Retired? We have a Job for You!

It’s been said that retirement isn't the end of the road, but just a turn in the road. That turn took volunteers Gary and Ed to North Hills Community Outreach.

After retiring in 2000, Gary’s wife and former NHCO board member encouraged him to volunteer. "My wife preferred that I would not be around the house all the time," he said. "I thank NHCO for saving our marriage of 62 years." He first answered phones and helped clients with utilities applications. But as NHCO grew, his handyman talents came into play.

"Gary paints offices, fixes doorbells and fans, cleans, takes out the trash, AND takes broken down cardboard boxes to the recycling center. He is truly a non-profit superhero," said Millvale Manager Genevieve Volpe.

“It has been my privilege to work with very capable staff and see how effectively they deal with a wide variety of challenges every day,” the eighty-seven-year-old recently said. “As a volunteer, I'm able to meet, greet and help clients feel comfortable at an awkward time in their lives”

Ed is a retired litigation paralegal who recently moved to Pittsburgh and was looking to volunteer. He has professional experience with taxes, so he came to NHCO in 2023 to help with our Free Tax Prep program, a service NHCO offers to low-income individuals. When tax season ended, NHCO luckily had plenty of other opportunities for him.

"I saw all the other stuff that they (NHCO) did, and I thought, 'Well, I've got more time. I can do more volunteering."

He started volunteering at our garden, then moved inside to help clients with utilities. Ed also picks up pet food from a partner organization that we distribute at our food pantries. And his wise-cracking and jovial nature is equally helpful to our staff in North Boroughs.

"No matter what is going on, we can always count on him to make us laugh. He holds clients with the highest dignity and respect while also throwing out one-liners and quips. He understands that life is hard and if we didn't laugh, we'd cry."

Why should you volunteer with NHCO? “It's educational,” Ed said about his experience. “You develop more empathy about what they (clients) are up against."