This is one of a series of profiles on YWCA Women of Distinction Winners.
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ALTON - While many of the Women of Distinction honorees focus their efforts on young women and girls, Nancy Berry has made caring for senior women her life’s work. Working with the Collinsville Area Ministerial Association, she helped form Collinsville Faith in Action (CFIA), an interfaith volunteer caregiver program.
Volunteer teams from 16 different congregations assist older and disabled individuals, predominantly women, with transportation, shopping, companionship, and seasonal yard work, allowing seniors to remain in their homes longer. These services are provided without charge to those using the assistance.
Nancy has advocated at the state level for adult day care services and works to educate the community on dementia issues. As Executive Director of St. John’s Community Care, she led the organization to develop the only Adult Day Centers in Madison County. These centers care for individuals with dementia every weekday. St. John’s also sponsored support groups and training for family caregivers.
Appointed to serve on the Healing Community Board at St. John United Church of Christ in 1984, her volunteer work led to the establishment of St. John’s Community Care, providing non-medical in-home support services to seniors and others challenged by disabilities from 1985 to 2019. This in turn led her to what is now her full-time job as director of Community Care.
Nancy was very active in the Collinsville Area League of Women Voters, having served over the past 30 years as President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Through the efforts of the LWV under Nancy’s leadership, parks and recreational opportunities expanded in the Collinsville area and Collinsville adopted the City Manager form of government.
She served on the Collinsville Food Pantry Board, the Board of Hoyleton Youth and Family Services, the East St. Louis Chapter of the AAUW, the Illinois Outreach Advisory Committee of the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and as a Cub Scout Den Leader.
The Alton YWCA Women of Distinction Banquet is set for 6 pm on September 17th at the Best Western Premier.
Tickets and infomation can be found here:https://www.altonywca.com/blog/event/women-of-distinction/
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