Joining Hands serves as a link between students of Boston University and organizations that work with elders and people who have disabilities.
Volunteers gain an awareness of this unique population and become a positive force in the Boston community by increasing the self-confidence of others while helping with their individual needs.
The program offers opportunities in diverse settings throughout the Greater Boston Area. The opportunities vary in time commitment and all organizations are quite flexible in scheduling interested students. Each organization has special opportunities, so stop by the Community Service Center and ask for more information.
Please click here to download the Joining Hands Program brochure.
Joining Hands Site Information
Joining Hands works with a variety of sites in the Greater Boston
area. Some of these sites included:
- Winners On Wheels
Winners on Wheels (WOW) is a national organization similar to a co-ed scouting group. The group is open to children ages 5-15 who use wheelchairs. The children meet every Saturday to socialize, and work to earn badges through games, crafts, and field trips.
- Best Buddies
Best Buddies Colleges pairs people with intellectual disabilities in one-to-one friendships with college students. By becoming a College Buddy, volunteers offer a Buddy the chance to explore a new way of life.
- Charles River Arc Kids Program
The Charles River Association for Retarded Citizens offers a variety of different programs assisting people with varying disabilities. The program runs on Saturdays as an opportunity for children with disabilities to socialize and play while their parents get a break for a few hours. Volunteers have one-on-one interaction with the children. Activities include games, organizing activities, and taking field trips.
- Rogerson Adult Day Health Care
The Rogerson program at the Brookline Senior Center offers elderly citizens a place to meet new people, explore new activities, and rekindle old interests, while still having access to needed health care. Activities the clients participate in include trips to restaurants, concerts, and museums, daily exercise programs, crafts, music, art, expressive and pet therapies, and more.
- Perkins School for the Blind
Perkins is a school located in Watertown that serves the blind up to age 22. Many are unable to be adequately served by the public school system. Volunteer opportunities may include classroom help, clerical duties, off-campus resident assistance by shopping, taking walks, reading, taking care of infants, etc.
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Who will I be working with? |
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Volunteers give companionship and friendship to people of all ages, children, teens, adults, and elders. They act to close the gap between older generations and college students by working with many different nursing homes, assisted living residences, and elder homes. |
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What activities do Joining Hands volunteers do? |
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Our volunteers run fun craft activities or go bowling with people with disabilities and play bingo or card games with elders, among many other things! |
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How can I get involved in Joining Hands? |
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We will be looking for volunteers at the beginning of each semester! You can also secure a leadership position as a peer leader. Applications will be available at the Community Service Center, located in the George Sherman Union. |
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What if I don’t have much time to volunteer? |
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The time commitment for Joining Hands can be as little as 1 hour a week, so we can find something for even the busiest schedules! We also offer one-time opportunities during the holiday season, including caroling and baking. |
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What if I have never volunteered before? |
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Don’t worry! No experience is necessary to volunteer with Joining Hands! All enthusiastic volunteers are welcome, whether or not they have volunteered before. |
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How do I travel to my Joining Hands site? |
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Some Joining Hands groups meet on campus. For the sites off-campus, you will either take public transportation or use one of the Community Service Center vans. Van training is available for those interested in driving, but you are not required to drive – we ensure that each group of volunteers includes at least one driver! |
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For more information on volunteering with Joining Hands, please
contact:
Katie Faris
775 Commonwealth Avenue
Fourth Floor
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-353-4710
Fax: 671-353-9424
Email: joinhand@bu.edu
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