What does it look like to give back when life is already full? For CLB volunteer Joan, it started with a childhood memory and grew into something far more meaningful than she ever expected.
When Joan was growing up, her mother drove their blind neighbor to the grocery store every single week. No fanfare, no recognition. Just a quiet, consistent act of care. That image stayed with her. Decades later, working full-time and pressed for hours, Joan found herself looking for a way to do the same kind of thing.
She found it at CLB.
“I wanted to help someone with a disability experience a greater sense of control over their life.”
-Joan, CLB Volunteer
More than she bargained for — in the best way
Like many new volunteers, Joan wasn’t sure what to expect. What surprised her most? The depth of gratitude from the person she helps.
CLB asked: What has surprised you most?
“The magnitude of gratitude the person I help has expressed to me. It is almost overwhelming at times. The main thing I do is sort and read her mail, mainly, and sometimes I help with projects and small errands.”
Reading someone’s mail. Helping with an errand. On paper, it sounds modest. But for a person who cannot do these things independently, the impact is anything but small.
A relationship, not just a role
Perhaps the most meaningful thing to emerge from Joan’s volunteering has been something she didn’t set out to find: a genuine human connection.
“The relationship that I have developed with the consumer I help makes me feel more than just the volunteer who helps with her mail.”
— Joan, CLB Volunteer
That’s the quiet magic of CLB’s model. What begins as a practical arrangement becomes something richer. A relationship built on trust, regularity, and mutual care.
Joan’s message to you
If you’re busy and wondering whether you have anything to offer, Joan has a simple answer:
CLB asked: Why should others volunteer?
“In the very small hours, even if you work full-time, you can make a big difference in the life of someone who really needs your help.”
Joan’s story is proof. You don’t need a cleared schedule or a grand gesture. You need a few hours and the willingness to show up.
Ready to make a difference in your community?
CLB volunteers help people with disabilities live with greater independence and dignity.
