Dear Friends of Little Brothers,
It is with great pleasure that I greet you as the new Executive Director of Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly. I am honored to lead this unique and important organization dedicated to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. Finding my way to Little Brothers was a bit like finding my way home. Like most of you, my love and compassion for the elderly began with my grandmother, and it is in her memory that I continue to work with elders. I am thankful to have this opportunity to continue working with all of you: our donors, volunteers and old friends.
Here at the Boston Chapter, we are very grateful to Marty Guerin, and also in awe of her 42 years of service to our elders. We wish her the best in retirement and hope she enjoys some much deserved rest and relaxation. Meanwhile, all of us here are dedicated to continuing the Little Brothers legacy here in Boston, offering friendship, care, and love to our old friends.
The work of our volunteers, donors, and staff is immense, and often unquantifiable. We don’t just provide services, we provide companionship. It is easy to measure the number of meals, visits, errands and food packages, but what is really special about Little Brothers are the feelings shared between friends: The feeling of joy when a friend knocks on the door after days of solitude. The feeling of relief knowing that you can get that procedure done because someone will be there to bring you home. The feeling of assurance in knowing that you have a friend to call in a moment of crisis. The feeling of being part of a community. The feeling of being loved. Because of the social support generated by all of you, our elders are able to live longer and better lives.
We are all very proud of our programs and the impact they have on our elders’ social and emotional health. We tackle isolation from many fronts including in the home with our matched volunteers, with peer-to-peer interaction at our social events, through cultural links with our holiday programs, and with support services such as our on-call program and emergency food pantry. With all that we do, there is always room to grow.
In the coming years we hope to make many more old friends, and to continue serving elders in Massachusetts. The elder population will be changing rapidly, and we are dedicated to adapting to the needs of individuals while maintaining the heart and soul of Little Brothers. It is with great excitement that I look forward to our future at Little Brothers, Boston.
Thank you all for your service and support,
Nikki Therrien MBA-HCM, RPCV
