Provides companionship and caregiver respite to families with illnesses.

It is an honor to be the Executive Director for Tamarisk. I believe in our mission with all my heart. My job is all about people and relationships. It is hard to not have compassion for people in need of help. I have witnessed families hurting as they watched their loved ones health decline and reach death. It is such a privilege to spend my time listening to caregivers that have lost their loved ones and volunteers that have lost a friend. The volunteers understand that it is an honor to journey with someone at the end of their life. “The relationship wasn’t that long but meant a great deal to my husband,” said Bev.

Tamarisk volunteers are consistently putting their agendas and needs aside to meet the needs of families that are dealing with life threatening illnesses. A Tamarisk volunteer had a client once that had severe Alzheimer’s Disease and loved to play cribbage. During his visits they played cribbage a lot and the volunteer rarely won. Although the client could not remember a lot about his life amazingly enough he did not forget how to play an excellent game of cribbage.

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Tamarisk benefits family caregivers by giving them breaks which relieve them of care-giving responsibilities and allows them to meet their own needs. Carol, a caregiver to her mom stated, "Having a Tamarisk volunteer come to my home was the first time in three years that I felt like I can let loose and be free and really relax and enjoy myself."

It is exciting when a volunteer and family are matched and a strong long lasting relationship is built. “It is because of Tamarisk that I met Diane and gained a beautiful friend for the last ten years,” said Sue, former Tamarisk volunteer. A friend of Tamarisk’s once wrote that, “Tamarisk is another name for: Caring, Sharing, Supporting, Sustaining, and Walking with those who are weary and in need.” I could not have said it any better.