Benton County Volunteers Needed
The Drive for Volunteers in Benton County
Recruiting
Neighbors to Help the Homebound in the Age of COVID-19
Contact: Ryan J. Ellis, Communications Director
ryan.j.ellis@tn.gov | 615-767-3840
NASHVILLE,
April 1, 2020 -- The coronavirus has upended lives all across Tennessee,
disrupting citizens’ health, work, education, family time -- and even
their ability to help out their neighbors.
The
disruption has reached Benton County too, as social service organizations are
finding themselves short of their usual corps of dependable volunteers who
drive meals to homebound older adults.
Many
of the volunteers are older citizens themselves and must be especially mindful
of the COVID-19 threat. And with the steady progress of the coronavirus
across Tennessee, support organizations must plan for the growing possibility
that even more of their volunteers will be unable to contribute in coming
weeks.
The
Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability has a plan.
It
has boosted its efforts to recruit a new corps of volunteers to meet the
growing demand, especially for people who rely on the regular delivery of
nutritious meals to their homes.
In
the past week alone, more than 300 Tennesseans have contacted the commission
and passed the background checks necessary to become the type of neighbor who
is willing to drive a hot meal to an older adult’s home and make sure that
everyone is OK.
Benton County is facing
a shortage of volunteer delivery drivers, and the commission is working to
rally more people to the cause.
Follow
this link to the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability website: https://www.tn.gov/aging/learn-about/volunteer-opportunities.html.
The
page will guide volunteers through the quick registration process.
Or
call to speak to a recruiter: 615-557-7202.
Once
volunteers have been vetted to ensure they meet the state’s safety
requirements, Benton County and Tennessee will be able to react much more
quickly to a potential shortfall in volunteers.
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