Volunteer Opportunities

Join the heart of Aging and Human Services (AHS) by becoming a volunteer. AHS offers six opportunities where volunteers can make a difference in the lives of vulnerable residents. AHS volunteers are all ages. Children are welcome to accompany parents or grandparents when delivering meals or providing transportation. Currently, AHS does not offer one-time volunteer experiences, group volunteer days, or award community service hours for school or court.
Catch-a-Ride

Catch-a-Ride - Volunteers provide rides to seniors, those with a physical disability, or adults in a major life transition who do not drive and public transportation is difficult or impossible to use. Rides are provided to essential appointments in Johnson County such as medical, social service agencies or food pantries. Volunteers choose their schedules and the geographical distance they are willing to drive. Mileage reimbursement is available.
Catch-a-Ride operates Monday - Friday from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Volunteers must be at least 25 years old, drive their personal vehicle, attend a formal orientation and Catch-a-Ride training session, and complete both a criminal background check and a motor vehicle record check.
Home-Delivered Meals

Home-Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels) - Volunteers provide a hot noon-day meal during the lunch hour. Volunteers deliver meals Monday - Friday from 10:45 a.m.–noon. There are over 50 daily volunteer routes. Volunteers deliver as teams or as individuals. Children are welcome to accompany parents or grandparents.
AHS is currently recruiting both regular (weekly) and substitute (as-needed) drivers. Volunteers deliver from one of eight centers: Blue Valley, De Soto, Gardner, Lenexa, Merriam, Olathe, Overland Park and Spring Hill. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, drive their personal vehicle, attend a formal orientation, Home-Delivered Meals training, and complete a criminal background check.
Food Pantry

Food Pantry: Volunteers can host a food or hygiene drive, assist in the food pantry (filling client food orders, unloading donations, rotating donations and checking for expiration dates), and pick up and deliver donated products. Our offices and food pantries are open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Our food pantries are located in Gardner, Lenexa and Mission.
To volunteer in the food pantry, you must be at least 18 years old and attend a formal orientation and food pantry training. However, people of all ages are welcome to host a food or hygiene drive.
Donations are accepted through our Amazon wish list and shipped directly to our food pantry.
Office Administration

Office Administration: Volunteers help with data entry, filing, answering phones, and more at our Olathe office in the Sunset Drive office building. Our office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, attend a formal orientation and complete a criminal background check.
SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas)

SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas) is a free, unbiased, and confidential program that utilizes trained community volunteers to answer questions about Medicare and other insurance issues. SHICK volunteers assist and support the public and the SHICK program in various ways, such as distributing information, assisting with administrative tasks, attending events, making group presentations, and counseling Kansans. Volunteer counselors do not work for any insurance companies. They aim to educate and assist the public in making informed decisions about their health care options. Interested applicants are screened and interviewed prior to attending state training to become a SHICK volunteer. Volunteers must complete Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services training, attend a formal Aging and Human Services orientation, and complete a criminal background check.
Special Delivery

Special Delivery is a new driving volunteer opportunity that supports our food pantries. Volunteers pick up donations from local food drives and transport them to one of three food pantries in Gardner, Lenexa, or Mission.
All Special Delivery opportunities will occur during business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, able to lift 20 pounds, and drive their personal vehicles. Children are welcome to accompany a parent, grandparent, or guardian.
New Volunteers - Volunteer Orientation
All Aging & Human Services volunteers must attend a formal volunteer orientation before starting. We are actively recruiting volunteer drivers for Home-Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels) and Catch-a-Ride. Volunteer orientations are held monthly from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at our central office in Olathe. Advance registration is required due to limited seating. To sign up, please register for orientation online. Volunteers can complete their applications and upload required documents directly through our Samaritan volunteer portal.
AHS is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and activities. If you need an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or any other ADA accommodation for this class, please reach out to the volunteer services coordinator by phone or email. We prefer to have two business days' notice to help us meet your needs most effectively.
Current Volunteers
Log in to the Samaritan volunteer portal to sign up for Home-Delivered Meals routes and Catch-a-Ride shifts. If you need assistance, please contact the volunteer services coordinator by email or phone.