Community News

Wellington Cares chosen to participate in the 2020 Great Charity Challenge

Tuesday, 10 December, 2019

We are truly honored and grateful to be chosen as one of the charities to benefit from the 2020 Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments on Saturday, February 1, 2020. Thank you to Wellington Councilman, John T. McGovern who made the announcement.


Audi West Palm Beach Blog

Audi West Palm Beach

Wellington Cares near Wellington FL

The area of Wellington in well-known for its stunning beaches and equestrian events. Many retirees have found a home here, making use of the gorgeous, sunny weather. As these retirees age, it is important they are continuing to engage in the community. Wellington Cares is non-profit organization that was established to help them do so.

Why They Were Founded

Wellington CaresKathy Foster was noticing that retirees in her community wanted to stay at home and actively participate in their community instead of moving to assisted living communities. To address this, in 2010, she created Wellington Cares, Inc.

Wellington Cares differs from other communities because it is a “Naturally Occurring Retirement Community.” This type of community structure means retirees are in control of their own lives while short-term services are provided to help them maintain their independence.

What They Do

The overall goal of Wellington Cares is to build a place where people can grow old and remain in their home. The area of Wellington spans 20,000 acres with about 16,000 residents being senior citizens. With volunteer assistance, Wellington Cares goes out into the community and hosts social and educational activities for elder residents. They can also provide transportation to help retirees get to much-needed places like doctor appointments.

Wellington Cares hosts events like luncheons, dinners, and spirt days to boost community morale. They don’t believe in duplicating senior services already in place, but rather in augmenting services to create a greater impact in the quality of life for a retiree. Make sure to follow them on Facebook to stay up to date on current events.

Get Involved

Volunteering at Wellington Cares near Wellington FL All the services offered by Wellington Cares are free of charge. In order to continually provide this, they rely on volunteers. There are many different types of situations where volunteers can lend a hand, so they accept people of all ages and skill levels. The only requirement is you must be 16 years old.

The most exciting part is even retirees can volunteer, allowing them to be more dynamically involved in the community.

If you are unable to donate your time, Wellington Cares also appreciates donations of any kind. To further build strong relationships, they sponsor with numerous local businesses. Contact them today if you are interested.

Volunteer Today!

Active Wellington citizens keep Wellington Cares, Inc. going. Help them to continue assisting our precious retirees. Volunteer your time and get involved in a fun and exciting program. If you know someone who would love to be a part of this community, be sure to contact Wellington Cares today.

Categories: Community Events

JANUARY 2019 – as published The Palm Beach Post
jwagner@pbpost.com

Wellington nonprofit helps seniors age in place

The nonprofit organization Wellington Cares, Inc., coordinates volunteers to help residents over 65 remain in their homes.

WELLINGTON — A new program launched just before the holidays strives to improve the well-being of Wellington’s seniors.

The Adopt a Senior Program, developed by the nonprofit organization Wellington Cares, Inc., provides food, medication and medical devices to residents 65 and older who might otherwise go without.

It is one of several programs offered by Wellington Cares, which provides Wellington seniors with free non-medical services — such as transportation, light house repairs and phone calls — to allow them to age in place.

The organization was established in 2010 by former Wellington Mayor Kathy Foster.

Wellington has a population of approximately 62,000, with about 9,000 of those seniors, according to the village.

“Kathy saw a need to assist the growing number of senior citizens in Wellington who are choosing to live in their homes, as long and as safely possible,” said Diane Gutman, the organization’s volunteer coordinator.

Gutman oversees a roster of 47 volunteers who provide a variety of services such as transporting participants to appointments, places of worship, and the grocery store; providing weekly respite so caregivers can go to their own appointments; and making hospitality phone calls to those who wish to speak to someone on a regular basis.

Volunteers also assist in running the Wellington Cares non-perishable food pantry by delivering food once a week to a selected group of participants.

Currently, the organization serves 129 participants.

“The response has been overwhelming,” Gutman said. “Other towns and villages have requested Wellington Cares replicate the program in their own community. Participants refer to volunteers as their personal angels, who have assisted them in regaining their independence. Family members also appreciate the volunteers’ assistance because they may not always be available to assist their loved one due to extenuating circumstances.”

Adopt a Senior is the newest program offered by Wellington Cares, which is funded through grants as well as personal and business donations.

Donations now are being accepted to ‘adopt’ a senior and provide food, medical equipment and medication.

A donation of $5,000 provides food and medication for two participants for a year. Donors receive two invitations to the annual Wellington Cares meeting; four tickets to the annual luncheon; a logo on the website; and marketing merchandise to be distributed in home visit bags.

A $3,000 donation provides food and medication for one participant for a year. Donors receive two invitations to the annual meeting; two tickets to the annual luncheon; and a logo on the website.

A $1,000 donation provides food and medication for one participant for a year. Donors receive two invitations to the annual meeting and their name listed on the website.

For information on Wellington Cares or its Adopt a Senior Program, visit www.wellingtoncaresorg.com.



APRIL 2015 – as published The Sun Sentinel

Wellington Cares Reaches Out to Seniors in Need

By Maddy Mesa mmesa@tribune.com, April 8, 2015. Copyright © 2015, Sun Sentinel

Representatives from Wellington Cares, a nonprofit organization, recently spoke to the Council of Catholic Women at Our Lady Queen of Apostles in Royal Palm Beach.

