Local help for older adults in Palo Alto
Need someone to pick up groceries, grab a prescription, run an errand, or stop by for a visit? We connect Palo Alto seniors with local volunteers, free of charge.
Free to use · Volunteers are screened first · Available across Palo Alto
What brings you here?
I need help
Start here if you need help with groceries, prescriptions, errands, or regular check-ins.
Request HelpI'm helping a parent
If you don't live nearby, we can help you set up practical, local support for your parent or relative.
Caregiver ResourcesI want to volunteer
Give a couple hours when you can. Help someone nearby with the kinds of everyday tasks that are hard to do alone.
Start VolunteeringHow it works
Tell us what you need
Send a request with the basics. It might be groceries, a prescription pickup, an errand, or a visit.
We look for a good match
We try to pair you with a screened volunteer nearby who has the right availability.
You hear from them directly
Your volunteer reaches out, you sort out the details together, and the help happens from there.
Ways we can help
Some people need a one-time errand. Others want regular help or a familiar face checking in.
Where we work
Across Palo Alto,
close to home.
Our volunteers are students, working professionals, retirees, and long-time residents. What they have in common is that they live nearby and know the area.
Most requests are simple: a grocery run, a prescription pickup, a ride to an appointment, or time to sit and talk. Keeping things local makes that help easier to arrange.
See all neighborhoods we serveActive neighborhoods
- Old Palo Alto
- Barron Park
- College Terrace
- Midtown
- Downtown Palo Alto
- Crescent Park
- Professorville
- South Palo Alto
- Green Acres
- Ventura
Safety matters here
If you're inviting someone into your routine, you should know how they were screened and what information is being shared.
Thorough volunteer screening
Before anyone is matched, we verify identity, run a background check, and ask for references.
People who live nearby
Most volunteers are based in Palo Alto or nearby, so help usually comes from someone in the area.
You decide what feels comfortable
You choose when to get help, what kind of help you want, and whether you'd like the same volunteer again.
Private by default
We only share the information needed to coordinate your request, and we do not sell your data.
What people say after using it
“After my hip replacement, I couldn't get to the store. I asked for help and someone local brought groceries the next day. She even helped me put them away.”
Margaret W.
Old Palo Alto
“I live in Portland, so I can't just swing by when my mom needs something. Having local volunteers who can help with everyday tasks takes a lot off my mind.”
David L.
Son of senior in Barron Park
“I volunteer a couple afternoons a week. Some days it's a prescription pickup, some days it's just sitting and talking for a bit. It feels simple and useful.”
Priya K.
Stanford volunteer
Senior Help Services in Palo Alto
Need help, or want to help?
If you have a request, send it in. If you want to volunteer, we'll walk you through the next step.