Want Guide: Coronary heart of the Valley offers worthwhile help to seniors in want

Marisa Carlini has spent her life serving to others.

The 64-year-old Santa Clara resident grew up with a nurse as a mother and determined to pursue the identical occupation. But, she didn’t do it just because being a nurse ran within the household, however as a result of a compassion towards others is an enormous a part of who she is.

“I love to take care of people — to listen to people,” says Carlini, gazing round her dwelling from her wheelchair. “I never thought I would be in this position.”

After coping with extreme leg issues and ache for 5 years — and present process 4 failed surgical procedures to try to appropriate the state of affairs — Carlini had her left leg amputated in late 2024.

“The pain was gone,” she remarks from the house she shares with two canines, two birds and son Matteo.

Shedding her leg, nonetheless, modified just about each side of her life and threatened the independence that she had lengthy loved. Now, seemingly easy issues — similar to altering an overhead mild bulb — have been duties that required the help of others.

“The help I would give others, now I have to take,” she says.

Fortuitously, Carlini has been capable of obtain such help from Coronary heart of the Valley, a Santa Clara-based nonprofit that helps unbiased dwelling for seniors in West Santa Clara Valley.

Coronary heart of the Valley’s roots stretch again to the mid-Nineteen Eighties, when the Santa Clara Methodist Retirement Basis constructed a pair of HUD-funded housing complexes that offered low-income lease for seniors. Founder Austin Warburton quickly realized, nonetheless, that there was extra work to be executed and got here up with a plan to supply volunteer providers to low-income seniors all through West Santa Clara Valley.

Integrated in 1987, Coronary heart of the Valley now offers transportation, handyman providers, yardwork, tech help and different providers — starting from housekeeping to companionship — to greater than 250 seniors (age 62 and up). Roughly half of those purchasers are in Santa Clara, with others scattered by San Jose, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos and Campbell.

Marisa Carlini checks on her basil plant in the backyard...

Marisa Carlini checks on her basil plant within the yard of her dwelling in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. Coronary heart of the Valley offered Carlini with dwelling security upgrades together with handrails, lighting, and bidets. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Marisa Carlini exhibits off a rock she painted at her dwelling in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. Coronary heart of the Valley offered Carlini with dwelling security upgrades together with handrails, lighting, and bidets. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Marisa Carlini pets Gus, a 54-year-old yellow-crowned amazon, at her dwelling in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. Coronary heart of the Valley offered Carlini with dwelling security upgrades together with handrails, lighting, and bidets. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Marisa Carlini poses for {a photograph} in her dwelling in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. Coronary heart of the Valley offered Carlini with dwelling security upgrades together with handrails, lighting, and bidets. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

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Increase

“Over the years, Heart of the Valley has grown from a small volunteer operation into a full-fledged nonprofit that serves hundreds of seniors each year,” explains Alma Soto, Coronary heart of the Valley govt director. “To sustain and expand our services, we need continued financial support. Wish Book funds will directly strengthen our capacity to reach more seniors and provide them with essential services that support independence, dignity, and well-being.”

Particularly, the grant could be used to assist Coronary heart of the Valley enhance important know-how (similar to upgrading the web site), develop its group outreach efforts and develop the volunteer base.

These volunteers present a variety of experience and providers to senior purchasers — similar to putting in seize bars in Carlini’s dwelling so she gained’t have to fret as a lot about falling.

“Wayne (a Heart of the Valley volunteer) came over and installed seven grab bars in just two hours,” she remembers.

Lidia Donez is likely one of the many volunteers who work at Coronary heart of the Valley.

The 84-year-old Santa Clara resident acquired concerned with the group in 2001, on the age of 60, after spending 36 years working at Hewlett-Packard.

“It was the time when HP was the best employer in the Bay Area. Everybody wanted to work there,” mentioned Donez, who was employed by HP within the mid-‘60s. “I loved working there. They had free donuts — I gained about 20 pounds.”

With extra time on her fingers after retiring, Donez was in search of methods to present again to the group and rapidly acquired plugged into Coronary heart of the Valley.

“I started doing some work taking clients to go grocery shopping, taking clients to doctor appointments,” says Donez, including that most of the seniors have been additionally in nice want of companionship and dialog. “I would talk to them, make them feel like they were worth something.”

Alma Soto, Govt Director of Coronary heart of the Valley, helps Lidia Donez out the entrance door of their workplace in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Earlier this 12 months, nonetheless, Donez went from serving to others to additionally receiving assist from Coronary heart of the Valley.

“I just fell in July and broke my arm,” says Donez, who provides that Coronary heart of the Valley offered walkers to assist her get round extra safely whereas she healed from the arm damage. “As an elderly, you don’t have the funds that you had when you were young.”

Fortunately, Coronary heart of the Valley was there for Donez — identical to she’s been for thus many others over the many years.

“Now we send people out to help her after she has helped people all of her life,” Soto says.

Months after her damage, Donez appears to be getting round significantly better and is again volunteering at Coronary heart of the Valley. Notably, Donez — who has a background in finance from her years at HP — does bookkeeping work and offers different help for the group.

“All of the jobs that she does are essentially three different positions,” Soto says. “She is a value to Heart of the Valley.”

And so are all the group’s many different volunteers, whether or not they can deal with family repairs, IT troubleshooting, accounting work or another sort of worthwhile service to those seniors in want.

Lidia Donez, left, chats with

Alma Soto, Govt Director of Coronary heart of the Valley, of their workplace in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

“That’s the beauty of Heart of the Valley,” Soto says. “I’ve a number of volunteers with totally different areas of experience.

“A lot of them are recently retired and have more time on their hands.”

But, Donez underscores that generally the best want is just companionship.

“I can imagine a lot of these people who have no one,” she says. “No one comes to visit them. And that would be horrible for them.”

However because of Coronary heart of the Valley, many of those seniors do get a knock on the door and likelihood to have some much-appreciated dialog. Provides Soto, “Sometimes a volunteer is the first person they’ve seen in months.”

WISHDonations to Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors will assist the nonprofit help seniors dwelling independently within the West Santa Clara Valley by increasing its group outreach, bettering essential know-how and rising its volunteer base along with delivering providers similar to transportation, yardwork, dwelling repairs, companionship, and wellness check-ins. Aim: $25,000.

Marisa Carlini pets Gus, a 54-year-old yellow-crowned amazon, at her...

Alma Soto, Govt Director of Coronary heart of the Valley, poses for {a photograph} on entrance of their workplace in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Marisa Carlini offers Esha, a 4-year-old Bernedoodle, a deal with subsequent to Lilo, a 6-year-old Nice Pyrenees, in her dwelling in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. Coronary heart of the Valley offered Carlini with dwelling security upgrades together with handrails, lighting, and bidets. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Lidia Donez, left, works with

Lidia Donez poses for {a photograph} of their workplace in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Marisa Carlini offers Lilo, a 6-year-old Nice Pyrenees, a deal with in her dwelling in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Want Guide for Coronary heart of the Valley Companies for Seniors. Coronary heart of the Valley offered Carlini with dwelling security upgrades together with handrails, lighting, and bidets. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)