We’re here! Are you?
Eric Ehst, Executive Director
It’s August. If you’re reading this, it’s a good bet that you’re one of the brave (foolhardy?) year-round residents here through the hot weather as well as the not-so-hot weather. Well, we at Neighbors Who Care are still here, too. While many of the locals, including a lot of our stalwart volunteers, spend the summer in cooler climes, most of the frail, homebound and disabled neighbors we serve don’t have the option of leaving town. In the summer, at any given moment, about 40% of our volunteers are off on their well-deserved vacations. As a result, the remaining volunteers are called more often and worked harder to allow our clients to make it to their medical appointments, get groceries, have meals delivered and receive all of the other free services our volunteers so generously provide to enable their less mobile neighbors to continue living independently in their own homes.
Some of the services we provide, like a trip to the hairdresser, are not urgent but enhance quality of life. If a volunteer is not available, these can be put off, resulting in nothing but inconvenience. However, some of our services are literally a matter of life or death. Did you know that we transport clients to approximately 80 dialysis treatments each month? Each of these appointments is four hours long and requires two volunteer trips (drop-off and pick-up). After four hours hooked up to a blood-cleansing machine, the clients are usually sore and exhausted, needing a quick and comforting trip home. Skipping the appointment is not an option, as the consequence could be hospitalization or worse. We need more people like you to step up and volunteer so we never have to tell a homebound grandmother that no one is available to help.
If you or someone you know has a little extra time to spare, we could really use your help. Volunteering is easy. We have a wide variety of jobs to fit almost anyone’s talents and interests. Better yet, we have flexible hours and no minimum time commitment. You are free to work as much or as little as you want, and you can turn down any request. The best part is the joy and satisfaction you get from knowing you are making life better for your neighbors. Once you receive the heartfelt thanks of someone you have helped and see the look of gratitude on their face, you’ll be hooked.
If you have a little time (and a lot of heart) and would like to experience the deep personal satisfaction that comes from volunteering to assist your neighbors, contact us at 480-895-7133 or check out our recently-redesigned website, www.neighborswhocare.com.