Befriend a senior in Kane and DuPage with Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly
May is Older Americans Month, a time to recognize older Americans’ contributions. Older adults offer our communities wisdom, experience, and unique perspectives on life, however, for many people who are aging alone, without support from friends and family, there are limited opportunities to connect with others.
Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) serves DuPage and Kane County older adults, age 70 or older with the help of volunteers from the community.
Seniors and volunteers do all the things friends enjoy — like sharing conversation during a visit or going out for coffee or lunch. Through this connection, older adults know they’re surrounded by friendship, which can be life-changing.
“We have opportunities for many older adults in this area to be paired with a volunteer,” said Raquel Lightbourne-Coley, Expansion Program Planner. “We have more older adults who have reached out to become part of our program. These are people who are aging alone and are really in need of companionship, but we can’t accept them in our program without more volunteers.”
“The sooner we can get volunteers on board, to serve as Visiting Volunteers or Phone Volunteers, the sooner we can bring these older adults into the program,” Lightbourne-Coley said.
Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly has served older adults in Chicago for over 60 years with visiting programs, social events, and friendship. The expansion to DuPage and Kane counties gives both older adults and volunteers the opportunity to benefit from the same kind of positive programs and social interactions.
“We’re really looking for volunteers who are committed and compassionate, and willing to visit an older adult for a year or more,” Lightbourne-Coley said.
In-person Visiting Volunteers get together with older adults at their homes and out in the community. Phone visitors call their matched older adult twice a month for nice long chats. Both commit to a minimum of two hours a month for at least one year.
For many Visiting Volunteers, that’s just the beginning. Some matches continue for many years, resulting in deep and mutually meaningful relationships.
The relationships that volunteers and older adults build are as unique as they are. They have conversations, do activities they both enjoy, go on outings, and attend Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly events together. Some pairs bond over shared interests, like sports teams or crafts, while others just enjoy shooting the breeze.
Older adults in DuPage and Kane counties are waiting for volunteers! If you think that could be you, visit LBFEillinois.org, and select “Become a Volunteer” to get started by signing up for an online orientation.
Questions? Email Raquel Lightbourne-Coley at RColey@LBFEillinois.org, or call (312) 300-6263.