August 2023: Not Cute, but Courageous
A typical response we hear when sharing Do For One’s mission is…
“That is so cute!”
Images and thoughts of two people eating ice cream together, going bowling, singing a song, or celebrating a birthday rise to the forefront.
While we celebrate the feel-good moments, there are also plenty of experiences shared between Advocates and Partners that are less “cute” and more-so courageous.
Here are some “not cute, but courageous” moments shared between Advocates and Partners in the past year:
Chantel (Right), Advocate with her Partner Michele (Left) and family. Watch Michele and Chantel's story here.
“I don’t just love. I love going 90 miles an hour.”
The word “advocate” comes from Latin and means to speak on behalf of a person or issue.
At times, advocacy calls for vigor and vehemence and doing more than you’d typically do, and the Advocate is fighting for the cause or the person with the same heart and depth as if the issue were his or her own.
Here are some examples:
One Advocate noticed that his Partner was being mistreated by his nursing home roommate. He advocated to the nurses for a room change, and his Partner is now enjoying more peaceful, conflict-free days.
One Partner is supporting their family member in prison and is teaming up with their Advocate and the Advocate’s family to help the family member.
One Partner survived a stroke and recently lost a parent she was living with. The Advocate is supporting the Partner to get life-saving services and help.
One Partner could not leave the premises of her nursing home for 2 years due to having no family or friend connections to escort her out. Her Advocate now visits weekly to help run errands and experience life in the community.
Do For One Partner reading the Psalms in their room at the hospital.
To protect the privacy of Do For One Partners, we have changed the names and identifying details of the stories above.
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Do For One addresses the need for advocacy for those who lead lives of isolation, having none or few friends or supporters to represent their interests.
People pay good money for a compelling story. On average, Americans pay $47 a month on streaming services. Our stories are not accessible on your TV. Our stories of lasting relationships across social barriers are woven into the fabric of real New York.
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$40 per month covers travel for Do For One staff to recruit Partners living in isolation in nursing homes in their efforts to recruit a voluntary Advocate.
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