Project Brings Visitors to Nursing Homes
Bobbi Leigh Zito is a Northridge homemaker, married to a film director. She has no kids, but she has time.
Helen Phillips is 83. She outlived every member of her family, and three years ago a stroke forced her out of her North Hollywood apartment and into the Chatsworth Park Convalescent Home.
The two met through Project Caring and the Jewish Elder Care Corps. The 43-year-old Zito read a newspaper article about Project Caring, which matches volunteers with nursing home residents who don’t get visitors. At the time, Phillips was suffering through her first few months at the home--alternating between being afraid and feeling alone. Life, she said, was “dullsville.” Everything she had was gone.
But a visit from Zito, and the friendship that followed, changed all that.
Zito now sees Phillips once or twice a week.
“I’m her only friend, her only advocate,” Zito said. She is also Phillips’ legal guardian and exercises medical power of attorney on her behalf.
About a year ago, Phillips suffered a heart attack. Zito got a call at midnight and rushed out to see about her friend.
“She was terrified,” Zito said. “And the look on her face when I showed up made it all worthwhile.”
The Jewish Elder Care Corps serves the elderly of all faiths, explained director Mona Panitz. The corps has about 65 volunteers visiting about 85 residents of nursing homes in the San Fernando Valley.
Panitz says surveys conducted by her agency show about 40% of nursing home residents get no visitors at all.
“You go into it thinking, ‘I’m going to be the altruistic one,’ but you get more than you give,” Zito said. “It’s the ultimate in one-to-one volunteering. You feel like Princess Di.”
For information on how to “adopt” a nursing home resident, call the Jewish Elder Care Corps/Project Caring (310-275-4915).
“Children Helping Children” is an effort initiated by teen-agers from the San Fernando Valley Figure Skating Club.
On Friday, more than 100 young people from the skating club and the Sepulveda Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society will conduct their second annual skate-a-thon to benefit the children of the San Fernando Valley Child Guidance Clinic.
“A lot of groups do walk-a-thons and dance-a-thons,” said 14-year-old Melody Morris, a ninth-grader at Sepulveda who dreamed up the skate-a-thon. “I decided to come up with something original.”
The teen-agers are gathering donation pledges for the clinic’s abused children programs.
The event, scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. at Laurel Plaza Ice Capades Chalet, North Hollywood, raised more than $2,000 last year.
For more information about participating in the skate-a-thon or sponsoring a skater, contact Susan Andraus (818-993-9311, Ext. 247).
The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (818-908-5070), based in Panorama City, refers people 60 and older to nonprofit and community agencies. Volunteers regularly work in food pantries, provide tutoring in schools, assist hospital and library staffs and lead tours at museums and public parks.
Valley University Women (818-763-6779) raises funds and offers annual $1,000 scholarships to needy college-bound high school seniors from the Valley. The group welcomes college graduates from the Valley to help in its fund-raising efforts.
The Valley Interfaith Council (818-718-6460) runs human services programs such as Meals on Wheels, the Alzheimer’s Day Care Program and the Emergency Food Pantry Network. The council depends on a network of over 100,000 volunteers from 275 to 300 Valley congregations.
Volunteer Services to Animals is seeking volunteers to support the staffs of Los Angeles’ six animal shelters, including the West Valley Animal Shelter in Chatsworth (818-998-0381) and the East Valley Animal Shelter in North Hollywood (818-764-3773). Volunteers will help care for animals and help in animal placements.
Getting Involved is a weekly listing of volunteering opportunities. Please address prospective listings to Getting Involved, Times Valley Edition, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Or fax them to (818-772-3338).
