Heyman Interages® Center

Opportunities for Seniors

Our opportunities are constantly changing. For the most up-to-date information, check with the Montgomery County Volunteer Center. Enter “interages” in the search area.

Tutoring/mentoring/reading/math with young students through MCPS or nonprofit organizations

If you’re age 50+, we invite you to volunteer with JCA Heyman Interages^® Center’s high-impact programs. Our programs occur throughout Montgomery County at local schools, senior living facilities, and libraries, or on zoom. Volunteers help youth ages 5-18 with academics, self-confidence, and an appreciation of cross-age connections. As a JCA Interages volunteer, you can make a difference in as little as one hour a week, or you can increase your impact by giving more time. We provide training and ongoing support and will work with you to find the right opportunity to fit your interests, skills, and schedule.

Volunteer Portal

We have a running list of volunteer opportunities on our volunteer portal.  You can view the list here and choose the program that fits your schedule, location, and talents! Help a student improve their reading skill, read a bedtime story, or join a book club – all the programs offer enriching experiences for both students and volunteers.

Heyman Interages Center
Elementary School Programs 2024-2025
(A sampling of our programs are listed alphabetically below.)

Bridges
The Bridges Program is an innovative outreach program that was created to connect adult volunteers with elementary school students who newly arrived in the United States and learning English. The program helps students gain understanding, competency, and fluency with the language, and volunteers provide light academic support in the process. There is also a cultural exchange that takes place as students and volunteers learn from each other and broaden their cultural understandings.

Grandreaders (2nd Grade Students)
The Grandreaders program is a one-on-one reading program for 2nd grade students. An older adult reads once a week with an assigned child. Students are selected by their teachers from among the ones who need one-on-one reading time and connection. The first book everyone reads is “As Best Friends Do.” This is a book written by two JCA Interages volunteers. Volunteers tailor the books for the students to read according to the child’s interest and abilities.

In-Class Support
In-class support provides opportunities for volunteers to work in the classroom one-on-one or in small groups with students who may need additional attention and assistance in areas such as language arts, math, science, and social studies. Volunteers work to increase students’ skills in class subjects and to develop meaningful intergenerational connections.

Read Across America
In partnership with Montgomery County Public Libraries, Students in grades K–3 can practice their reading skills with preselected, vetted volunteers from the Jewish Council for the Aging Heyman Interages Center at libraries throughout Montgomery County. Library locations may change from year to year. Read Across America occurs annually during National Read Across America Week in March.

Read Across Generations
In partnership with Montgomery County Public Libraries, students in grades K-3 can practice their reading skills during the summer while reading one-on-one with previously selected volunteers (50+) from the Jewish Council for the Aging Heyman Interages Center. Students can bring their own book or select one from the library. The program typically runs for 5 weeks from July to August. Parents or family members accompanying children participating in the program who are also interested in practicing their reading can join their children in the reading with the volunteer.

Reader’s Theater
Reader’s Theater is a program in which the readers gather in small groups to present dramatic readings of narrative material without costumes, props, scenery, or special lighting. Readers use only vocal expressions to help convey stories. Equipped with Reader’s Theater materials, JCA adult volunteers meet once a week during the school day or after school hours with 2nd to 5th grade students, divided by grade.

SHARE (Students Help and Reach Elders)
SHARE brings together youth from area schools and older adults from area assisted living facilities and adult day programs for meaningful connections. The program includes fun activities during weekly one-hour programs such as conversation, arts and crafts, STEM activities, music, and interactive games.

Middle and High School Programs 2024-2025

Dialogues Across the Ages
Volunteers and students engage in cross-age discussions of current events and social studies topics. The generations learn about each other’s interests, lifestyles, and views during these multi-week (typically eight) sessions, which are designed to foster mutual understanding and respect.

Virtual Book Club
Intergenerational book clubs for middle school students are built on a rich, cooperative partnership between JCA Interages and Montgomery County Public Library (MCPL). Book clubs promote a love of literature in a positive, nurturing environment, establish strong intergenerational relationships and communication, and provide an opportunity for creativity, reflection, and information synthesis. Book clubs meet four times per year for four weekly sessions.

Opportunities for students: Service Learning opportunities

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) believes that service learning addresses recognized community needs and is connected to advancing curriculum goals. All service projects, be they indirect, direct, or through advocacy, include phases of preparation, action, and reflection. Quality service learning projects provide students with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and career exploration opportunities that lead to effective citizenship in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. MCPS is committed to quality service-learning experiences for all students. 

Service Learning Programs at JCA Interages

2025 Summer Volunteer Programs for Students 

2025 Summer Volunteer opportunities will be posted here soon.

Please view the list of summer volunteer opportunities on the Youth Volunteer Opportunities page. SSL hours are available for all programs.

Intergenerational Book Clubs-Middle School, High School

Montgomery County Public Libraries and the Jewish Council for the Aging Heyman Interages® Center are hosting an intergenerational book club for students in middle school and high school. Students and older adult community members meet weekly for one month to read the same book and discuss it at the weekly meetings. Participants have discussions about the book while enjoying conversations and hearing perspectives from people of another generation.

Students will be asked to write a short essay, and create a poster or flyer from what they learned from the book. Six SSL hours will be awarded to each student if he/she participates in all four meetings and present their projects on time.

To find out which programs have availability, please contact Indira Dingledine at idingledine@accessjca.org or visit the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website at

Please note the following guidelines for student service through live virtual platforms:

• A student’s parent/guardian must provide the nonprofit with written approval of the student’s participation in the virtual platform prior to the student serving/volunteering.
• Students must use personal/private accounts (not MCPS student accounts) to engage in the virtual platform.
• Students will only engage with others under the direct supervision of a nonprofit supervisor. The nonprofit supervisor will be directly present in the virtual space (including any breakout sessions) at all times.
• The nonprofit supervisor will initiate and host all virtual sessions. If the nonprofit supervisor is not available to initiate and host the virtual session, the session will not occur.
• Virtual sessions will not be recorded.

Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the student’s parent/guardian. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety and privacy at any time the student interacts with the nonprofit and its clients. The nonprofit organization will determine the number of SSL hours awarded based on the evidence submitted. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns. This service activity is designed to be completed within the safety of the student’s home until schools resume normal status.