STATUS: Waitlist in Newark, DE and Metro Detroit, MI | No longer accepting referrals in Baltimore, MD.

SERVICE AREA: Metro Detroit MI (Wayne & Washtenaw Counties) | Newark, DE | Baltimore City, MD

CLIENTS SERVED: Adults living at home with a diagnosed chronic illness that affects their ability to manage everyday household activities independently. Clients must be able to live safely without supervision and be willing to participate in the program with student volunteers.

DESCRIPTION: Lori’s Hands connects adults living with chronic illness with trained college student volunteers who make weekly home visits. Students provide practical, non-medical assistance and companionship while clients share their experiences of chronic illness, aging, and navigating the healthcare system with the students.

SERVICES & PROGRAMS:

• Household Assistance: Help with light housework, yard work, pet care, laundry, and other household activities.
• Meals & Groceries: Assistance with grocery shopping and meal preparation.
• Companionship & Social Support: Regular visits, conversation, shared hobbies, walks, and other activities to reduce isolation.
• Technology Help: Assistance with basic technology use.
• Resource Navigation: Help with paperwork, prescription pickup, and navigating community resources.
• Caregiver Support: Student assistance can help relieve some of the everyday household responsibilities that may otherwise fall on family caregivers.

IMPORTANT: Lori’s Hands volunteers do not provide transportation, personal care, medical care, or safety supervision. They cannot assist with bathing, dressing, transferring, medication preparation, or other hands-on personal/medical needs.

HOW TO APPLY: Clients can be referred by a healthcare provider, home healthcare agency, community organization, or another individual. A prospective client can also complete the online referral form. After the referral, Lori’s Hands contacts the applicant to discuss eligibility, followed by an in-home enrollment visit. Eligible clients are then paired with two student volunteers for weekly visits during the school year. Summer availability will vary.

Address: PO Box 980266, Ypsilanti, MI 48198
Description: Connects adults with chronic illness in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties with college student volunteers who provide weekly companionship and practical help with household tasks, groceries, meals, technology, and resource navigation. Clients must be able to live safely without supervision; volunteers do not provide medical, personal-care, transportation, or safety-sitter services.