Lindsey Johnson’s work schedule allowed some flexibility during certain times of the year, leading her to seek options for volunteering. She explains, “I wanted to find a way to fill that [free] time with something positive and productive, and Help At Your Door provided me with that opportunity.”
Since the fall of 2021, Lindsey has volunteered as a Personal Driver with Help At Your Door. In this role, she provides essential rides for older adults and people with disabilities to and from appointments, social outings, and errands. Her assistance with helping clients enter and exit the vehicle and waiting at their destinations as requested is invaluable.
Lindsey chooses the rides that work with her schedule using an online platform, which was part of why Help At Your Door was such a good fit for her. She shares, “Signing up for [different] shifts is so flexible, [which made me feel as though] this could be a volunteer commitment [that] I could stick with.”
Along with appreciating this volunteer opportunity’s flexibility, Lindsey has always liked connecting with people, especially when it has the added benefit of doing good in the world. She notes, “I’ve always found joy in spending time with elderly individuals and helping combat loneliness. The small interactions I get while driving clients to and from their appointments give me a bit of friendship, and it always ends up being a bright spot in my day. Every ride has been a positive experience for me, and I believe the riders feel the same way.”
Lindsey volunteers one to two hours a week, helping clients as her availability allows. She mentions, “I have a few regulars that I drive to appointments, but since my work schedule makes it difficult to give rides at consistent times, often clients are new to me. Whatever works that week with my schedule are the rides I pick up.”
Even though most of the clients Lindsey interacts with are new to her, she makes it a point to connect with them. If an individual wants to be accompanied, Lindsey offers to sit in the waiting room while the client is at the appointment.
One of her favorite memories of volunteering occurred after waiting for a client. Lindsey discloses, “When she left the appointment, she was so happy. I asked her why. The client declared that she had just been officially declared cancer-free! While I’m not a close friend or family member of this person, I felt we had become quick friends, and it was so wonderful to share that joyful moment with her!”
When asked what she would say to someone interested in volunteering with our organization, Lindsey replied, “Help At Your Door allows you to positively impact your community with little effort. Every interaction has been a positive experience for me. The organization allows a lot of flexibility for us as volunteers for how much or how little we want to volunteer, and their website for signing up and managing your committed rides works very well and makes everything super easy.”
Thank you, Lindsey, for giving your time to Help At Your Door. We appreciate you!
Do you want to learn more about volunteering with Help At Your Door? For information about specific roles (there are many options!), read our volunteer webpage or contact us at 651-642-1892 or volunteer@helpatyourdoor.org. We also offer group volunteer activities!
