Community Corner
Patch Chat With Leanna Ballester, "Friendly Visitor"
The Neighbor to Neighbor Network's "Friendly Visitor" Program enriches both seniors and volunteers
Leanna Ballester began volunteering with The Friendly Visitor last April. Her match is Angela DeBoar. “I was new to the area and thought that it’d be a good way to get to know the neighborhood,” Ballester said. “Angela was my first friend.”
The Friendly Visitor is a program that helps volunteers provide companionship to elderly Bloomfield residents. The program is organized by Neighbor to Neighbor Network (NTNN), which is funded in part by Partners for Health. Their mission is to “help seniors who live on their own to continue to live independently.”
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The Friendly Visitor is a free service that’s available to any senior in Bloomfield. NTNN suggests that volunteers meet with their “match” one hour a week, but they often end up spending more time as the relationship deepens.
Ballester and Angela do different activities each week. “We’ll go grocery shopping, drink coffee, and we love going to the Italian bakeries in the area. It’s relaxing and a nice change after a long and hectic work week,” Ballester said. “It’s nice to have someone to call and check on.”
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Ballester, who is a project manager at Deutsch, Inc., does most of her visiting on the weekends. She likes the flexibility of the program, how it’s set up to accommodate both the seniors and the volunteers. “I [also] like that you can immediately feel your impact,” she said. “I think that growing older can often feel isolating. At 90, Angela is still very active and likes to socialize. Getting out of the house for an hour or having visitors over makes her happier.”
Spending time with DeBoar also benefits Ballester, who says that volunteering gives her a sense of purpose in the community. “Angela gives me so much advice. She has so much knowledge about the area and stories about her past,” Ballester said. “She’s an expert on [Bloomfield], having lived here 50 years. She introduced me to the community.”
Those interested in volunteering with The Friendly Visitor may contact Stephanie De Santi at 973-680-4017. For more information, visit Neighbor to Neighbor Network’s website at www.volunteerntnn.org.
