Wellness Across Generations: How One Volunteer Champions Senior Mental Health

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Areen Hashemi. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Areen Hashemi is changing lives through her heartfelt dedication to improving mental health for seniors. As the co-founder of Generation Union, or GU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, she has established a robust network of volunteers committed to creating connections with often-overlooked senior citizens. By partnering with 14 senior living facilities and managing over 250 volunteers across 26 chapters, Areen has turned her vision into a powerful movement that transcends generations, offering companionship, joy and meaningful engagement to residents.

Generation Union’s impact extends beyond mere visits; it brings warmth and thoughtfulness into the lives of seniors through creative events and activities. Whether it’s organizing a catered Mother’s Day luncheon for residents whose families couldn’t be with them or hosting game nights featuring Bingo and UNO, Areen and her team ensure every interaction is filled with care. These efforts foster an atmosphere of inclusion and creates lasting memories for both volunteers and residents alike.

Areen plays a crucial role in the organization’s growth and success. She dedicates around 20 hours a month to a wide array of responsibilities, from buying supplies and organizing events to recruiting and managing volunteers. Under her leadership, Generation Union has raised approximately $4,000 to support its mission and has hosted over 30 impactful events. Areen’s ability to inspire others is evident in the way Generation Union continues to grow, now with 18 chapters across the nation, all united in their commitment to enhancing the lives of senior residents.

Generation Union is more than a nonprofit – it’s a testament to Areen’s belief in the power of connection and compassion. Through her tireless efforts, she has created an intergenerational bridge that not only uplifts the spirits of senior citizens but also educates and empowers younger generations to make a difference. By transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary memories, Areen has demonstrated the profound impact one person’s vision and determination can have on an entire community.

Tell us about your volunteer role.

I’m the co-founder and co-executive director of Generation Union, and I’m mostly responsible for recruiting and fundraising. I lead the social media pages, I’m the self-designated event photographer, and I lead fundraising campaigns like our bake sales and our door-to-door handmade soap sales. I also love to volunteer, so alongside my executive role, I’m a hands-on volunteer with the organization. That’s the best part!

Why is this issue so important to you?

It started with my grandma. Both my grandma and I have obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. It’s a condition that might seem strange to neurotypical people. Because of this strangeness aspect from the outside, she and I related to feelings of loneliness and not belonging in society – especially during hard times. Her sense of isolation worsened when she moved to a residential home, because she was separated from her family, even with our frequent visits.

I know it’s not just my grandma. I know many residents in senior homes who experience that same sense of loneliness, regardless of any conditions. Many of them feel depression, maybe even thoughts of suicide, so I started volunteering with them.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

I wanted to found GU with my co-founders, Emily and Rachel, who I met through volunteering and school, because they are passionate about the same things. Initially, we wanted to start a club. People were asking about it and wanting to join in on it. But I ended up moving schools, so we couldn’t connect a club to a school. We needed to form an external organization, and that’s how GU was born in 2021.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

I want to scale the chapters program and turn GU into my full-time career. For context, our chapters program is an opportunity for anyone to start a branch of Generation Union. They can volunteer at senior homes, fundraise in their local communities and recruit local volunteers. Right now, we have 30+ interested chapters, including globally. It’s exciting to see people in places like Malaysia interested in starting a chapter. Our New York chapter just launched, and it’s really amazing to see those events on Instagram and see how youth care about seniors everywhere.

I really want to scale GU and make sure that the nonprofit is thriving as best as it can. The Mothers Day picnic or the Pink and Red Hat Party are our biggest events. But this spring, we also want to implement food drives to help feed unhoused seniors around Washington D.C. We’re excited about scaling our current work and expanding it too.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

During our Mother’s Day event, another volunteer and I were truly overwhelmed by how much a simple luncheon could impact senior residents. We had no idea how many amazing mothers couldn’t celebrate their special day with their families. Both this other volunteer and I are immigrants, and we are distant from our own grandmothers. Being able to spend the day with those who were distant from their own children and grandchildren was extra meaningful to me.

One resident was talking to the other volunteer, and their conversation was really comforting. They drew in strength. They knew they weren’t alone in their experience of being away from their loved ones. It reassured me that distance doesn’t negate the fact that someone is loved and remembered by their family. It doesn’t matter if you’re 7,000 km or a couple of blocks away. Love has no geographical bounds.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

Big picture, I’ve learned that the gap between generations can be filled with a conversation or a smile. It doesn’t take much. Gen Z tends to engage in a lot of “Boomer humor” and judgment toward senior generations. I don’t understand that mindset. If you seek relationships with people outside of your age group, you can learn a lot from them. A lot of times, these seniors – these Boomers – are not close-minded, or whatever the sentiment is around them. They are wise, they have so much lived experience and they’re so interesting to talk to and even be friends with. I wish more people my age would seek them instead of dismiss them.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

Everyone has a duty to their community. Community gives you so much – whether physical, like your neighbors helping you mow the lawn, or emotional, like your friends or classmates helping you with your homework. No one has to do that. If you ask for help, they don’t have to help you, but often they do.

That obligation to do something good should apply to everyone. Everyone should volunteer – whether it’s small and local or big and remote. You should always have an obligation to get involved, because others are continuously giving to you. It’s a responsibility.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

Find what you’re passionate about. When you find something that matters to you, you’ll find the time and effort to put into it. Remember, it doesn’t have to be personal for you to be passionate about it. Someone once said, “It doesn’t have to happen to you for it to matter to you.” I think that’s wonderful. You don’t have to be affected by homelessness to care about unhoused people. You don’t have to have OCD to care about mental health.

What else do you want people to know?

Shoutout to my grandma and shoutout to the GU team! They’re amazing. None of this would have happened without our incredible volunteers.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Areen? Find local volunteer opportunities.