After a stroke forced Felecia Clack to retire from her career as a grant administrator in medical research, the days suddenly felt long and quiet. Though she had family and friends, her recovery—which initially left her paralyzed—was lengthy, and she found herself longing for deeper social connection. As her mobility returned, she discovered Create the Good® and began exploring virtual volunteer opportunities that could fill her days with purpose and community. What she found turned out to be life changing.
Through Create the Good’s volunteer search, Clack learned about AARP’s Friendly Voice program. This initiative connects people seeking companionship with trained volunteers who provide social support through phone calls. After completing the program’s training, Clack became a Friendly Voice volunteer—and later, a member of its leadership team.
“The work is joyous for me," Clack says. "When I talk to clients, I bring up subjects that will bring back memories or back to a time of taking baked goods to meet new neighbors and sharing wonderful stories about why the neighborhood is such a great place to be. Or when people would go caroling. I try to bring back those memories.”
“The program creates opportunities for social connection that people may not have in their everyday lives,” says Erin Keller, program manager. “They offer companionship, support, and a weekly connection. For many of the folks we speak with, we’re their only conversation that entire week. To be able to connect with them, even for just 10 or 15 minutes, means a great deal to those recipients.”
Volunteers in the Friendly Voice program commit to at least three hours of calls per week—though many, like Clack, often give more. (She estimates she spends about five hours a day calling.) Volunteers use a computer-based software system that both protects privacy and allows notetaking about each recipient’s interests and preferred conversation topics. Some topics—like politics, religion, and medical advice—are off-limits, but volunteers have a wide range of other areas to explore in their conversations.
Clack recalls several standout calls. One client who loved music played songs over the phone, and the two laughed and sang together. Another call with a retired teacher living in a rural area led to stories about reconnecting with former students over Zoom. “It fulfilled her as a teacher. It fulfilled the [former] students that had created that friendship,” Clack says.
Volunteers are also trained to recognize red flags, such as signs of abuse, fraud, or other issues, and they can refer individuals to appropriate AARP departments or outside authorities for help.
Today, the Friendly Voice program serves around 450 active call recipients. As a member of the leadership team, Clack now interviews prospective volunteers. Volunteers must have access to a computer and be comfortable learning and using the calling platform. But more importantly, they should be naturally conversational and empathetic. “We want to make sure that you are comfortable. Because if we're comfortable, our clients are going to be comfortable,” she says.
Keller says the program benefits both the client and the caller. “Our call recipients are offered an opportunity to connect and have some of that community, but the calls also provide more social connection for the volunteers, as well,” she says. “It's a really special experience for volunteers to feel more social connection through those conversations.”
If you’re interested in becoming a Friendly Voice volunteer, email friendly.voice@aarp.org to receive an application and schedule a brief interview with a program leader. If you're seeking social connection and would like to receive calls, dial 1-888-281-0145 and leave your information for a call back. For Spanish-speaking calls, contact 1-888-497-4108. This free service is currently available only for U.S. callers.
To explore more AARP volunteer opportunities, visit aarp.org/volunteer.