By Dave Phillips, Executive Director of HOPE Missions of the Upstate
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
Every person is called to serve, and to serve in community. As we look across the over 300 organizations listed in the Anderson County Resource Guide (https://myresourceguide.org), we know people in our community wake up each morning considering what good they can do during the day.
Volunteering to support seniors in our community is exceptionally important. As you may know, more than 25% of our county’s population is over 60. For those who have retirement savings, good health, a comfortable home, and supportive family, this time of life can be fulfilling and wonderful. But too many of Anderson’s seniors lack this stable infrastructure. They live alone, use the bus system to get their groceries, and struggle to navigate or afford the changing technology that’s now necessary to access health care, Social Security benefits, the legal or banking system, and even contact with far-away family.
Many of the hundreds of seniors who came to HOPE Missions in 2025 have all these challenges and as a result are experiencing homelessness for the first time. Chrissy Ann, in her sixties and recently widowed, was trapped by a predatory 180% interest loan until HOPE Missions stepped in to pay it off and help her secure stable, affordable housing. Mr. R, 61, was in and out of the ER, having lost his wife, mother, housing, and access to 13 vital medications; our case manager fought his insurance and stabilized his health to get him into shared housing. And Mr. W, 64, struggling with memory loss, regained his SSI and Medicaid with our help, moving from a crowded shelter to shared housing.
In our work, we find that having older volunteers is such an encouragement for these seniors. Our Care Coordinator is exceptionally patient in explaining to older adults how to follow the instructions on the 818 prescriptions that HOPE Missions provided in 2025, and the volunteer nurses at our twice-weekly foot clinic have adapted their exam process to be less intrusive—no stethoscope, no blood pressure cuff—but conversations with senior volunteers helped build a foundation of trust that made those services successful.
Volunteering is an opportunity to grow relationships, both with the people you are serving and those you volunteer with. Whether you volunteer at the United Way and build or harvest a garden, or at a local school and read to children, or help host a big event with Family Promise of Anderson County, each gives you the joy of serving others. If you are not getting a sense of fulfillment in your volunteer role, there are hundreds of other opportunities to find the best fit for you. Whether you choose to join the other nearly 900 volunteers at HOPE Missions or another wonderful ministry, we hope it fills you with joy!
