Volunteers Give 35,000 Hours Yearly to Keep Seniors Home

Volunteering might just be the healthiest thing you do all week, and seniors across Southwest Michigan are proving it works both ways.

At Milestone Senior Services in Kalamazoo, 393 volunteers logged 21,106 hours last year delivering meals, building wheelchair ramps, and organizing pet food for older adults who want to stay in their homes. The Mayo Clinic confirms what these volunteers already know: people who give their time report better physical health, lower stress, and even reduced risk of heart disease and depression compared to non-volunteers.

Trevor Heywood watches this exchange happen daily as nutrition volunteer program assistant. "You may be having the worst day in the world, and you go out on a route and suddenly the world is so much better," he says. "People are happy to see you. It's just one of the best feelings in the world."

The numbers tell a powerful story. Milestone's Meals on Wheels program alone serves 675 clients daily across four counties. Each delivery brings more than food. Volunteers become extended family, offering companionship and serving as safety checks for people who might otherwise go days without seeing another person.

The need is real and growing. Heywood reports a severe shortage of drivers in Calhoun County, especially during winter months when retirees head south. Routes take about two hours, running from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays, and volunteers choose their own schedules.

Milestone also runs an AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program that connects people 55 and older with 29 partner agencies. About 180 volunteers participate, receiving mileage reimbursement and supplemental insurance. Director Ranjita Kaur says volunteers bridge crucial gaps that funding can't fill.

The Ripple Effect

When volunteers deliver a meal or build a ramp, they're not just helping one person stay independent. They're preventing hospital readmissions, reducing isolation-related depression, and keeping families from making difficult decisions about nursing homes. Research shows this kind of regular contact extends lives on both sides of the door.

The volunteer health benefits aren't flukes. Studies find that people who volunteer have lower mortality rates even after accounting for age and physical health. That oxytocin boost Heywood mentions? It's real, measurable, and potentially lifesaving.

Every meal delivered, every ramp built, and every bag of pet food organized creates connections that make communities stronger and lives longer.