Volunteer Opportunities

The Otesgo County Commission on Aging currently has the following volunteer job opportunities available:

Volunteer Tax Preparers
The OCCOA is looking for individuals with experience in state and federal tax return preparation to assist with the agency's Free Tax Assistance Program for 2014. This is a program that serves lower-income individuals living in Northern Michigan through the IRS'sand is known as the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program. Online training is available to become a certified VITA volunteer. The program generally runs between February through April 15th. Flexible scheduling is possible. This is an excellent way to help those who are not able to afford paid tax preparation services, and an excellent volunteer opportunity for retired tax preparers. To be considered for a volunteer position, please complete a Volunteer Registration Packet and submit it to the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator as instructed. Questions? Please contact the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator at (989) 748-4065.

Ongoing Volunteer Postions:

Computer Club Instructors/Tutors
Older adult volunteers are needed to help expand the OCCOA Computer Club's instructor/tutor base. There is a need for older adult volunteers (age 55 or older) who have solid computer skills (software and/or hardware) and feel comfortable teaching in a classroom setting.Volunteers should also enjoy working with older adults, have patience, compassion, and good listening skills. To be considered for a volunteer position, please complete a Volunteer Registration Packet and submit it to the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator as instructed.

Medical Transportation Volunteers
The Otsego County Commission on Aging is in need of volunteers to drive Otsego County older adults (age 60 and older) to medical appointments. Membership with RSVP is required. RSVP has an age requirement for members; you must be age 55 or older. To be a medical transportation volunteer, you must own a fully-insured, good-working vehicle, have a good driving record, and pass a background check. You should be kind, compassionate, friendly, punctual, reliable, and a good listener. Our clients primarily need to be driven to medical appointments outside Otsego County, inlcuding: Petoskey, Traverse City, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Detroit, etc. Flexible scheduling is available; you decide where and how how often you will volunteer. Mileage reimbursement is available, if needed. To learn more, please complete the “Contact Us” page at the top right-hand corner of this website or contact the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator at (989) 748-4065. You may also contact the Medical Transportation Specialist at RSVP at (989) 732-6232.

Minor Home Repairs Volunteer Supervisor
As our older adult population grows, so do their needs! In today’s tight economy, many older adults are faced with higher-than-expected bills for food, transportation, prescriptions, and home heating. Unfortunately, little is left over to take care of such things as minor home repairs. To help address the growing requests for such assistance, the Otsego County Commission on Aging is in need of a volunteer to assist with the development and supervision of its Minor Home Repairs Program. Volunteer would be responsible for assessing and prioritizing client requests for assistance with minor home repair projects and recruiting and supervising volunteers to do the work. Such projects might include building/repairing wheelchair ramps, rebuilding/repairing outside stairs, installing mail boxes, doing minor plumbing or electrical repairs, installing grab bars, miscellaneous repairs, etc. Past managerial skills and/or experience with home repairs are desired. Volunteer should be reliable and dependable, and enjoy working with older adults. To be considered for a volunteer position, please complete a Volunteer Registration Packet and submit it to the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator as instructed. To learn more, please complete the “Contact Us” page at the top right-hand corner of this website or contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 748-4065.

Chore Service Volunteers
The Otsego County Commission on Aging is in need of volunteers to assist with its Chore Service Program for such things as leaf raking, spring and fall yard cleanup, garden bed cleanup, tree/shrub trimming, washing windows, packing/moving assistance, etc. To be considered for a volunteer position, please complete a Volunteer Registration Packet and submit it to the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator as instructed. To learn more, please complete the “Contact Us” page at the top right-rand corner of this website or contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 748-4065.

The Otsego County Commission on Aging is need of older adults to volunteer their time at the Gaylord Meal Site at the noon meals, making change, signing in participants, serving meals, or assisting with table cleanup. To be considered for a volunteer position, please complete a Volunteer Registration Packet and submit it to the OCCOA Volunteer Coordinator as instructed. If you are interested, please complete the “Contact Us” page at the top right-rand corner of this website or contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 748-4065.

To volunteer for any of the positions listed on this page you must be registered with the agency's volunteer department. If you are not currently registered as a volunteer with the agency, please download and complete a Volunteer Registration Packet. Completed forms may be faxed to (989) 731-2739 or mailed to:

Once your forms are recieved, they will be reviewed and an interview will be scheduled with the Volunteer Coordinator. Thank you for your interest in volunteering your time to help and care for the older adults of Otego County!

Volunteer Opportunties