SF’s New Citywide Volunteer Match Program to Help Seniors
San Francisco Launches Citywide Volunteer Match Program to Support Seniors and People with Disabilities
Expanded City services and volunteer programs will support vulnerable populations, including seniors and adults with disabilities, during COVID-19 pandemic
Mayor London N. Breed on April 1, 2020 announced the creation of a citywide volunteer network to support seniors and people with disabilities during the coronavirus pandemic and throughout the duration of the recently updated Stay Home Public Health Order.
The volunteer network includes a new program to match volunteers with seniors and others who need assistance getting groceries, medications, and other essential goods. Additionally, the City’s Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) has expanded its telephone helpline, which is now available seven days a week to connect seniors and adults with disabilities with City services, including food assistance and home care needs.
Want to Volunteer to Help Seniors?
- For volunteer opportunities visit sf.gov/covid19volunteer.
- For info on home care employment opportunities,visit sfhsa.org/COVID-DAS
To safely shelter in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, many older people and adults with disabilities need support with tasks they used to be able to do on their own, like grocery shopping. Not all seniors have friends or family members available to assist with essential tasks, and those who do may need additional assistance if their support network becomes unavailable due to illness or needs to self-isolate. Additionally, older adults and people with disabilities are at greater risk of social isolation during the Stay Home Order, and would benefit from social interactions with other neighbors and family by phone or video call.
See the full press release
The City has created a centralized volunteer page for people who are interested in helping seniors and adults with disabilities. The City partnered with Shanti Project to develop the COVID-19 Emergency Response Volunteer (CERV) program, which leverages their existing infrastructure for recruiting and vetting volunteers and matching to community members in need of help.
Today, Mayor Breed announced the creation of a new volunteer match opportunity with Mon Ami. Mon Ami typically coordinates in-person visits to isolated seniors using its app. With in-person visits on hold, the app has been repurposed to enable volunteers to call isolated seniors for friendly check-ins and to coordinate errand runs for groceries, prescriptions, and other essentials. In partnership with the City, Mon Ami will provide free access to its smartphone app for the month of April to all impacted community members and volunteers.
The Mon Ami volunteer match program is currently being piloted with OpenHouse, a San Francisco-based LGBTQ organization that provides housing and support services to seniors and adults with disabilities. The Office of Transgender Initiatives is assisting with the pilot program.
The Department of Disability and Aging Services has been working to enhance their Benefits and Resource Hub’s helpline that connects seniors, people with disabilities, and caregivers to supportive resources. The DAS helpline at (415) 355-6700 now operates 7 days per week from 8:00am to 5:00pm. DAS helpline operators are available to connect people to the City’s existing service providers and expanded services as they become available.
Seniors and people with disabilities who need assistance with home care, delivery or other essential tasks, or who want to be matched with a volunteer for friendly check-ins are able to sign up through the helpline. The City’s nonprofit service providers are also able to sign their clients up for the volunteer services. DAS has also instructed their nonprofit partners to prepare to train and hire up to 200 new home care providers to help older adults and people with disabilities live safely and independently in their communities during the Stay Home Public Health Order.
