Volunteer as a Friendly Visitor
When you volunteer for our Friendly Visiting program, you’ll be matched with an older adult for weekly or monthly visits in their home. It’s a unique opportunity to make a new friend and build a meaningful connection that will enrich both your lives.
Location: In Home
Age Group: Adults 18+
Becoming a Friendly Visiting Volunteer
As a Friendly Visiting volunteer, your ongoing visits are a gift that can make a real difference in the life of an older adult—and your life, as well. Friendly Visiting relationships often grow into rewarding, long-term friendships.
By volunteering, you commit to visiting your friend for one hour, either weekly or monthly, for at least one year. Monthly matches are asked to also have one meaningful phone conversation between visits.
When you sign up to be a Friendly Visitor, one of our social workers will speak with you about your interests, goals, and availability. Our team then works to carefully match you with an older adult whose company we believe you’ll enjoy.
We’re Here to Support You
A DOROT social worker will be assigned your Friendly Visiting match to support you and the older adult for the duration of your relationship, ensuring you both have a trusted source to turn to with questions and feedback—and to share good news. Your social worker will contact you periodically to check in.
Take the Next Step
Your first step toward becoming a Friendly Visiting volunteer is to attend one of our upcoming information sessions, where you’ll learn all about the program.
Who Can Volunteer?
To participate as a Friendly Visiting volunteer, you must be at least 18 years old and live in New York City or Westchester County. Older adults in the program all live within specific areas of Manhattan or throughout Westchester. Since you’ll be visiting an older adult in their home, you’ll need the ability to travel, but we leave the distance of travel up to you!
Learn more about Friendly Visiting
Friendly Visiting doesn’t feel like traditional volunteer work. It feels like the opportunity to genuinely make a new friend who has common interests but the benefit of decades of experience.