Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly (LBFE), Chicago

An unique organization, with caring people who are committed to the mission of enhancing the social lives and reducing isolation among elders in Chicago. Warm, loving, supportive, and open.

I am a physician volunteer for Little brothers,friends of the Elderly.I have been volunteering with Little brothers for several years .I started volunteering because I thought that the concept of helping elders fill their day with company was such a wonderful one. Money is easy to give but time is not as easy because we all have different commitments.We all have to work at our jobs,at home,spend time with kids, old parents,manage personal affairs.Making time for an non relaive elder who has time and even money but less and less company as they grow older and older is really precious.I have visited elders,delivered gifts at christmas time.worked at arranging parties,made nursing home visits.done educational talks.I have learnt so much from the elders,listening to their stories of ther youth ,achievements with their work and family.I have learnt stuff that you can never learn in a classroom or a workshop. By spending time with elders,I can relate to the patients,elders at home and around me.I enjoy any time I can spend at thsi institution and with my 88yr old darling friend that I visit in the nursing home.I love listening to her stories about how she used to dance:Belle,tap dance and just all the food likes and dislikes she has.....I just cannot have enough time with her.....

Little Brothers is an amazing organization. The employees are warm and welcoming to all, and the elders are fascinating ladies and gentlemen. You can volunteer as little or as much as you want, with no pressure. I enjoy doing the "in home-celebrations" and seeing the faces of the elders light up when they see a gift bag especially for them.

I've been volunteering with Little Bros. for many years and while I also volunteer with other agencies, Little Bros. has always been my most positive and fulfilling experience. Not only are the elders very grateful, they are fun, exciting, informative and grateful. The agency, Little Bros. is fun to work with, always concerned with their volunteers and committed to making the volunteer experience the most positive it can be. Little Bros. offers volunteers many opportunities to volunteer in whatever area they choose. They listen to the volunteers and are always open and receptive to doing things to improve, what is already a most positive experience. I love volunteering with Little Bros. and encourage others to check the agency out as a potential agency to donate your time and attention to.

It will be almost a year that I started volunteering with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. It has been a great one of a kind experience. The atmosphere created by the staff and volunteers is very welcoming. Through the organizations various programs and opportunities, I have met many Old Friends who have have each taught me something new, for example, how to play dominoes like an expert and even how to be fabulous at any age. I have had nothing but positive experiences with them. Interacting with the elders via parties and outings has truly changed my outlook on aging. Their events are always very well-planned and the food they provide for the elders and volunteers is nothing if not plentiful and delicious. The elders always leave full and happy, filled with both food and joy. I am glad to say that I have made a few of my closet friends through this organization and look forward to continuing working with them in the future.

I have been a volunteer with Little Brothers for almost one year now and have had the time of my life being a part of such an amazing organization! This organization provides the opportunity for life-changing experiences for both the volunteer and the seniors, which I think is a rare treat in the non-profit world. I have been visiting one particular senior for quite some time and when we celebrated our birthdays together (as they are only one day apart) she wrote in my card that he life has changed so much for the better since Little Brothers and myself had entered her life that she felt like an entirely new person. She has become more than just a visit for me, but a truly great friend and even a mentor in my writing. We seem to have everything in the world in common that I wonder how Little Brothers does such a wonderful job putting the matches together. Keep up the great work!!!

Besides the great work that Little Brothers does for its elders, the organization also shows great love and appreciation for its volunteers. Little Brothers has given me many opportunities to learn during my time volunteering.

Volunteering with Little Brother's is a life changing experience. This Organization has gifted me with the opportunity to bring joy to the lives of many who are often forgotten and neglected by society. Words fall way short of expressing the total experience I'm having. Everyone should try to volunteer at this organization or one like it at some point in their lives. It is beyond worth it because you will never see life the same.

I have been a full time volunteer with Little Brothers for the past year, and during this time I have seen just how great of an impact this organization makes on the lives of the elders it serves. The caring and generous spirit of the organization makes it one that I am proud to serve, and it is with this sincere commitment of the organization that the elders experience the joys of holiday parties, birthday celebrations, and friendship.

