Allies Day Habilitation Program attendees in Salem county are getting involved with various volunteer opportunities to give back and get to know the community a little bit better.
The volunteer opportunities open to Salem Day Habilitation participants help volunteers to engage meaningfully with the local community. Day program leadership works with Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and a local animal shelter to give participants ample opportunity to grow their skills and meaningfully engage with the community.
“Volunteer activities at Salem day provide structured community-based experiences for the participants, and every experience is designed based on the interests and abilities of the participants,” Beth Lopez, VP of Day Habilitation Services at Allies, said. “Acquiring new knowledge and building new skills is a common thread in all of these volunteer opportunities.”
The crew at Salem Day Habilitation has recently partnered with two organizations to offer participants more chances and ways of giving back to the community.
The first of these organizations is Habitat for Humanity. Participants from Allies programs volunteer in a local ReStore retail location by assisting with basic tasks like reorganization and cleaning.
“Our folks take care of a lot of the small tasks for the store,” said Dominique Lawton Activities Coordinator at Allies. “That makes them very happy, to know that they are helping out in a real way.”
Volunteers from the Salem day habilitation program volunteer at the store once each week. The store gives participants a chance to experience work and contribute to the store’s success.
“I really enjoy the way our folks interact with the staff at Habitat for Humanity,” Lawton said.
Beyond Habitat for Humanity, Salem day participants also regularly visit a local animal shelter. During these visits, Allies participants assist shelter staff with laundry duties, fill enrichment treats with peanut butter and other snacks, and are able to see and engage with the animals living there.
“Our folks really love getting to see and engage with the animals,” Lawton said.
The various volunteer opportunities afforded our participants offer a chance for them to expand their horizons while exposing them to new and different experiences.
“Through giving back to the community, we are all taught to care for others who may be in need,” Lopez said. “It teaches kindness, compassion and understanding through action.”
