Counting on You

Elizabeth Vaughan

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”—Booker T. Washington

The benefits of volunteering with a service organization are well documented, from the positive impacts on affected communities to the advantages it brings to participating individuals, which is why some schools and colleges now make volunteering a requirement for their students. While large charitable organizations generate lots of volunteer interest and big donations, people right in your own backyard may be going through hardship on a daily basis.

You might be aware that Sun Lakes is not technically a city. It’s a county island that receives no city services. As a result, Sun Lakes has attained a certain level of self-sufficiency thanks to community involvement. Volunteer-based organizations such as the Sun Lakes Sheriff’s Posse handle law enforcement and keep us safe, for instance.

Neighbors Who Care (NWC) is a community resource like none other. People come to us every day for referrals, information, advice, and more. We perform auto and golf cart checks for safety, offer an AARP driving course, and keep the community connected in so many ways.

Of course, our signature services are client-based, giving disabled and frail neighbors access to transportation, meal delivery, welfare checks, grocery shopping and delivery, friendly visiting, respite care, post-hospitalization follow-up, light household repairs, and more. One hundred percent of what NWC offers comes from the volunteers who are our lifeblood. We count on our community to get involved to help care for our most vulnerable friends and neighbors with dignity and respect.

Right now, Neighbors Who Care is operating with roughly half the volunteers we usually have at this time of year. Concerns about coronavirus and summer travel mean many volunteers aren’t available to drive clients to medical appointments, shop for groceries, and deliver evening meals to folks who cannot cook for themselves.

If you aren’t able to volunteer, please consider your friends and family. Do you know someone who can volunteer a few hours per week to keep our neighbors safely living at home? If so, ask them to visit neighborswhocare.com/volunteer to register for our next orientation class or call 480-895-7133. Volunteering with NWC is a rewarding, fulfilling experience that changes people’s lives every day.

Thank you for 25 years of caring and support!