Dear Friend,

WELCOME TO LOTSA COMMUNITY WORKS
We have all heard the term – “Sandwich Generation” – in fact, there is so much attention on this growing group of adults that the month of July has been designated “Sandwich Generation Month” in honor of the Americans raising a child and caring for a parent at the same time. At Lotsa Helping Hands, we hear stories from so many caregivers who are juggling life this way.

Perhaps you find yourself among the 20 million traditional sandwiches (if you are caring for both aging parents and your own children), or maybe you identify with the club sandwich (if you are caring for young children, aging parents and grandparents.)

Where do you fit in this evolving “sandwich” terminology?

We recently heard a story from Theresa, a community member who home-schools her three children while caring for her aging mom and working a part-time job. Her neighbor saw how much she was managing and offered to create a Lotsa Helping Hands community for her – to not only provide emotional support but to help with daily errands and meals for her family. She was reluctant to take her neighbor up on the offer but soon learned that posting needs through her community allowed her to step back and realize how much she, in fact, had grown accustomed to doing as a caregiver. She needed help and her friends and neighbors began signing up for rides to medical appointments, making and delivering lunches for the kids, and providing the words that most of us need to hear when we are overwhelmed – “you’re not alone.”

This month we’re celebrating sandwich generation members wherever you are in your journey – and the helping hands kind enough to provide support along the way.

     From our community to yours,

          Hal Chapel, Co-Founder & CEO



LOTSA TIPS AND FEATURES

We have several tips to share this month.

1. Make your community your own: Perhaps you want to change the name of your community after you created it, make your page more personal, or add more photos. From the Administration tab, all of these customizations can be edited to fit your specific community needs.

2. Add your Menu after Sign Up: While everyone appreciates a good meal, no one wants to live off of spaghetti and meatballs every night of the week. It’s very easy for members of the community to share what they’re bringing to the table so that the family gets a variety of meals. Click on the Change meal link on the Calendar and you’ll be able to specify the food you’ll be delivering (or have already delivered).

3. Join our conversation: Our online community continues to grow. Join our conversation by visiting us on Facebook — “Like Us”, post a comment or share a testimonial about your experience. Now you can also follow us on Twitter and keep up-to-date with the latest tips and features about our service.

4. We partner with the nation's leading nonprofit organizations that provide trusted information on a variety of health and caregiving topics that may be helpful to your community. You can choose to identify with one of our premier partners and include relevant resources, links, and logos from that organization in your community. From your private community, visit the "Site Options" link.

If you have additional questions, contact us at info@lotsahelpinghands.com



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