We are endlessly grateful to our volunteers for giving their time to better the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Our volunteers are truly the heart of the Alzheimer’s Association here in North Carolina.
In honor of National Volunteer Week 2025, we’ll be spotlighting a different volunteer from our Western Carolina Chapter each day. Today we are featuring …
Venitra White-Dean
Huntersville, NC (Mecklenburg County)
What brought you to volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association?
When my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in February 2011, the Alzheimer’s Association was one of the first places I called for resources. I had no idea what to expect on this journey and needed all the assistance I could get. The Association connected me with a support group that was a lifeline for me during the early to mid-stages with my mother. After my mother passed away in 2020, I wanted to give back to the Alzheimer’s Association. Volunteering allows me to contribute to the community so that others can benefit from the resources as much as I did (and still do).
What volunteer role(s) do you have with the Association?
For the past few years, I have served as a Community Educator. I conduct virtual and in-person sessions on various topics in the Charlotte Metro area. If I were to pick my favorite topic to present, it would be “Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body”. Additionally, I volunteer at in-person events, manning resource tables, educating the public about Alzheimer’s disease.
Venitra has also started her own organization, the Frankie Mae Foundation, which focuses on supporting caregivers who are taking care of a loved one at home. The Foundation has become a program partner with the Alzheimer’s Association collaborating on educational programming in the community.
What do you enjoy most about your volunteer role?
The most enjoyable aspect of my volunteer role is meeting people and hearing their stories. Sharing my lived experiences with them lets them know that I am empathetic to what they are going through. Whether it’s someone living with Alzheimer’s or a caregiver, connecting with them on a personal level makes a huge impact.
What piece of your role do you feel makes the biggest impact?
I went through the training to become a Community Educator. That educational aspect of the puzzle is crucial. I previously mentioned my personal connection to Alzheimer’s. I believe that this personal element makes the biggest impact. When people know that you have experienced the journey firsthand, they are more likely to feel a connection with you. Having the educational training and the personal connection are both assets to my role.
If someone were considering volunteering with the Association, what would you say to them?
Like the Nike slogan, “Just do it”. You can volunteer as much (or as little) as you would like, in any capacity that you would like, in any manner that you would like. Just figure out your strengths, passions, and capacity and do it.
THANK YOU, VENITRA!
Volunteers truly help move our mission forward. Interested in becoming a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association in NC? Visit alz.org/volunteer or call 800-272-3900.
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