In observance of Christmas and New Year’s Day, the Brookline Senior Center will be closed on December 25 and January 1. No transportation (transport or medical) or food services will be available on those days.
Friday December 26th and Friday January 2 the building will be open, but transportation (transport or medical) and food services will not be available.
Step into the Brookline Senior Center and you’ll likely spot the Gift Cart – home to a collection of donated purses, jewelry, greeting cards, small household items, snacks and more. Seven dedicated volunteers staff the cart and are some of the first people that visitors encounter when entering the building. Beyond organizing, arranging, and selling, they direct newcomers, answer questions about the Senior Center, and offer a warm welcome to everyone.
Together, this committed group donates an average of 40 hours per week to the Gift Cart. Most of these volunteers also contribute their time to the summer Sidewalk Sale and the November Craft Fair & Rummage Sale. All proceeds from the Cart and these annual sales support the Brookline Senior Center directly, funding classes, special programs, and community events.
For volunteer Sara Lee Bloom, who had a long career in retail, the Gift Cart provides valuable social connections. “I enjoy working at the Gift Cart because it gets me out of the house and I enjoy the interaction with people,” she says. “At the Senior Center, I have made new friends and connected with friends from my youth.”
Fellow volunteer and son Eric Bloom values the meaningful conversations that happens during each shift. “People like to talk and connect; everybody has a story, and I like to listen,” he explains.
A newer volunteer on the Gift Cart, Maria Remedios Santos, has gotten involved in multiple volunteer roles in her short time at the Senior Center. “After participating in many interesting activities and attending various presentations on topics relevant to me, all for no fee, I felt I was ready to give back to the BSC. And I reached out to volunteer and the rest was history,” Maria recounts. “Not only am I able to give back to the BSC that has continued to be giving to me and others but I have also made a number of friends and some acquaintances from different parts of the world.”
Maria goes on to say, “Always at the back of my head is the thought that what I am doing matters to the BSC. The Gift Cart is one of the fundraisers of the Center so it can continue to offer what it does now and maybe even more. I also realized after working several months at the Gift Cart that some of the people who go to the Center just want to have someone to talk with. And I am happy that we can be there for them.”
The next time you visit the Brookline Senior Center, please stop at the Gift Cart, browse for a treasure, or just take a minute to chat with one of our wonderful volunteers. Their dedication helps strengthen our Senior Center community, creating a welcoming place while raising funds to keep our programs thriving.
If you would like more information about volunteering at the Brookline Senior Center, please reach out to Valerie Graf, Volunteer Coordinator, at 617-730-2743 or vgraf@brooklinema.gov.
We are proud to introduce our newly published booklet, Valued Volunteers of the Brookline Senior Center. This publication highlights nearly a decade of our amazing volunteers, a sampling of hundreds of our volunteers, both past and present. You can stop by the Brookline Senior Center to get your copy. If you know someone who should be featured for our ongoing Valued Volunteer articles, please reach out to Valerie Graf, Volunteer Coordinator, at vgraf@brooklinema.gov or 617-730-2743.
The SHOP (Students Helping Older People) Program, a collaboration between the Brookline Senior Center and the Brookline High School (BHS), has been a community service club at BHS for over 25 years. Students are paired with seniors to assist with grocery shopping throughout the school year. In addition to providing practical support for seniors, this program also offers high school students valuable life skills. Not only do they hone their grocery shopping skills, it creates opportunities for students and seniors to exchange stories and life experiences, fostering rich intergenerational conversations. These connections often evolve into meaningful, long-lasting relationships, benefiting both the students and seniors involved.
There is currently a waitlist for the SHOP program. If you are a senior who would like to be added to the waitlist, please contact Valerie, Volunteer Coordinator, at 617-730-2743 or vgraf@brooklinema.gov
If you are a student who would like to become a SHOP volunteer, please contact Valerie, Volunteer Coordinator, at 617-730-2743 or vgraf@brooklinema.gov
CLICK HERE to watch a video to learn more about the S.H.O.P program and how it benefits both students and seniors.
The REAP program is designed for Brookline residents aged 60 and older who wish to remain engaged and active in the community while in retirement or partial retirement. Limited additional program opportunities may also be available for individuals aged 55-60. The goal of this program is to enhance the retirement experience by connecting participants with either part-time paid or volunteer work in the community or at the Brookline Senior Center (BSC).
To enroll or for more information, call 617-730-2767 or email Vivian Williams at vwilliams@brooklinema.gov.at vwilliams@brooklinema.gov.
If you have a special interest area or expertise that you would like to share with the Senior Center, please reach out to Valerie Graf, the Volunteer Coordinator, at 617-730-2743 or vgraf@brooklinema.gov to learn more about creating and facilitating a new program at the Senior Center.
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