Thanks to Our Team

As we experience another Thanksgiving season, it is important to continue to express gratitude to the important people in your life. Here at DuPage Senior Citizens Council, we make sure to give thanks to the people on our team that help us do what we do.

This past summer and fall, we had the pleasure of working with Lauren Goode, an intern who stepped up and helped numerous departments in the DSCC office.

Lauren came to find DSCC as an internship opportunity while in the Human Services program at the College of DuPage. As someone who strives to help the people in her community, Lauren saw DSCC as the perfect opportunity to do just that. “I’ve always been interested in working with senior citizens so I like that you guys cater to the senior community,” she said. “and I like just the overall purpose of the organization.”

An Opportunity to Learn

During her time at DSCC, Lauren had the opportunity to learn more about our organization, the community we serve, and nonprofits in general. “I really learned how much goes into non-profit work,” Lauren said. “I learned how much this organization gives back to the community, especially the seniors. And how much [the seniors] rely on the services that the organization provides.”

Lauren got the opportunity to ride along with one of our Meals On Wheels drivers while delivering a route. She had so much to say about her experience, noting how much the drivers connect with the seniors they deliver to. She expressed her admiration towards the drivers, how they know the stories of each of their seniors and how the seniors anticipate the arrival of the drivers, their faces lighting up as they approach the door. “It was an eye-opening experience and I was a better person walking away from it. It was really cool,” Lauren said.

Because it’s giving back and I think when you’re coming from a place of wanting to give back, that’s right where you need to be.

Having a firsthand look at the difference being made in people’s lives gave Lauren the confirmation that this is the kind of work she wants to be a part of. “I know I’m in the right field for sure,” she said. “Because it’s giving back and I think when you’re coming from a place of wanting to give back, that’s right where you need to be.”

A Meaningful Experience

When asking Lauren how she would describe her time at DSCC, she could not overstate how grateful she felt for the experience. “Interning at DuPage Senior Citizens Council was a meaningful and memorable experience for me,” she said. “I learned a lot about myself, the Council, and the seniors in the community. I am beyond grateful for this experience and will always remember my time at DuPage Senior Citizens Council.”

We want to thank Lauren for being such a wonderful addition to the DSCC team.  It is thanks to people like Lauren who aim to make a difference in their communities that we are able to work towards our mission of helping seniors live more comfortably and in dignity.