked to:
-
- Complete the volunteer application
- Complete a background check and driver’s record check
- Provide two personal references
- Complete a training program for your choice of service
Available Volunteer Opportunities
-
- Front Desk Receptionist for Fayetteville or Peachtree City – Our reception area is one busy place! You will play an important role by providing administrative support to our member services team. Customer service is our top priority as we welcome new and current members and assist them with class and event registration.
- Fitness Center Assistant – Help us maintain a friendly, clean and safe environment and provide instruction for our fitness equipment. Fitness center volunteers will receive CPR Certification.
- Computer Instructors – Instruct classes on Word, Windows, exploring the Internet, and more.
- Café Assistant – Welcome our guests and members for lunch and offer hospitality to all. Assist our wonderful kitchen staff with food service duties which include serving from the food line, refreshing beverage stations, assisting guests and members with their trays, and cleaning up.
- Meals On Wheels Driver – Deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors throughout Fayette County. Drivers can choose a regular weekly route or choose to be a substitute driver to be called on as needed.
- STARs Program Assistant – STARs (Seniors Together After Retirement) spend the majority of their days together at the Life Enrichment Center, making crafts, playing games, eating together, and having a great time. You’ll have a helping hand in the activities and assisting with their day.
- Therapeutic Garden – If you have a green thumb, this is the place for you!Help tend the beautiful garden on the grounds of FSS.
- Special Events Assistant – Help with special events. Provide assistance with event coordination, set-up, decorating, and clean-up.
- Tool Team Member – Help perform minor, routine home maintenance tasks and repairs to help ensure the safety of individuals in their homes.
Benefits of Volunteering
Give back to your community and enjoy making new friendships!
Center volunteers have many perks while volunteering:
-
- Free center membership ($30 value for in-county residents and $90 value for out-of-county residents) with 75 hours of annual service
- Fitness Center volunteers receive a free fitness center membership
- Café and STARs Assistants receive a free meal in the café on the days they volunteer
- Free CPR and AED training for Fitness Center and STARs volunteers
- Monthly Volunteer Spotlights in the Enrichment Newsletter
- Quarterly Volunteer Appreciation socials
Volunteering is a work of ‘heart’ and the volunteers at FSS are full of just that!
Ring in the New Year with a Volunteer Cheer
There’s no better way to ring in the New Year than by celebrating the volunteers whose kindness and dedication brighten our community. This month, we are grateful to shine a light on Meals On Wheels volunteer Jane Melton, whose compassion and steady dedication bring comfort, and a little extra warmth, to every neighbor she serves!
Jane grew up in Lineville, Alabama, the only child of two dedicated educators. Her mother was a 2nd grade teacher and her father was equal parts teacher and cowboy – teaching junior high math and science while also running a cattle farm! Childhood for Jane was full of outdoor adventures with her cousins: building forts in the woods, picking blackberries, and riding bikes to their grandparents’ house.
She attended school in Lineville, Alabama before heading off to Auburn University. Before she left for college, Jane launched her first entrepreneurial venture – baking and selling homemade cakes. One Christmas season she even sold 15 cakes! She saved her earnings and proudly used them to buy her wardrobe to begin college. At the beginning of her sophomore year at Auburn, Jane met her future husband, Terry Melton, on a blind date. They married in 1971 and have been married for 54 years. They raised two sons and have lived in Fayetteville for 42 years. Jane is also a doting “grand-dog mom” to Stella, who at 9 months old is an energetic 71-pound German Shepherd puppy.
Following in her parents’ footsteps, Jane spent 31 years teaching, retiring in 2012. These days, she enjoys tending her rose garden, working in the yard, and taking long road trips with Terry, often heading west for new adventures.
Her journey with Meals on Wheels began thanks to her friends from church, Lewis and Carol Gregg, who shared their own MOW volunteer experiences and encouraged her to join. Nine years later, Jane continues to serve faithfully and joyfully. Meals on Wheels Coordinator, Stevie Coachman, says Jane is a wonderful volunteer who is always dependable and so loved by the seniors she delivers meals to. Jane says she loves getting out, meeting people, and helping those in our community. As a dog lover, she especially enjoys our AniMeals program, calling it the best of both worlds – delivering food for both people and their pets!
Just For Fun Facts:
- Cartoon character she’d love to hang out with: Mickey Mouse! She loves visiting Disney World!
- Song she could listen to forever: She simply can’t choose just one, but her top picks are “Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans and “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles.
- Fun fact: Jane and Terry used to be avid square dancers! They were members of the Log Cabin Squares and attended weekly dances in the old American Legion cabin here in Fayetteville.
We are so thankful for wonderful volunteers like Jane Melton, who bring heart, kindness, and dedication to every delivery. Thank you, Jane, for making a difference for both people and pets in our community!