This month, we recognize Teresa, a dedicated volunteer whose compassion and life experiences have shaped her commitment to serving older adults in our community.
Teresa’s path to volunteering included a lifetime of caring for others. She has stepped into caregiving roles for both family and friends. Teresa cared for both of her parents as they faced serious health challenges, including supporting her mother through dementia while also tending to her father’s complex medical needs. She also supports a close friend who faces ongoing health issues. These personal experiences gave Teresa a firsthand understanding of how meaningful consistent support and companionship can be. That ultimately led her to The Center for Volunteer Caregiving.
As a friendly visiting volunteer, Teresa has built a special connection with her care receiver, Sue. Their visits are filled with simple but meaningful moments like going for walks, playing games, and sharing conversation. Through her weekly visits, she provides not only companionship, but also reassurance and joy. In addition to her visits with Sue, Teresa is a volunteer driver in The Center’s transportation program, where she enjoys the diverse personalities and life stories of the older adults she drives to medical appointments.
Teresa is passionate about spreading the word about The Center’s volunteer opportunities. She actively looks for ways to increase awareness, including sharing information through her church and distributing materials in the community. She understands that dependable volunteers are essential, especially for care receivers who rely on The Center for support as they age in place.
While Teresa acknowledges that volunteering can be both emotionally and physically demanding at times, she speaks most about how rewarding it is. She finds purpose in showing up for others and continues to look for ways to do even more.
We are grateful to Teresa for her kindness, dedication, and the meaningful connections she brings to those she serves. Her willingness to share her time and energy is making a lasting difference in our community.
