Learn Valuable Online Research & Community Organizing Skills While Helping Seniors and People with Disabilities Save Money
The Community Living Campaign is seeking volunteers to join our CLC Gold Card Research and Action Project. Together with the support of our staff, this team will research, develop a plan, and make recommendations about how San Francisco’s Gold Card program can be expanded to provide discount goods, services, and support to older San Franciscans and people with disabilities seeking ways to make ends meet.
This short project is an ideal way to gain valuable skills in researching, organizing, and community building, whether you are looking to enhance your resume or organize support for an issue in your community. You’ll have the opportunity to:
- Work together with other leadership volunteers and CLC staff
- Conduct online research
- Interview local government and community members
- Train others how to get the best deals
- Learn and share your learning
- See your research results and recommendations published!
Choose your level of involvement, from 2 to 15 hours a month. We will provide training and computer access. Basic computer skills are a plus but not required. Just bring your enthusiasm for inquiry and an interest in improving the lives of seniors and adults with disabilities in San Francisco!
For more information, take at look at the Gold Card Explorers Volunteer Description and if interested, email us at info@sfcommunityliving.org or call (415) 821-1003.
Additional Details:
By way of background, the Gold Card program, run by San Francisco’s Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS), provides free ID cards to seniors and people with disabilities. The cards are primarily issued at senior meal sites to speed sign-in and tracking of participant attendance at sites. However, some years ago the City solicited business and local non-profits to provide goods and services at discount prices to Gold Card holders. The current directory of Gold Card sites can be downloaded from the Human Services Website.
The CLC Goldcard Project is funded by a “Make a BIG Difference” grants from Coming of Age:Bay Area. The grants are designed to channel the knowledge and energy of people ages 50 years and older toward making a constructive impact in San Francisco and Alameda counties.
“These grants give local non-profits the means to achieve their initiatives while fulfilling two key Coming of Age:Bay Area goals: engaging the talents of volunteers 50 and older; and fostering the teamwork structure our members have overwhelmingly told us they prefer,” said Noreen McKeon, Program Manager. “We’re excited to fund projects that will create positive change and make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Coming of Age:Bay Area celebrates the ability of all people age 50+ to continue to grow, transform their communities, and become a force for public good. The organization offers volunteer opportunities, workshops, educational events and one-on-one coaching. It is sponsored by Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services (NCPHS) with additional funding provided by the Corporation for National & Community Service/RSVP grant, other community grants and in partnership with KQED. For more information, please visit ComingofAge.org/BayArea or Facebook.com/ComingofAgeBayArea.
CLC Goldcard Project Goals:
- Increase access to discounted goods and services for seniors and people with disabilities by promoting and expanding the city’s current Gold Card program.
- Empower leadership volunteers to address issues in their community by developing research, organizing, and community-building skills
Activities and Timeline:
- Recruit a diverse team of seniors and adults with disabilities;
- Train leadership volunteers on participatory research methodology and engage them to develop a plan for a six month project;
- Organize leadership volunteers to interview those involved in the local Gold Card program as well as to learn about similar efforts in other communities;
- Summarize findings and develop a plan of action that would involve and engage other volunteers in expanding the use and effectiveness of the program.
- Explore ways to enhance online access and perhaps even develop an outreach and training program on the use of the Gold Card that can become a class offered at SF Connected Computer Training Program sites.