C-TAC advisor, Elder Angela Overton, along with other Louisville faith leaders, hosted the Annual Louisville Care Project Caregivers Gala in December to recognize and honor family and community caregivers – the unsung heroes in the care of people with serious illness.
Over 150 caregivers, faith leaders, and community partners and organizations celebrated twelve caregivers – each sharing their own story and personal challenges – all from underserved and under-resourced communities. These caregivers are representative of the millions of Americans who provide unpaid care for loved ones, friends, and congregants.
Here are some of the honoree stories.
- A grandmother who still works full-time while caring for her 6 grandchildren to keep them out of foster care due to the loss of her son (their father) from gun violence.
- A beloved senior citizen who never misses an opportunity to conduct outreach to volunteers to find housing for those in need in the community.
- A single mom who cares for her disabled children who have had multiple hospitalizations but must work full time to make ends meet.
- Bi-vocational Pastors, holding down professional full-time jobs but coordinating community service events.
- Passionate advocates and community civic partners who work shoulder to shoulder in assisting the homeless to move forward with life skills by providing transitional housing, case management, clothing, meals, and other services.
Other community faith leaders, Rev Dr. Angela Johnson, Grace Hope Presbyterian Church; Rev David Snardon, Joshua Tabernacle Baptist; Rev Lance West, Riverview Baptist Church & Lydia House; and Pastor Alma Wooley, Christ Cathedral of Praise, serve as catalysts for change with their role as trusted community leaders. The program is supported by community partners including the Humana Foundation, AARP Louisville, Accessia Health, Hosparus Health, Archangels, Gilda’s Club Kentuckian, Norton Healthcare, Trager Institute, and the Republic Bank Foundation.
C-TAC has launched a new Community Health Worker initiative in Louisville, which will leverage the reach of these faith leaders as community change agents and address issues around social isolation. The faith leaders will continue to provide spiritual guidance to their community members and assist them with connecting to resources to meet their social, physical, mental, and medical needs.
