Programs

At all of LBFE locations, volunteers commit themselves to meeting the needs of the lonely and isolated elderly women and men of their communities. LBFE's goal is to make each elderly person feel special, like a friend, and this is successfully reached through programs such as the following:

  
Photo:  Anne Sackenheim

Visiting Volunteer Program

Holiday Celebrations

LBFE organizes holiday parties in elegant settings for our old friends. Our elderly guests are treated to homemade meals and desserts, gifts, entertainment, dancing, and socializing. Volunteers often organize and manage these parties as well as drive elders to party sites, sit with our Old Friends during the event, and drive each elder home. For those who are homebound or living in nursing homes, we send volunteers bearing food, gifts, and flowers to help celebrate the holidays and remind them that they are part of the LBFE family.

Social Activities

LBFE organizes activities for the elderly that lift their spirits, enhance their health, and provide social interaction. Our elderly friends join us in various celebrations of life including monthly birthday parties, picnics, luncheons, and various outings. 

Vacations

Groups of our old friends are provided with an experience that many have not had in years - a vacation. LBFE gives lonely elders the opportunity to leave the confines of the city for a week-long getaway in peaceful country surroundings. Currenly, two vacation homes exist in Rochelle, IL and Arden Hills, MN, and are owned and operated by the Chicago and Minneapolis chapters respectively.

Special Services

The LBFE philosophy of flowers before bread assures each elderly person that he or she deserves more than bodily nourishment. For this reason, we perform many services that social service agencies cannot provide. Some examples include medical transportation, assistance with grocery shopping and small household chores, delivering emergency food packages, and advocating for their rights.  The most important service, and the one that benefits elders and Visiting Volunteers alike, is the genuine friendship and lifelong relationship with each Old Friend.