You can find the newest edition of the program guide on the Programs & Activities page. Click here to visit.

Community Connections is a pilot program operating within St. Albert and the Sturgeon Region (its municipalities and little hamlets, which is currently assisting seniors stay in their home by helping them access nutritious, low-cost food, a free ride to essentials, and a weekly visit. Registration into each of the 3 services is required.

Cruz Pinzon is the manager of this program. She can be reached at:
(780) 459-0433, ext. 204; (780) 485-7761 (direct); or by email at: cruz.pinzon@stalbertseniors.ca

Essential Transportation includes rides to medical appointments within the municipalities and into Edmonton, as well as rides to buy groceries for self or for your pets, rides to church, rides for medication pick-ups, and rides to leisure activities, anything that help a senior stay healthy, active, and independent.

Contact Cruz and she’ll hand you a volunteer application package, after explaining what your role might look like. Bring your vehicle registration and proof of insurance with you for Cruz to photocopy.

If driving Meals on Wheels: be available at least every 2 weeks (Fridays mornings, between 10am-1pm).
If driving to essentials: be available for at least 2 drives a month. You determine the days and times, and how far you are comfortable driving into.
If visiting a senior: be available at least 2 hours per week (1 hour for visit and another hour driving time).

You have options for this: go St. Albert Seniors Association’s website, locate Community Connections and you are able to order from there. You must be able to pay with a credit card. Another option is placing an order with our front-desk. The third option is calling Cruz or her assistant (Robin Mansell) directly to ext. #4

A friendly visitor engages the visited senior(s) in activities of the senior’s choice. Ideas for activities are suggested on the training manual handed to the volunteers. Prior to assignment, Social Worker Cruz visits the senior(s) to complete home assessments for proper volunteer-senior matching.

Friendly Visitors and Essential Transportation drivers who will be one-on-one with seniors need to obtain a vulnerable sector’s check from the RCMP detachment. Cruz will hand you a letter of introduction to bring to the RCMP.

Preferably over 18th (unless accompanied by parents/guardians if under 18th ). If visiting a senior, volunteers need to have access to a vehicle or a bus pass.

No, as they are only driving and delivering a product, not a person, and are not expected to go beyond the delivery of the meals to the front of seniors’ home doors.

There is no remuneration for volunteering; however, mileage is paid for driving Meals on Wheels, as well as for driving to seniors homes for a visit, and for driving seniors to medical appointments or any other essential.