At Hands On Greater Portland, we are focusing specifically on the rich experience of community service through volunteerism as a means to contribute to social innovation and personal transformation. Hands On Greater Portland has already connected over 3,000 Boomers and older adults to volunteering.  We currently offer unique engagement opportunities that pair civic learning and self-discovery with service projects as well as access to relevant resources, events and connections within our immediate community.

We also have a volunteer Creative Design Team laying the ground work for a program that will connect highly skilled, mature professionals to volunteer needs in our community. Forging an honored place for eldership in our community will be a transformative foundation to this new program. Passing on the wisdom of our gifts to our wider community transforms us personally and lifts-up the greater whole. This is the deeper mission of our Hands On Boomer Initiative.

For more information about the Hands On Boomer Initiative, please contact Karen Beal, PhD, at 503.200.3367 or karen@handsonportland.org.

Ways to Participate

Books to Action

Love volunteering? Got a passion for reading? The Hands On Boomer Initiative brings the two together through Books-to-Action, which aims to deepen volunteer understanding about relevant social issues in our community through common reading, discussion and service.

The Books-to-Action series is co-sponsored by our Hands on Boomer Initiative and Multnomah County Library, partners in Life by Design NW. Boomers are encouraged to sign-up and we also welcome an intergenerational mix of participants for a rich discussion with diverse perspectives.

Each Books-to-Action begins with a book discussion followed by a community service opportunity that reflects the issues addressed by the author.

Next Books-to-Action, September 27 & 29:  The Third Chapter:  Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50 by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot.  Registration begins in August.

Affinity Groups

Pretty much everyone experiences positive, life-affirming benefits from volunteering. And for Boomers, civic engagement helps to cultivate a greater sense of purpose and connection at a time in our lives when, perhaps, we most desire it.

To assist with finding direction, focus and renewed identity through civic engagement, Hands On convenes a monthly Affinity Group for Boomers to come together to volunteer in our community and then share with one another about our experience. We also provide transformational tools and resources for deepening understanding of self and service while cultivating a meaningful connection to the larger scheme of things.  For more information on a group contact Karen@handsonportland.org.

Done in a Day Volunteer Projects
Check back soon…
 

Skills Based Volunteering for Hands On

Our organization utilizes the skills and services of skilled volunteers to advance the internal capacity of Hands On Greater Portland to better meet the needs of our community.  All volunteers committed to these programs have the opportunity to participate in workshops and courses offered through our Service Academy focusing on leadership development, interest assessment and life planning.  The following programs are ways to integrally advance the Hands On mission.

Volunteer Leadership
As a Hands On volunteer leader, you help to leverage and sustain meaningful and productive volunteer opportunities that serve the needs of our community.  Read more about our leadership program.

Speakers Bureau
An important part of our work is to inspire people to serve and to inform about opportunities to volunteer through Hands On Greater Portland.    If you would like to utilize your presentation and networking skills for the greater good, we encourage you to become an inspired member of our Speakers Bureau.  If intrigued, please contact Karen@handsongreaterportland.org. 

Program Development
Many skilled volunteers are contributing to the development of our Skills Based Volunteer Program.  We have a Creative Design Team that has researched skills based volunteering, conducted focus groups and is designing the program’s procedural and training components.  We will need additional volunteers who can skillfully guide the on-going trajectory of the program and ensure its successful sustainability and evolution.  Possibilities include teaching workshops, assisting skilled volunteers in connecting with meaningful service opportunities and assisting nonprofits in their readiness to successfully engage skilled volunteers.  If you would like to creatively utilize your skills in these ways, please contact Karen@handsonoportland.org.  

Administrative Advancement
Hands On has been fortunate to benefit from the administrative know-how of volunteers and interns.  We continue to welcome such support in our Hands On Greater Portland office in NW Portland.  If you have particular skills in this area of expertise and would like to contribute in this way, please contact Dwight@handsonportland.org.
 

Boomer Resources

Partner Links

Life by Design NW
Hands On Boomer Initiative is a partner in Life by Design NW, fostering a collaborative community to where adults in mid life transition turn to connect with resources and develop relationships that will meet their needs, assist and support their unique journeys, and provide meaningful, and quality information and programs.

Life by Design @ your library
The Multnomah County Library is also a partner in Life by Design NW.  Check their website for regularly scheduled programs relevant to the interests and needs of the Boomer generation. 

AARP of Oregon
The state chapter of AARP located in Clackamas, is also a partner in Life by Design NW, offering advocacy and resources to older adults. 
 

Partner Programs & Events

For a comprehensive listing of programs and events relevant to mid-life adults, check the event calendar at Life by Design NW, a catalyst in connecting adults to community resources, programs and service opportunities.

Relevant Articles, Books & Websites

Generational References
Generations:  The History of America’s Future 1584-2069 by William Strauss and Neil Howe.

New Research on Boomers and Retirement

More to Give: Tapping the Talents of Baby Boomers, Silent and GI Generations

Reinventing Aging: Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement

Exploring the Next Generation of Retirees:  The Baby Boomers

New Research on Boomers and Retirement
 

Websites & Organizations Focused on Boomers

Life by Design NW

Civic Ventures

Coming of Age

Richard Leider, Living on Purpose

References on Eldership & Boomers
The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50 by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot

Encore:  Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life by Marc Freedman

The Second Half of Life:  Opening the Eight Gates of Wisdom by Angeles Arrien

Claiming Your place at the Fire:  Living the Second Half of Your Life on Purpose by Richard Leider & David Shapiro

From Age-ing to Sage-ing:  A Profound New Vision of Growing Older by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald Miller

References & Websites on Skills Based Volunteering

Tapping the Volunteer of Baby Boomers

Boomers are Ready for Nonprofits

Points of Light: Skills Based Volunteering

Deloitte Volunteer Impact Survey

Taproot Foundation

ReServe

Common Impact