ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — At one of our recent Let’s Hear It meet ups in Wellington, I met Diane Gutman, who wanted to tell us about a nonprofit she's part of that could use some help.
Gutman is the director of operations for Our Community Cares. The nonprofit helps nearly 150 seniors with daily tasks that might be a challenge for them, like getting to doctor’s appointments, picking up prescriptions, or even getting food delivered to them.
We are helping the organization spread the word about their need for more volunteers and funding.
To show you some of the work they do, I tagged along with a volunteer.
“Hi, Shannon,” said Barbara Donahue as she opens her front door.
“I’m here to go grocery shopping,” said Shannon Prudden.
It’s an errand Donahue needs a little help with these days and Prudden is happy to help.
"Just to be able to help her get the groceries, I don’t mind. If my grandmother were here, I'd do the same thing for her," Prudden said.
Prudden is one of 52 volunteers who are finger-printed and background-checked, with Our Community Cares helping seniors like Donahue, who is 92, get to where she needs to go.
“There’s the car, the doors are open, I feel like royalty. Really, what else could you ask for?” said Donahue.
They address needs that range from food delivery “to doctors appointments. If they wanna go to the movies I'll take them, take their garbage out,” added Prudden.
Services that are all free for seniors who are 65 years and older and who live in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach.
“I get phone calls from individuals from outside of Wellington and Royal Palm Beach throughout the county and they really want this service," said Gutman.
Gutman, who started out as a volunteer, says one of the biggest challenges for seniors is transportation.
“The bus stops are not always accessible to seniors to walk to and from and our organization is door through door service,” said Gutman.
Without more volunteers like Prudden, getting around would rack up a big bill.
“I would have to do Uber and that runs up a bill and with things the way they are today, you gotta watch where you spend your money,” said Donahue, who feels lucky for an organization that is always there when she needs it.
“I can pick up the phone and call her anytime,” said Donahue.
“Being able to help a senior is a blessing to me,” said Prudden.
Blessings the organization hopes can reach seniors in every corner of Palm Beach County.
“Make sure that every senior that is living in our county is benefiting from this service so that they can live longer in their homes safely,” said Gutman.
You can reach out to Our Community Cares directly by calling them at 561-568-8818.
