Community Spotlight: Benevilla's Friendly Visitors program brings comfort, friendship to the community

By Matt Marn

Beverly first walked in the door to meet Frances in 2007 expecting to help Frances with some of her paperwork. Neither expected they would grow to be close friends, let alone become like a member of the family.

Frances has lived in the area for 17 years now. She called Benevilla for help because she was familiar with the name, and called them to ask for someone from the organization to come and help her organize her paperwork.

“They said there was no fee, and I even argued with them,” she said. “I don’t want them doing anything free for me. Then came Beverly.”

Beverly came in expecting to help Frances fill out her medical and tax forms, but her role has expanded to a friendly visitor, another Benevilla service, where a volunteer can come into a participant’s home and talk – just be a friendly face to help light up the participant’s day.

“We started laughing – we clicked right that instant,” said volunteer Beverly on her first meeting with Frances back in 2007.

Frances and her husband Hal moved into the Valley of the Sun in 1971, when Hal was moving much of his factory’s operations to the Phoenix area. Since Hal passed away in 1997, it has grown difficult to keep up with her maintenance of the property and other housekeeping. Beverly is a welcome help getting to her doctors’ appointments, and a good friend to sit across the table and share coffee with.

“We share everything. We go to shows together, shopping… we have just been great friends,” said Beverly. “It works out perfect. Sometimes we don’t even do anything, we just sit there and talk.”

Beverly loves volunteering for the programs Benevilla offers because it gets her out of the house, as well, and she is contributing to the community.

“It’s a wonderful program,” she said. “I just love it.”

Frances said she would recommend using the various Benevilla programs to anyone.

“A friendly visitor is a marvelous thing to take advantage of. These volunteers, they are knowledgeable, and want to help people who are home-bound or can’t get around on their own. We’re not strangers anymore – not even volunteer and client. We’re family. This is the best thing that has happened to me since I got here.”

Frances wanted to speak for this article because she wanted to help get the word out about Benevilla and the services they offer the community.

“I want to let people know, people who need to volunteer and people who need these volunteer services,” she said. “It’s sad people don’t take advantage of it. You hear these stories of people sad and alone… What are you doing? Call Benevilla! It’s up to you; you have to make a bit of an effort, too. I’m sorry I didn't find out about it earlier, when I was working in nursing. I would have recommended this to them, too!”

For more information on Benevilla and their wide variety of non-profit services, visit http://www.benevilla.org.