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Caring Connections Description
The Caring Connections Friendly Visitor program recruits and trains volunteers from the general population and faith-based groups to participate in a countywide Friendly Visitor program. This program benefits older and disabled adults by addressing loneliness and isolation often experienced by individuals who have no family members or support system to assist them in securing access to necessary services such as:
- Mental health programs
- Social service resources and
- Health care services
During the first year of operation our Caring Connections program developed two additional recruitment programs to meet the demand for Friendly Visitors. Our recruitment programs are:
- Teen Connections
- Friendly Visitor Collaborative
TEEN CONNECTIONS
Teen Connections provides volunteer opportunities for high school students to earn Community Service or Service Learning credits toward graduation. We have 10 schools participating in the Teen Connections program. Teens focus their attention on visits to older, frail and lonely individuals, under supervised conditions, who are living in licensed residential and nursing home facilities without local family support. Teen Connections enables student volunteers from faith-based and educational organizations, opportunities to:
- Interact with other teens
- Learn good leadership skills
- Gain personal growth
- Cultivate an intergenerational relationship
- Earn high school graduation credits
FRIENDLY VISITOR COLLABORATIVE (FVC)
The Caring Connections Friendly Visitor Collaborative is a resource and networking group of community and faith-based organizations that meet to discuss ways to enhance services to community members who are isolated, lonely and need interaction to maintain positive mental health. We offer free train-the-trainer sessions to existing Friendly Visitor programs in addition to free membership in the FVC. Contact us if you would like our assistance with your friendly visitor program.
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