NHPCO 2018 Award
Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) is proud to announce that one of their volunteers, Jim (J.P) Morgan, was the chosen as one of four recipients nationwide to receive the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) 2018 Volunteers Are the Foundation of Hospice Award in the category of Organizational Support. Morgan was presented with the award at the NHPCO conference in New Orleans on November 6, 2018.
Morgan began his volunteering with Joliet Area Community Hospice ten years ago, shortly after retiring from ExxonMobil. His volunteering began with weekly four-hour shifts in JACH’s 16-bed hospice home inpatient unit, where he would visit patients and respond to their needs and those of family members and staff. After talking about his photography skills, JACH asked Morgan to take photos of the grounds and at events. He soon took on the role of “official” agency photographer at the 13+ events held each year, taking over 7400 photos annually in the process. Ready to help where needed, Morgan became aware of a need in the maintenance department, and now gives at least five hours each week helping maintain JACH’s 39,000 square foot building and 15-acre property.
Morgan has volunteered at least 200 hours every year since he began with JACH, totaling an awe-inspiring 2,433 hours. His volunteering has also impacted JACH financially, as the agency has received $2,000 from ExxonMobil for each year Morgan has volunteered, totaling $20,000 donated to date in his name. Joliet Area Community Hospice is a richer agency in so many ways thanks to Morgan’s considerable contributions! Besides being a cherished volunteer and friend to JACH staff who know him, Morgan. is a devoted son to his 96-year-old father, brother, husband to Maggie, father to three daughters, and proud grandfather to one granddaughter and one grandson. Morgan resides in Joliet, Illinois.
Joliet Area Community Hospice provides compassionate, professional hospice and palliative care to over 30,000 terminally ill patients and their families since 1982. In the past two years alone, Joliet Area Community Hospice provided over $1.3 million in charity care, community bereavement programs, unreimbursed pediatric hospice and palliative care, and community outreach. We are a not-for-profit corporation, state licensed, Medicare/Medicaid certified and supported by United Way of Will and Grundy Counties. We serve patients in greater Will, Grundy, LaSalle, Livingston, and Kendall counties along with portions of Cook, DuPage and Kankakee counties.
The mission of Joliet Area Community Hospice is Real People, Real Care, Your Family.
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When a person enters hospice care, the focus shifts from curative treatment to comfort, dignity, and quality of life. At this stage, integrative therapies—such as aromatherapy, massage therapy, and music therapy—play a unique and vital role in supporting not only patients, but also their families and care teams.