James Y. Bender, executive director of Hearts and Hands - Faith in Action, and Christine Morgan, coordinator of volunteer services, work in the organization’s Clarence office on Goodrich Road. Hearts and Hands is a nonprofit group with a mission to provide volunteer assistance to the senior citizen population in the community. Photo by Jim Smerecak. Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com The members of Hearts and Hands - Faith in Action practice what they preach and have given hundreds of seniors the opportunity to maintain their independence and dignity.

The nonprofit “neighbor helping neighbor” organization has branches in several towns around Western New York, including Akron, Alden, Newstead, Tonawanda and Wales. In May it opened an office on Goodrich Road in Clarence and has already served more than 25 seniors at that location.

James Bender, executive director of Hearts and Hands, said the program is built on an extension of ministries and continues to grow through the support of its coalitions, having more than 700 participants and volunteers.

“What we have done is collaborated with the congregations to recruit volunteers and identify people who may need our services,” Bender said. “We talked to churches and organizations that wanted to help us provide needed support to the elderly population.”

There are a handful of churches that have partnered with Hearts and Hands to aid the Clarence community: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Paul’s Episcopal, Clarence United Methodist and Clarence Presbyterian. So far, the branch has around 30 volunteers. Bender said the organization’s mission to help seniors remain independent in their homes and avoid the need for institutional health care has been very positive and he credits all of the volunteers, whom he described as “spiritually uplifted, physically active and socially engaged.”

Christine Morgan, the volunteer coordinator at the Clarence office, said Hearts and Hands holds training sessions monthly for those interested. While the volunteers are not medically trained, they are taught how to handle emergency situations. The sessions are two hours and describe all of the things volunteers can do, within the organization’s guidelines. Morgan said the group offers mileage reimbursement to volunteers if they desire.

Morgan said that for many of the individuals serviced, the socialization is the most important aspect of the program.

“If they are a widow or widower, sometimes our volunteers may be the only people they hear from,” she said. “Some of them may not have family nearby, and they are all alone. We like to keep in touch with them and make sure they are doing all right.”

The volunteers may have lunch with the participants, often helping them to reminisce through old photo albums or just listening and sharing stories, Morgan said. They become “phone pals” and also conduct wellness checks. They help them to write letters and pay their bills. They also provide respite services to “lighten the load of a caregiver.” The Hearts and Hands program volunteers also perform light housekeeping duties, conduct minor household repairs — such as changing light bulbs — and help with snow removal, specifically for sidewalks and entryways.

Furthermore, volunteers drive individuals to their doctor visits, hair appointments or to the grocery store. They also will help them groom their pets, if necessary.

Morgan said the volunteers who help make the group’s goal a reality are inspiring and the work they are doing has become a community staple.

“It’s a very passionate mission,” she said. “It is faith-based, and we don’t discriminate against anyone.”

Bender said Hearts and Hands plans to expand to Marilla and Holland, N.Y., within the year.

For more information on Hearts and Hands - Faith in Action, call 542-2226 or visit www.heartsandhandsfia.org.