Greenbelt GIVES (Greenbelt Intergenerational Volunteer Exchange Service) celebrated its 25th anniversary in June. GIVES is a member organization where volunteers help other members who need a little help while living independently in their own homes.
“Unless they need us, they don’t know about us,” said Carol Drees, GIVES president since June 2019. “Two hundred thirty Greenbelters are currently members. You don’t have to be active. You have to be willing to help. You can help by calling somebody once in a while.”
GIVES volunteers might do light housework, meal preparation or delivery, laundry, mending and sewing, closet cleaning, gardening or yard work, reading or tending to correspondence, computer help, help with tax preparation, rides to doctor visits or to the grocery store, shopping, errands, pet sitting or simple home repairs. GIVES volunteers may stop by for a friendly visit or call each other regularly to check in (telephone reassurance). GIVES volunteers provide respite care to allow family members to leave the house when members can’t be left alone. GIVES also encourages members to take the AARP safe driving course, a refresher course that teaches research-based safe driving strategies to drivers over 50.
Telephone reassurance is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to know how they can help. “We had an old lady who lived alone,” Drees said. “She was bored, she just missed seeing people, so we had a member who called her once a week on Monday. She just wanted someone to talk to. If you’re living alone and you’re concerned that someone might not notice if you don’t show up, we can have someone call you on a regular basis.”
“It’s not just Old Greenbelt,” Drees added. “We’re getting more into Franklin Park and Hanover Parkway. We have people at Schrom Hills and over by Roosevelt. We try to incorporate anybody in Greenbelt. Helping each other is the Greenbelt way.”
In 1994, Janet Jacobs-Parker, Pat Unger and Judith Davis were inspired by Edgar Cahn’s book, Time Dollars, to explore how using the idea of volunteer service credit hours could help meet the needs of aging or disabled Greenbelters who wished to continue living independently in their own homes. After establishing a Project Design Committee, working with the Cooperative Caring Network of the United Seniors Health Cooperative and enlisting the help and support of dozens of Greenbelt organizations including the Golden Age Club, faith groups and civic organizations, GIVES held its first annual meeting on June 3, 1995.
GAIL, Greenbelt Assistance in Living, is a program staffed by the City of Greenbelt. Together, GIVES and GAIL offer a wide range of services to special needs populations and those wishing to age in place in their Greenbelt homes.
GIVES is a membership organization. To become a member, you must fill out a participant application. There are no fees. For information about becoming a GIVES volunteer or to receive assistance, send an email to givesoffice@gmail.com or leave a message at 301-507-6580. The GIVES office, located in the Community Center, is normally staffed from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m.