Little Brothers Spotlight

FOCUS ON: Companionship
by Bobbie Kaplan

RSVP volunteers provide valuable services as companions who reduce social isolation, primarily among isolated seniors. Volunteers in programs do the following: make friendly visits to homebound seniors or nursing home residents; make weekly telephone reassurance calls to lonely seniors; moderate weekly chats about various topics to engage isolated individuals in conversation and keep them connected to their community; help visually impaired individuals by escorting them to medical appointments or shopping; serve as tenant patrol volunteers; write friendly greeting cards; and more. We will highlight some partners and volunteers in this area in this issue.

Volunteers know that by giving so much of themselves, they get so much back in return: their feelings of sadness or loneliness seem to melt away.

Partner Spotlight: Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly

In 1939, the founder of Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, Armand Marquiset from Paris, was praying in Notre Dame when he had a mystical vision. He saw Little Brothers “spreading across the earth, igniting little fires of love.”

By 1946 after World War II, his vision became a reality. He realized the most destitute and needy were the elderly, so he started delivering meals and flowers to the elderly poor of Paris. In the spirit of the motto: “flowers before bread,” he recognized that social and spiritual needs are just as essential for human dignity as physical needs.

Armand attracted many volunteers and donors, and by 1959, the first chapter of LBFE arrived in the U.S. in Chicago. There are five chapters in the U.S. and one Expansion Site in NYC. Jérôme Michaux, NYC Expansion Site Coordinator, explained, “We are serving the elderly homebound in three locations in Brooklyn, as well as in Queens and Manhattan. Our mission is to relieve isolation and loneliness among the elderly.” “We offer people of goodwill the opportunity to join the elderly in friendship and the celebration of life.”

Jérôme went on to say, “What makes us stand out as an organization is our lifetime commitment to the elders we serve, and the services are free of charge. There are four programs we offer:”

1. Friendship and Flowers Visiting Program. We make in-person visits to the elderly homebound, bringing them flowers and reminiscing with them as we travel down memory lane. We visit 35-40 elders a month.

2. In-Person Friendly Visiting Program. We find volunteers who commit to visiting isolated elders at least twice a month for a year, promoting intergenerational friendships.

3. Birthday Visiting Program. We celebrate the lives of our elders on their special day to cheer them up and honor their legacy. We bring cake, flowers, and gifts. We also sing “Happy Birthday to You” over the phone, and we even have an RSVP volunteer, Anne, who plays guitar as she sings over the phone.

4. The Phone Companionship Program. Launched because of the pandemic, these weekly phone calls are a social lifeline for the homebound elderly. Nine of the volunteers in this program are from RSVP and develop meaningful friendships rooted in trust and compassion over time.

Before every Thanksgiving, a group of women from the Ebenezer Methodist Church in Brooklyn fulfill a tradition. They cook mouthwatering dinners, including whole chicken, soup, macaroni and cheese, rice and peas, cake, fruit, and apple cider! LBFE volunteers deliver 22 meals throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens on the morning of Thanksgiving. Three of the recipients invited their volunteers to dine with them this year.

Jérôme speaks poignantly about LBFE’s volunteers: “The volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization. They are simply the most wonderful, caring people who provide real companionship. In return, they receive invaluable gifts from our elders, such as wisdom, inspiration, and a two-way friendship.”

Jérôme adds, “No one can express the beauty, the power, and the joy these friendships bring, as profoundly as the elders we serve.” Below you can read what a few of them have to say.

Paul: “After struggling with depression during the pandemic, I was matched with Rebecca, a volunteer. It is through LBFE that I was re-awakened to the precious nature of friendship. I now have a bond that is both joyous and life-affirming.”

Volunteer Rebecca: “Paul and I hit it off right away — we had so much to say to each other! We talk about the arts and miss my parents, who passed; we chat about politics, history, and world events and laugh a lot. Paul and I are friends for life!”

What’s amazing about Paul and Rebecca is that they share the same birthday, live on the same Manhattan block, and are both vegetarians!

If you want to volunteer with LBFE, email iwanttovolunteer@cssny.org or call 718-494-3222. They will welcome you with open arms.