Hero Story

Joanne has been serving with us as a senior companion since early 2023, but she has worked with seniors to make sure they get to where they want and need to go for many years before that! Before Joanne joined our program, she was a freelance caregiver, accompanying her senior clients on trips, to appointments, and just on outings to get some socialization. According to her, being a caregiver in such a way came to her in a dream in her 40's, and she jokes that she was obviously just ahead of her time as she eventually found her way to our program! She has a book that she has even put together of all the memories and beautiful places that she took her clients to; she spent months at a time in Hawaii with them, here in Michigan, in Georgia, in New York...the list goes on, she accompanied her seniors all around the country! Joanne has continued to serve vulnerable, isolated seniors with us as a senior companion, doing much the same in ensuring that those who may be less able than she is can get to their appointments, get groceries, and ultimately be able to live in their own homes for longer than they might otherwise be able. Joanne has had 9 clients over her time with us, and currently visits with 5 different seniors. She has given them over 700 hours in volunteer hours, helping them get to all of the places they need to go and undoubtedly improving their quality of life; surveys of her clients back this up, with some outright saying they would be "up a creek" without her! Joanne went through several great hardships here in the last few months, and where many would have quit to focus on themselves, Joanne instead continued volunteering with her clients so as to not deprive them of all of the good that she does with them each week. She is a true Michigan Hero!