Friendly Visitor Program for Homebound Seniors in Berks County
Berks Encore's Friendly Visitor Program connects homebound seniors with adult volunteers who agree to call or visit for about one hour per week.
To take part as a senior adult, you must live in Berks County and be over the age of 50. You also need to show a desire to participate and be willing to follow the program's policies and procedures, agree to a one-year commitment, be willing to communicate with your Friendly Visitor volunteer every week, complete the screening procedure, and stay in regular contact with the Friendly Visitor Coordinator so the visits go well.
Volunteers are thoroughly screened and must pass a Criminal Background Check before being matched with a senior in the area. Location, interests, hobbies and pets are all considered before the first visit is scheduled. In 2024, 19 volunteers dedicated their time to brighten the lives of 19 clients.
If you are a homebound senior interested in making a friend, call (610) 374-3195 ext. 225 to join the program. You can also fill out the online Friendly Visitor Program Senior Adult Application on the Berks Encore services page at berksencore.org. The application asks for your contact details, date of birth, emergency contact, the members of your household, why you want to participate, what you expect from the program, and whether you are available to visit in person or by telephone at least once a week. It also includes an interest survey about the most convenient times for you to meet, other languages you speak, activities you enjoy and the topics you like to read about, so Berks Encore can match you with a compatible volunteer.
For additional questions, write to ApplaudingLife@BerksEncore.org or call (610) 374-3195 x225.
Visits and calls happen with the volunteer, so there is no office to go to for this program. The page does not say whether the program costs anything or how long the wait is to be matched with a volunteer.
Source: berksencore.org/aging-services-in-berks-county-pa, read November 3, 2026.
The details
Read the rest
he Friendly Visitor Coordinator to ensure successful visits
In Berks Encore’s words
Through Berks Encore’s Friendly Visitors Program, we connect homebound seniors with adult volunteers who agree to call or visit for about one hour per week. Volunteers are thoroughly screened and must pass a Criminal Background Check before being matched with a senior in the area. Location, interests, hobbies, and pets are all considered before the first visit is scheduled.
Organization
Berks Encore
Organization profile in our directory →About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from berksencore.org/aging-services-in-berks-county-pa. Last recorded review: November 3, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.