By Noelle Woolway
When you donate to Alzheimer’s San Diego, you know exactly where your money is going. Every single dollar stays in San Diego County for support and research – no exceptions.
We are a local nonprofit dedicated to serving the community, and we’re supported by generous members of the community like you! Events like Rides4ALZ are a key part of how we do this. In fact, 32% of revenue came from fundraisers like the Ride in 2018.
Rides4ALZ was founded by Scott Drury, President of SDG&E in 2017. Scott recently lost his mother to Alzheimer’s, so he knows how heartbreaking this is firsthand. He wanted to combine his passions of Alzheimer’s advocacy and motorcycles…and that’s how the Ride was born. Over the past two years, 250 riders have signed on to give back to San Diegans affected by this terrible disease.
Each of those riders changed lives. Because of you, we’re able to help an average of 25,000 people each year. If you have not personally attended our programs, you can still see the impact you made by watching this short video:
“I’m so thankful for the services your provide. It’s very difficult to see a loved one go through this, but you have allowed us to have some peace and knowledge as to what to expect.”
Alzheimer’s San Diego also provides free Support & Discussion Groups across the county. Thirty-nine groups, to be exact, in English, Spanish and Korean! It is a powerful and healing process when you find people going through the same thing you are going through. Last year, more than 6,000 caregivers found community in our support groups. You are not alone, and we have a group for everyone at any stage of this disease. A whopping 99% of attendees report they’ve felt less alone after attending a session.
RELATED | Want to learn more about these groups? Contact Rebecca McDaniel at 858.966.3303 or rmcdaniel@alzsd.org
Donations also benefit our Alz Companion program, which provides free respite and relief to San Diegans who care for someone with dementia. Trained Companion Volunteers are paired with a family to provide weekly 4-hour visits, focusing on companionship and socialization. This allows family caregivers to take a break, go to appointments or simply relax with some vital alone time. The person living with dementia also has fun, too!
In addition, families enrolled in this special program receive ongoing support from a licensed clinical social worker. Last year, we provided more than 7,000 hours of free respite to exhausted caregivers.
“Our volunteer has been a wonderful addition to our family. She has a beautiful, generous heart. Her attention and love shown to my mom is genuine, and my mom, dad and I are so grateful to have her support. Thank you for introducing us.”
Your donations make a difference in this beautiful community – and help keep all of our programs and services at a $0 cost to families. To see more of your impact, check out our 2018 Annual Report.
Click here to sign up for Rides4ALZ or to make a donation. To learn more about the ride and Alzheimer’s San Diego, contact Noelle Woolway at 858-966-3310 or nwoolway@alzsd.org.
