Meet Patti and Alyssa Haydon, a mother-daughter pair who took up volunteering together as a bonding experience. Alyssa shares their story:
I was looking to make a connection with my community as a volunteer because working from home made me feel isolated. A personal experience with a loved one on hospice led me to the LSS Hospice volunteer program. I quickly grew fond of it because it allowed me to form meaningful relationships with hospice patients and make a direct impact on their lives. It also granted me the flexibility to volunteer around the busy schedule of my full-time job. The best part was that my mom and I were able to volunteer together.
Fast forward a few months, I received an email about the LSS Senior Connections Plus program. I realized that this program, too, was something my mom and I could share. We began volunteering for Senior Connections Plus together and were paired with residents of the same Affordable Housing Community. As I began visiting with my resident, I promptly started making a dent in the housework with which she needed assistance. Some days, we dedicate our time to a specific house project, and others, we grocery shop. Whatever task we tackle together, we are continuously developing our friendship, making every visit genuinely meaningful for the both of us.
Both LSS volunteer programs have brought my mom and I closer together. We have always been close, but becoming involved with our community together has formed another bond between us. We share stories with each other and bounce ideas back and forth. As a bonus, the residents we were paired with have become friends themselves. Not knowing each other beforehand, they learned through us that they live only a few doors down from one another. Now, all four of us are planning a lunch together!
The impact volunteering with LSS has had on me is immeasurable, so much so that when the opportunity to take on the role as the LSS Hospice Volunteer Coordinator presented itself, it was an easy decision. My LSS volunteer story has come full circle since I have joined the supportive hospice services as a full-time employee, and I am eager to grow and develop our volunteer program. I also feel fortunate to still serve as a Senior Connections Plus volunteer and continue to make a difference in the life of an Affordable Housing resident. My greatest takeaway from this journey has been this: no matter the time you are able to give or the program you choose to serve, you are making a significant impact in someone’s life by being a volunteer. And if you reflect carefully, you may notice that the life most impacted is your own.