Feel Good Friday - Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly

The holiday season is upon us and while there is generally a festive air everywhere you go, it's important to remember that not everyone is surrounded by friends and family at this time of year. That's why today's Feel Good Friday is highlighting the work of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. 

As explained on their website, Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) "is a national network of non-profit volunteer-based organizations committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly". Seniors are the fastest growing segment of population in the US and by 2025, one in every five people will be over 65!

Originally founded in 1946 by French nobleman, Armand Marquiset as Little Brothers of the Poor, LBFE opened its first US chapter in 1959 and now has seven locations in the US and chapters in nine other countries around the world. You can watch this 4:19 minute LBFE video from the San Francisco chapter that explains the work they do and the people they serve.

Their motto "Flowers before Bread" signifies that, "in addition to the basic necessities of life, each one of us has a strong need for the special joys that make life worth living." Across the world, 21,000 volunteers give their time to 52,500 elderly which enables these services to be offered free of charge. 

Those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area who want to volunteer can start by visiting an elder on December 24th or 25th and bringing along a provided gift. Details at Little Brothers San Francisco.

You can also check out the work being done in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and the Upper Peninsula Michigan. As they say on the website, "we offer to people of goodwill the opportunity to join the elderly in friendship and the celebration of life." That sounds like a lovely way to spend your time.