September 23, 2011

About

Our Story

Our Story

Our Mission

Eastside Friends of Seniors provides volunteer-based services to seniors facing the challenges of aging and independent living in the communities east of Lake Washington.

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Our Value

Compassion – We serve with heart-felt care and empathy. Excellence – We endeavor to be the best in all we do Integrity – We act with honesty and sincerity Dignity – We respect the self-worth of the individual

Our History

Eastside Friends of Seniors was founded in our region in 1997. In 1983, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched Faith in Action as a national initiative to make use of the spirit of community volunteerism that existed within faith communities. In 1997, Issaquah’s Providence Marianwood skilled nursing facility decided to sponsor the program locally and so became the home for our program, beginning service in early 1998.

Over the years, Faith in Action grew to become a model program, uniting diverse people in an inter-generational, cost-effective project to benefit the most vulnerable residents of our communities. It received the Providence Health System’s Mission Leadership Award (1998) and the Emilie Gamelin Award (2002) for outstanding service to those most in need.  In May 2004, the Association of Washington Business awarded the Community Service Award to Faith in Action.

In October 2008, after a diligent and intensive strategic planning process, Faith in Action became an independent 501(c)3 organization. Starting January 1, 2009 we moved into our own independent location at the Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Sammamish and began functioning separately. This positive move forward allowed for more growth and freedom to expand our programs and services.

In September 2011, in accordance with its strategic plan, Faith in Action became Eastside Friends of Seniors, to better reflect who we are and who we serves. This name has fostered our ability to grow and better serve the seniors in our community.

Our programs

Eastside Friends of Seniors is able to meet its mission by partnering with other organizations in the community.
Its Faith in Action program engages local congregations in volunteer service for the elderly. Every religious tradition teaches to care for the frail, the disabled, the most vulnerable in our society. Eastside Friends of Seniors provides an avenue for people to put their faith into action.
Through its referral partners, Eastside Friends of Seniors is able to reach out to more seniors in need. Further, through its partners, Eastside Friends of Seniors is able to enlist other community services that may be able to meet an aging senior’s increasing needs.

Non-Discrimination Policy

We have no restrictions with regard to race, gender, religion, age, physical or mental disability, marital or family status, income, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state or local law.

National Volunteer Caregiving Network

Eastside Friends of Seniors is a proud member of the National Volunteer Caregiving Network. The purpose of the National Network is to promote the sharing of knowledge, experience and ideas that can help to strengthen and support the hundreds of local volunteer caregiving programs that are currently active throughout the United States, and to foster and support the establishment of new interfaith volunteer caregiving programs in all communities that want and need the services that volunteer caregivers can provide.