I've been a volunteer and member of the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly Chicago Chapter for almost 3 years now. My engagement with LBFE has been an extremely positive and rewarding experience. LBFE's mission is quite unique, as they seek to provide companionship and social interaction to Chicago Area elders that would otherwise be isolated. Through a variety of individual services and group events, LBFE provides a social network and "friendship" to aging individuals who can not rely on immediate family for the same support. The opportunities to participate and volunteer with the organization are quite varied, which I found helpful while balancing a busy schedule.

Little Brothers is a great organization to connect with others and bring hope to the elderly in Chicago. Not only are there many group gatherings, hosted throughout Chicago and at the LBFE headquarters, there are so many other ways to connect with the seniors on your own time. It is awesome because LBFE finds a way to take your talents and use them to the fullest and it is very rewarding and fun to meet some very interesting older citizens that call Chicago home.

I have loved working with Little Brothers! It is like a family. From staff to the elders and other volunteers I have met, everyone brings positivity and energy to the organization. I have met great friends (young and elder alike) and plan to be involved with Little Brothers indefinitely! They serve a cause most don't think about-social isolation in the elder population. This is a very worthy cause and the actions of those involved with Little Brothers bring food, shelter, support, and friendship to many elders who would otherwise go without.

I like the many levels of volunteering you can do with LBFE. If you have weekend time, monthly time or every-once-in-a-while time, there are activities that you can fit right into. It really fits any schedule because their calendar is so full. It's perfect for those who don't feel up to a big commitment.

On a trip to visit my daughter, Kristen, in Chicago during Christmas, 2011, I was informed that she had something special scheduled for us to do. I was pleasantly surprised to participate in a giftwrapping fundraiser at Barnes & Noble for Friends of the Elderly. Being from a small town in Western Kentucky, we are not fortunate to have a Friends of the Elderly organization. The residents of Chicago are so truly blessed to have so many loving and caring individuals who give of themselves freely! What an awesome experience I had for such a worthy cause! I quite frankly would have stayed all day had it not been for other volunteers waiting to take my spot at the giftwrapping table! I commend the Friends of the Elderly organization for all they do to make other's lives better!!

I have been a volunteer of LBFE since 1992. It began with my children and I volunteering at the parties given for the Seniors. I have taken part in birthday parties and holiday parties as a driver and on site volunteer. We have enjoyed every part of LBFE. I have become friends with some wonderful people. It has been a blessing to me to be a part of this organization. LBFE provides Seniors with a chance to leave their homes and socialize with others without fear. I have received as much from the Seniors as they have from me. Everyone I have introduced to LBFE has expressed how much they have enjoyed being a part of it.

40 years ago, Little Brothers connected me with an old man named John who lived in a SLO on Belmont Avenue. I would once a week bring him his groceries until it became clear that he could no longer get by on his own. At that point, Little Brothers found a place for him with the Little Sisters, who at that time had a nursing home on Fullerton Avenue. We no longer live in that area but having seen first hand the impact the intervention of Little Brothers has on the truly needy seniors in Chicago, we have supported them ever since. Flowers before Bread.

The basic mission of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is to bring friendship to lonely and isolated elders. This is done through parties, vacations and most regularly through one on one visits. It is a place that brings joy to everyone involved with it. As a volunteer, you get just as much (if not more) out of the experiences as the elders that are served.

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly helps to promote emotional well-being among Chicago's senior community. Little Brothers fosters the spirit of community through inter-generational activities, monthly birthday parties, holiday celebrations and more. The dedicated staff and volunteers provide friendship and support to those with few social connections. My most heart warming experiences have been volunteering during Christmas and Easter celebrations. The joy on the faces of the seniors made my holiday.

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is a wonderful non-profit offering friendship and assistance to lonely or isolated seniors in the Chicagoland area. I've been volunteering for 4 years and the thing I love most about Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is the fact that you can donate your time, energy or money and still feel as if you've made a difference. Whether it's driving an elder to a birthday function, visiting elders in the nursing home, bringing groceries and much needed friendship to an elder, or wrapping presents during the holidays to raise money for the organization, I truly feel that Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly makes a positive impact on our community. I also serve as President of the Young Professionals Advisory Board of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. -Kristen Reeves