By Jon Moskin
The daily acts of kindness throughout our Campus are easy to spot: a nurse tending to the needs of a patient in the middle of the night, our dining team preparing a special treat for a milestone birthday, a member of the housekeeping staff sharing in the joy of a resident whose grandchild just graduated from college. And on and on and on.
But no members of our campus community better exemplify our values of compassion, community, and excellence than our volunteers.
They come to connect and to serve, and they do it for nothing. Or, perhaps more accurately, they do it for no financial compensation. Because quite often, they do get something beyond the intrinsic rewards of selfless service. Sometimes, they get a whole new career!
Take, for example, Lisa Woide. Lisa came to the Campus in the summer of 2023. She had been a stay-at-home mom after a successful career in various administrative positions, but her son was getting older, and she was ready to reenter the workforce. Beyond that, she was ready to do something meaningful. So she started volunteering once a week at first, literally on her birthday.
“They were so gentle with me,” Lisa said. “It had been years since I’d worked in an office setting. And the last time I worked in an office, fax machines were still common.” Now there was Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and a digital ecosystem she had never encountered. “But my manager could not have been more patient, supportive, and encouraging. And I learned.”
Lisa Woide
She learned so well that she was recruited to work full-time on the Jewish Home & Senior Living Foundation team. “This is more than a job for me,” Lisa said. “You have to care. And if you care about healthcare, about seniors, about people, this is the place.”
This sentiment also resonates with others whose life journeys have taken them from volunteers to professional staff.
Diego Tzaj began volunteering in 2024 and immediately formed connections with our community, residents, and staff. He soon came on board as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). And now, in what he describes as a “full circle moment,” he is about to graduate with a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) degree, taking advantage of the opportunity to serve our community while enriching his professional skills.
Diego Tzaj
More than 180 volunteers of all ages contribute to our Campus every year.
Whether they become full-time employees or simply want to be of service, volunteers of all ages have joined us to beautify our Campus, organize food pantries, provide transport to on-site events, perform in our auditorium, serve families during dining activities, and lend an ear to our social resident community.
If you have a passion for the well-being of older adults, the Campus might just be the connection and purpose you’re looking for. Check out our list of volunteer opportunities. We’re also hiring! Browse our nursing and non-clinical roles.