Local nonprofit supports the people who care for others

SEATTLE — Caregivers are quiet heroes in our communities, but they can’t do it alone. That’s where the Serengeti Care Foundation comes in — a local nonprofit with a mission to care for those who care for others.

“I say those who care for others, I mean caregivers. My boss, Dr. Albert Munanga, has worked alongside caregivers and has seen that these are individuals who give so much of themselves, both emotionally and physically,” said Christiana Warren, donor and stewardship manager for the foundation. “And often they struggle to thrive. So, the foundation was founded to help change that.”

Caregivers do everything it takes to help you feel comfortable, which can include helping you with errands, getting groceries, cooking your groceries, helping you use the restroom and helping you bathe.

“They work with you at your most vulnerable, and they help you to feel comfortable,” Warren said.

While caregivers are the reason many older adults are able to age in place, they also provide care to people of all ages.

“I’ve met a gentleman who was a hard-working construction worker in his 50s. He actually had a stroke, and he lost his ability to walk and to talk,” Warren said. ”I know someone else who was diagnosed at just 17 with a very rare heart condition, and his entire body is so swollen that he’s immobile. And they wouldn’t have ever expected such, especially such young ages to need a caregiver.”

The Serengeti Care Foundation’s goal is to help these caregivers progress in life and help with their education.

“Even though caregivers are working 50-to-80-hour workweeks, a lot of them and they work multiple jobs,” Warren said. “When they come home, they’re having to choose between paying rent or bettering themselves and being able to further along in their role as caregivers.”

One of the ways the foundation works to support caregivers is by helping them with educational grants and financial aid. They also just launched their new Serengeti Tribe program which is an online community where caregivers can connect, find friends and offer tips.

“We encourage them to meet in person because, like most of us, we struggle with isolation and loneliness. Making friends is hard, especially for caregivers who do not have time,” Warren said. “The idea is to make it accessible and easy for them to make those connections.”

The community can help support these caregivers by joining Serengeti Tribe so they can meet people outside of their field. Donations also greatly help to support all the work the foundation does.

“Donations with just $50 a month in less than half a year, you can help to bring a young, aspiring individual who has a big heart become a caregiver,” Warren said. “And then there in your grandma, your grandpa’s home, and they’re providing them with great care.”

To learn more about the Serengeti Care Foundation, click here.

Sponsored by Serengeti Home Care

Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.