Senior services provider Sally’s Fund needed help – and got it

Trolley service is back in action in Laguna Beach, and for Sally’s Fund executive director Rachael Berger, that means she lost one of her paid drivers as he returns to his regular gig. Another driver is moving out of state. With a busy summer ahead delivering weekly meals to Laguna’s frail seniors, Berger faced a perilously shallow bench when it came to drivers. To avoid disruption of its Feed It Forward program, which delivers 100 hot meals prepared every Wednesday by local restaurant Harley, Sally’s Fund needed volunteer help – and fast. The Feed It Forward pandemic-inspired program came about through a donation from Wolfram and Marianne Blume, who wanted to help a local restaurant survive the shutdown while providing local seniors with delicious meals. It proved popular, so it will continue at least through the end of August.

To keep the hot Harley meals rolling, Berger put out a call to other service groups for volunteer drivers to start June 30. She was quickly awash in volunteers who heard of the need through an informal network of community volunteers that included Lifelong Laguna, a program of the Laguna Beach Seniors at the Susi Q, the Assistance League, and Ebell Club, and an informal network of community volunteers.

“When people holler for help, this community responds,” said Berger. “Our clients are frail elderly folks who may need an extra touch of patience and TLC or a gentle reminder to make that doctor’s appointment. When we deliver the Harley meals on Wednesdays, we usually have conversations and hear what’s going on with each person. Our organization provides transportation but we’re so much more than that. Our regular paid drivers transport clients to medical appointments and wait with them. They will assist them into the building, and help them navigate the facility, which can be a big help if they need to go to another office for test results and such. They help with their shopping and know their dietary needs. They pay attention to each person’s general condition and report back if there’s a need or problem and we can see that it’s attended to. Sally’s Fund is a lifeline for the nearly 300 older people it assists at no cost to them. We’re grateful to have such a cohesive, caring community that understands the importance of taking care of our seniors.”

Sally’s Fund is currently seeking a paid driver for daily client transportation to medical and other appointments, using the organization’s vehicles. To inquire, email info@sallysfund.org.

Before the pandemic, Sally’s Fund’s offered free rides to and from the Susi Q Senior Center and the Laguna Food Pantry, in addition to other essential rides by appointment. The pantry changed its retail-style format and currently bags food for seniors that are picked up and delivered by Sally’s Fund twice a week, some of them custom-tailored to clients’ dietary restrictions.

Sally’s Fund receives financial support from local churches, service clubs, corporations, businesses, foundations, individuals, and the City of Laguna Beach. The organization’s goal is to make it possible for the senior citizens of Laguna Beach to continue living independently by providing caring, individual-focused transportation and other essential services that enhance the quality and dignity of their lives.

Sally’s Fund began as a volunteer effort in 1982 by a handful of Laguna Beach residents drawn together by a common concern for frail seniors struggling to remain independent in their homes. Understanding that some local seniors faced institutionalized living because they had no family in the immediate area to transport them and see to their needs, three community members, Trudy Oster, Jane Mortimer and Ann and Walter von Gremp, set about making it feasible for them to remain in their homes. Liz Gapp volunteered her driving services in her family’s station wagon. The program outgrew its all-volunteer status, and in 1986 Sally’s Fund became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. Staff was hired through a generous contribution by the von Gremps and the new nonprofit was named Sally’s Fund in honor of Walt’s beloved mother, who had recently died. Both Ann and Walter von Gremp passed away in the last year, but their legacy of caring for their beloved community endures. www.sallysfund.org