VISTA Member Sarah Kolakowski Serves with People Who Care as the Nonprofit Turns Twenty!

This July, I drove to Arizona from a farm in New York to serve as the AmeriCorps VISTA
Member for People Who Care. I was welcomed into the People Who Care family and
AmeriCorps team with open arms. Before coming out here, I knew that the People Who Care
volunteers provided transportation to adults but I quickly learned that there was much more to the organization. I learned that our volunteers are the caring hands and heart of the community.

For those who don’t know, People Who Care coordinates volunteer assistance for adults who can no longer drive due to illness, disability or age-related issues. For twenty years, volunteers have genuinely cared for adults living in Prescott and Chino Valley so that they can continue to live independently and safely in their homes and our community.

People Who Care volunteers offer:

Every week, People Who Care volunteer Jeanne
(far right) goes shopping for Walter and his wife Violet.

• Transportation to essential medical and social service appointments.

• Assistance in the grocery store.

• Friendly visits and phone calls.

• Home safety checks.

• Minor home repairs.

• Assistance with personal paperwork.

• Caregiver relief.

In 1992, nearly 50 volunteers joined the People Who Care team and worked together to support more than 80 Neighbors (clients.) Twenty years later, more than 300 volunteers are actively going out into the community to help People Who Care continue to support over 400 Neighbors.  Imagine being part of a team that completed more than 10,000 services in our community last year!

Mel (right) has been volunteering with
People Who Care for more than 10 years, here
he's visiting with his friend and "Neighbor" Al. 

I’m amazed to see how much the organization has grown over the past twenty years and excited to help People Who Care celebrate their ‘platinum anniversary.’ While I can’t reveal the exciting surprises that our Public Relations and Special Events Committee have in store, I can let you know that The City of Prescott will proclaim May 2nd, 2012 to be “PEOPLE WHO CARE DAY.”  I can’t even begin to express how appreciative I am for all the support People Who Care has received in the community. Thank you to everyone who has made these past twenty years such a success – here’s to twenty more years!

To learn more about People Who Care, please visit www.peoplewhocareaz.com or call 445-2480 in Prescott or 636-3295 in Chino Valley.