About Us!
Caring Communities is a small, Chicago-based non profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals living in assisted living facilities. Through volunteer efforts and various charity drives, we work to connect with these residents, who are often under-resourced and isolated from society. Supporting their quality of life is a meaningful way we hope to grow the warmth and interconnectedness of our city’s community.
How we got started:
Meet my aunt, Lori!
My aunt was born with cerebral palsy, and lives full time at the assisted living facility Lamb’s Farm. Ever since I was a kid, I remember taking the one-hour drive to see her.
While the primary memory of these trips was having fun with my aunt, as I grew older, I began to recognize that many other residents didn’t have family that could visit them so often, and despite the compassionate, dedicated efforts of the staff, seemed a bit lonely. It’s good to have new experiences, see new faces, once in a while.
So in high school, I decided to take advantage of the amazing communities and networks at my high school, neighborhood, and church to organize ways I could serve residents of living facilities across Chicago. Whether it be hosting a clothing drive at my high school so residents can gain enriching work experience in Lamb’s Farm’s thrift shop, organizing musical performances, or setting up a volunteering effort with my church’s youth group, this is all really thanks to Aunt Lori.
– Founder, Ava Carlson
