While walking through the city, she saw many albinos begging along the streets. They were shunned by the community and denied medical treatment and education. Many died young of skin cancer because of the lack of skin pigmentation. Through her efforts, they received eyeglasses, sunscreen and hats. She helped get funding for an albino community center, named after her.
Volunteers say they are going over to teach, but they learn quite a bit.
While more seniors are volunteering now than 40 years ago, they still donate less time than any other age group, he says. The actual number of senior volunteers now is small compared to the potential. Many seniors volunteer through the National Senior Service Corps, making up about half of the corporation's million volunteers overall. He points to Experience Corps, created in 1995 by Freedman and former HEW Secretary John Gardner and two organizations, the Corporation for National Service and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Experience Corps' goal is to mobilize older adults to help strengthen urban elementary schools and their students.