With Gratitude: Volunteer Appreciation Night 2026
What motivates someone to give their time, week after week, to support others they didn’t know before? For many Circle of Care volunteers, the answer is simple: it brings them meaning, connection, and a sense of purpose that stays with them long after each visit.
Again and again, our volunteers tell us the same thing—they look forward to the days they spend with their clients. It’s often the highlight of their week. Whether they’re sharing a conversation, delivering a meal, or simply being present, those moments of humanity matter. Not just to the people receiving care, but to the volunteers themselves.
At Circle of Care, our volunteers build relationships with our clients, bringing warmth, reliability, and empathy into every interaction. By showing up consistently and compassionately, our volunteers are helping seniors remain independent at home and connected to their communities.
During our recent Volunteer Appreciation Night on May 12, we celebrated and reflected upon the value and importance of volunteerism. We had the opportunity to thank our volunteers for their important acts of service, and to listen to them.
Guest speaker Joe Lyons-Rising, Founder and Chief Empathy Officer at Data Gives Back, led an engaging and meaningful workshop on The Power of Helping Others. He spoke about his own story of losing both of his biological parents as a child, how that experience shaped his life, and about how he turned that grief into purpose by deciding to help others through their own grief journeys. Joe opened the floor throughout the evening for our volunteers to share their stories—what volunteering means to them, what they value about their experiences, and why they keep coming back. Those reflections brought the room to life, as our volunteers spoke about the joy they experience in their roles.
The evening was also a chance to strengthen connections across our community. Volunteers met one another, many for the first time. Staff and leadership connected in person with the people they so often coordinate with behind the scenes. Names became faces, and conversations turned into relationships.
Moments like this remind us that while programs and services are essential, it’s people who make them meaningful. Volunteerism is the thread that ties it all together—creating community not just for our clients, but among those who give their time to support them.
To our volunteers: thank you for choosing to show up. For your time, your care, and your commitment. For the relationships you build and the difference you make, week after week. You are the heart of this work—and our community is stronger because of you.
