August 25, 2022
Last year, nearly 1,000 residents in Williamson County were living in hot homes during the summer and were able to get free fans through Family Eldercare’s Summer Fan Drive.
Since its inception in 2010, Women Helping Others (WHO) has been raising funds for Central Texans who can’t afford or don’t have air conditioning. Today, we shine a spotlight on WHO, a chartered club hailing from Sun City in Williamson County and comprised of passionate, committed women. WHO members are dedicated to supporting causes close to their hearts and have been long-time partners to the fan drive. To help us share more about WHO, we spoke with Maria Tolleson, a proud member and current Vice President of the club.
The idea for Women Helping Others happened during coffee when a group of friends pledged that they would brown-bag their weekly lunches and dedicate those funds to helping their local community. To date, WHO has grown to over 300 members.
“We’ve all noticed that [WHO] changes your life. You think ‘what can I do? I’m a senior citizen,’ but you can do a lot!”
WHO is open to Williamson County residents who want to share their time and resources with local organizations that serve the community. WHO is proud to support hundreds of non-profits through volunteer services and fundraisers. Women Helping Others consists of women from all walks of life. All the members are retired adults enthusiastically contributing to the social welfare of their community.
“There’s never been a better time for us to help each other out. We’ve been through this pandemic and been secluded. During that time, people that don’t have food or don’t have mental health services – don’t have a family; they’ve been alone this whole time. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for the people of Williamson County. If you just do a little bit, that’s going to make a huge difference.”
WHO has a positive impact on its members too.
“It enhances your life. That’s what I love about what I do. I get to meet all these people. They’re just the most amazing people; they’re like angels walking on the Earth.”
The desire to help others is what draws in members. The fellowship, camaraderie, and positive impact their efforts have on the community is what keeps members coming each month.
“Everyone wants to feel needed. Everyone wants to have a purpose. And if you just give a little bit of your time, and you see somebody smile at what you’ve done, that will forever be a part of you. Everybody can start small, and it will grow from there.”
From all of us at Family Eldercare, thank you to Women Helping Others for your ongoing support of the Summer Fan Drive!