“We get calls in surrounding areas who need services, but we are limited to the Wellington area,” Kathy Foster, executive director of Wellington Cares, said. “The woman who runs the Council of Catholic Women, her mother lives in Wellington and needed help, so she asked us to speak.”

Gayle Paul, president of the Council of Catholic Women at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Church, had asked Foster and board member Daniel Terner to speak to the women about what the organization does and the everyday services they provide such as making doctor’s appointments, driving them to the grocery store or picking up medication.

“It’s more like neighbors helping neighbors. We help seniors age in place,” said Selena Smith, marketing coordinator of Wellington Cares.

“Our goal is to try and reach people who are interested in volunteering or stating their own version of Wellington Cares,” Foster said.

Since starting its services almost two years ago, Wellington Cares has worked on a volunteer basis, including high school students and Boy Scouts who need service hours, to help Wellington residents over the age of 65. All volunteers must pass a background check and are then sent out to a home in pairs so that the participant is never left alone, according to Foster.

“Our goal is to be a self-sustaining nonprofit by reaching out to groups in the community who would sponsor us,” Foster said. “We hope to go back to the neighborhood we grew up in where one could offer to do things without worrying about consequences.”

Visit www.wellingtoncaresorg.com.


JANUARY 2015 – as published on page 114 in the Wellington The Magazine.

Wellington Cares, a community-based, nonprofit organization coordinates volunteers of all ages to assist in helping senior citizens over age 65 remain in their homes with the support of the Wellington community. (To read this article in its entirety, click on the cover image below and turn to page 114.)

WTM_ImageCover


DECEMBER 19, 2014 – as published in The Town Crier, Wellington, Florida

Wellington Cares held its third annual meeting on Thursday, Dec. 4 at Casa Tequila in Wellington. Guests were welcomed at the door and received a gift bag with items from Bethesda Hospital West, Florida Community Bank, the Prettelt Center for Family Health and Think Big Media Productions.

Executive Director Kathy Foster welcomed guests, volunteers, participants and dignitaries to the event.

Foster began by informing attendees of the organization’s successes over the past year, including that the organization performed more than 450 volunteer hours, trained 13 new volunteers and received more than $34,000 in cash and in-kind donations.

“On behalf of the board of directors of Wellington Cares, I’m delighted to have the volunteers and participants we do,” Foster said. “We’re blessed to live in the Village of Wellington where people care about each other.”

Foster continued by thanking the Town-Crier newspaper and the Great Charity Challenge for their support over the years, and announced a new grant from the Quantum Foundation, as well as the organization’s goals for next year.

All in attendance also received a raffle ticket for a holiday gift bag and a poinsettia donated by Lowe’s Home Improvement in Royal Palm Beach.

“We are truly fortunate to have an organization like Wellington Cares in our community,” Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig said. “It helps strengthen our village and attracts residents.”

The afternoon concluded with testimonials read by Volunteer Coordinator Diane Gutman and awards presented to volunteers Barbara Amato for donating 72 hours and Ann Brinson for donating 52 hours. “When you have this much fun, it isn’t work,” Brinson said.

Former board member and volunteer Melody Domb was also recognized for her continued support of the organization.

Wellington Cares is a community-based, not-for-profit organization committed to coordinating volunteers of all ages to assist in enabling persons over the age of 65 to remain in their home with the support of the Wellington community, residents and local organizations. Visit www.wellingtoncaresorg.com for more information.


FEBRUARY 4, 2014 – “Wellington Cares would like to thank Equestrian Sport Productions, of course, and our Team Sponsor, DOUBLE H FARM, corporate sponsor, TRUMP INTERNATIONAL, and wonderful riders: Maggie Jayne, Giavanna Rinaldi, and Ailish Cunniffe for making …our participation in the The FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge event possible!”

Wellington Cares is proud to announce that our charity came in 11th out of 35 and won $30,000. Click here to view complete results.

The generous donations we received will go toward helping the senior citizens in Wellington, Florida age in place with help from Wellington Cares and its network of wonderful volunteers!


FEBRUARY 1, 2014 – Wellington Cares was featured in the February issue of, The Golden Banner, the monthly newsletter for the Wellington Seniors Club in Wellington, Florida.

Your Health and Welfare… Wellington Cares

Wellington Cares Inc., a 501(c)(3) was established in 2010 as a non-profit NORC (Naturally Occur-ring Retirement Community), due to a growing need to assist our 65+ residents.

These days, well after retirement, seniors are choosing to remain in their homes and neighbor-hoods. Wellington Cares provides a means of empowering persons 65 years of age and older to be in control of their own lives by offering them short term services to help them maintain their independence. Volunteers, of all ages, donate their time because they care and want to give back to the community they love.

Their services are provided free of charge to participants. No money is ever paid to the volunteers.

Wellington Cares offers the following services:                                                             

  • Pick up and delivery of dry cleaning, prescriptions and groceries.
  • Provide in home services such as laundry, meals or light cleaning.
  • Socialize by visitation in the home or with phone calls.
  • Write letters, pay bills, make phone calls to schedule appointments.
  • Help seniors coordinate services available to them in the community.
  • Drive to doctors, therapy or places of worship.
  • Light home repairs.
  • Provide patient advocacy.
  • Assist seniors in hurricane emergency preparation.

If you, a loved one or a neighbor is in need of help, reach out today. Call (561) 568-8818.