by Lynn Rilling
Community Collaborations Director
When my neighbors, Chuck and Elaine Clark, recently suggested an online neighbor sharing website called Nextdoor, I was all in favor, thinking immediately that it could be used to find out about neighbors who need extra assistance from time to time. When I talked to Elaine about this idea, she was way ahead of me and was planning to use it in this way. So far, other exchanges among neighbors have included helpful information about best carpet rental cleaners, allergist recommendations, for example.
Two weeks ago on Nextdoor, Elaine shared a situation about another neighbor family who needs some extra help right now. The mom of the family just had a baby girl, her second – and the mom needed surgery as a result of complications during delivery. The family needed assistance with babysitting for the older child and meals brought in.
I cooked dinner and took it to them one evening and really enjoyed how rewarding it was for me to help someone else out, even in a small way. An additional plus was that I got to meet them – they are a really sweet family living just around the corner from me!
There are many volunteer opportunities all around us! If you’re interested in doing more for your community, check around your neighborhood – how are your neighbors doing? Does anyone need a little extra something? Or, if that’s not an option, UWSL can help you find a volunteer opportunity. We have ample volunteer opportunities available at the Centers we support. If you’re interested, please email Emilie at Emilie@uw.org for more information.
New Year’s can mean new opportunities for us all!
Chuck and Elaine Clark
