The moment hospice volunteer, Anu, walked through our front doors, she felt a strong connection.
“I felt like I was coming to the home of someone I’d known for years,” says Anu. “It felt familiar; like I’d been there before.”
Anu first volunteered with our annual gala in 2014. After receiving her 30-hour hospice training, she began cooking meals for the residents as a volunteer in the kitchen. “It’s always a happy atmosphere in the kitchen,” says Anu. “Coming in for a shift here is different than going to work. Everyone’s here for a reason, and there are no expectations other than giving from the heart. People who volunteer here take back more than they give.”
An injury has left Anu with limited mobility in her slicing and dicing arm. She can now be found helping to greet guests as a reception volunteer.
Anu’s reason for volunteering at the hospice was personal. “I lost both of my parents to cancer. I was only 10 when my mom died. I felt helpless as a child, and it left me with the feeling of wanting to help others. When my father died, I didn’t have hospice help. I appreciate how hard it is to care for a loved one while earning your daily bread and juggling a family and kids. Carpenter takes a load off people. They are here to help you care for your family and take some of the pressure off.”