Southeast News, June 2009
Thank You, Volunteers!
We are very fortunate to have a very dedicated group of volunteers who provide much needed help to our program on a daily basis. Volunteers provide many services including:
Serving on the Board of Directors, fundraising, providing a ride for a senior, friendly visiting, teaching a class, performing chores around the house, running errands, help in the office and more. We thank everyone who cares about their senior neighbors and has volunteered with Southeast Seniors.
People who are currently volunteering with Southeast Seniors include:
Over 15 years of service:
Susan Anderson, Evelyn Czaia, Kay Jones, Nancy McCoy, Jere Purple, Jan Stroup
Over 10 years of service:
Audrey Almo, Joanne Cyr, Bob Distad, Charlotte Herman, Walter Johnson, Leona Reyelts, Sally Sawyer, Steve Sorensen, Nancy Werner-
Azarski
Over 5 years of service:
Wanda Alexander, Judy Anderson, Sara Doty, Rachel Giblin, Sally Godfrey, Anne Hibbard, Mark Hirsch, Mary Anne Page, Terrie Peterson, Tom Weist
Up to 5 years of service:
Allan Adamson, Janet Arai, Craig Bode, Carol Brant, Donna Burch, Jane Burnham, Brianna Carney, Jim Drake, Robyn Earhart, Carol Feldheim, Greta and Tony Garmers, Rachel Goldberg, Carmen Gunther, Gina Gustafson, Tim Hulett, Michele Jaeger, Ardes Johnson, Jennifer Kim, Bob Kriel, Brianna Larson, Wendy Looman, Laura Neshiem, Jim Parkin, Dick Poppele, Lois Schardin, Jane Hanger Seeley, Vicki Speidel, Kristen Verre, Betts Zerby
We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.
~ Marian Wright Edelman
We dedicate this newsletter to the memory of Dave Johnson, Former Southeast Seniors’ Board Member, and Roger Page, Southeast Seniors’ first visiting volunteer.
The Bridge
We are sorry to learn that The Bridge will no longer be a print newspaper. We are excited to learn that they will continue with their internet version. Southeast Seniors has been a strong supporter of The Bridge for over twenty years. Our usual means of getting our newsletter into the hands of our neighbors in Como, Marcy Holmes and Prospect Park is through insertion in The Bridge. Since we will no longer be able to do that, we will begin mailing out our newsletter. If you would like to continue to receive our newsletter, please give us a call at 612-331-2302 and let us know your mailing address.
Community POWER
Southeast Seniors is very fortunate to have received a grant from Hennepin County in partnership with the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board through a Community POWER grant. With funds from this grant, we are able to help seniors reduce the amount of junk mail they receive by getting their name removed from mailing lists; help them to identify hazardous wastes in their homes; and let them know about environmentally friendly cleaning products.
Here are just a few things we have learned by being part of this grant:
• Keep a recycling bin near you when you are sorting your mail. Did you know you can recycle magazines, catalogs, all mail including window envelopes, greeting cards, and coupon advertisements? It is a good idea to shred personal documents, but you can still recycle shredded paper. Just place it in a plastic bag and label it “shredded paper.”
• There are two permanent year-round drop off facilities for your hazardous wastes. They are located in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington. If you are a senior (65 and older) and need help identifying hazardous wastes in your home so they may be disposed of properly, please give us a call at 612-331-2302.
AARP Foundation Money Management Program
Begun in 1981, the Money Management Program uses volunteers to help low-income older adults who have difficulty budgeting, paying routine bills and keeping track of financial matters.
The result is to prolong independent living in the community for individuals who have lost the ability to manage their financial affairs.
This program is delivered in three ways: providing money management materials to help educate individuals and their caregivers, and through the Bill Payer Service and Representative Payee Service.
The Bill Payer service provides checkbook balancing and bill paying services for people who remain in control of their finances, but need some help keeping things in order.
The Representative Payee service utilizes volunteers who are appointed by a federal government agency to receive and manage a government benefit (such as a Social Security check) when the client has been determined to be incapable of handling his or her own funds.
If you or someone you know would benefit from these services, please call Southeast Seniors at 612-331-2302.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers give from the heart! You can make a difference in someone’s life. Check out some of the volunteer opportunities with Southeast
Seniors:
• Friendly visitors to visit seniors in need of companionship.
• Shoppers to shop for groceries and other essential items for seniors.
• Home chore helpers to help seniors with leaf raking, snow shoveling, and other chores around their homes.
For information on becoming a volunteer, call 612-331-2302
Services for Seniors
There are a variety of services available for seniors. These include:
Store to Door — volunteers will shop for you at Cub every other week and deliver the groceries to your door for a nominal fee.
Fare for All — each month you can order from a variety of five packages of food, pay for it and pick it up the following month. Packages contain a variety of healthy, quality food items. Pick up is at Southeast Christian Church.
Meals on Wheels — a fresh, hot meal is delivered to your door, Monday—Friday.
Meals cost $3.00 and there is a sliding fee scale available.
For more information on these and many other services, please call Southeast Seniors at 612-331-2302.
What is Southeast Seniors?
Many seniors prefer to live in their own homes. Southeast Seniors is a non-profit organization of health care professionals and neighbors who help people 65 and older remain independent and safe at home. Our service area includes the neighborhoods of Como, Marcy Holmes and Prospect Park.
We provide nursing services: care after hospitalization, care in chronic illness, management of medications, care of feet and nails, nutritional advice, blood pressure checks; and home health aide services: bathing, shampooing, skin care, changing bed linens, meal preparation, light housework, and laundry. We work with Medicare and all insurance companies in providing these services. We also have a sliding fee scale available.
Other services provided: visiting volunteers; connecting seniors with services such as Lifeline, Vision Loss Resources, Meals on Wheels and support for hearing loss; and offer help meeting needs for chore services and transportation.
We also sponsor intergenerational activities and health seminars in the community. There are no fees for volunteer services or service coordination.
Call us if you, a relative or a friend would like more information, 612-331-2302.
MISSION
Southeast Seniors is a neighborhood helping neighbor program that
utilizes volunteers and professional staff to help seniors remain safely in their homes with an enhanced quality of life.