Centrica Care Navigators

Centrica Care Navigators Expert Care, Centered on You. Centrica Care Navigators is a nonprofit organization that was created to serve the communities where we live.

We’ve established a long legacy of innovating to provide a better, more comprehensive circle of care for you and your family. During our 40-plus years of caring for our community, we’ve continually expanded our services and reach to serve more of our neighbors at different points in their care journey.

"Volunteering with the Journeys program has been life-changing. Connecting with kids who are grieving their first signif...
04/30/2026

"Volunteering with the Journeys program has been life-changing. Connecting with kids who are grieving their first significant loss has helped me to process my own grief in ways I never could have imagined, and I've made friends with my fellow volunteers, which has deeply enriched my life. Witnessing the kids being kids at Camp Good Grief filled me with so much compassion and joy--I loved seeing these kids bond with one another and truly have fun! Thank you, Centrica, for offering this incredible day camp. The memories made will not be forgotten." --Journeys Volunteer

We have so many ways to volunteer, and truly our volunteers are at the heart of what we do in end-of-life care and bereavement support. Thank you to our truly exceptional team of volunteers!

🧡 Join our growing team of dynamic and compassionate volunteers now:
CentricaCare.org/Volunteer

🛶 Learn more about Camp Good Grief on our website:
CentricaCare.org/Camp

Round up your friends and meet us on the course for a day packed with action, laughs, and great prizes. It’s a great way...
04/23/2026

Round up your friends and meet us on the course for a day packed with action, laughs, and great prizes. It’s a great way to connect with colleagues and business partners, or treat your rockstar employees to an unforgettable team-building experience. Everyone’s welcome!

🏌🏼 Binder Park Golf Course
📅 June 19, 2026
🏆 Silent Auction and Prizes! Items TBA
🌮 Food provided generously by Taco Bob's

Learn more and register your team today on our website:
CentricaCare.org/golf

Thank you to our sponsors! You can still become a sponsor-- Head to our website for more info.

CareLinc Medical Equipment & Supply
Tyler-Little Family Foundation
Humphrey Products Company
Sentinel Group
W.Soule
Steensma Lawn & Power Equipment
Taco Bob's
ClickBid Event Fundraising Platform
Havermill
Mike & Sharon Seelye Family Foundation
Musashi Auto Parts
Scott Baxter
CarePatrol of Kalamazoo
Forman Glass
Hub International
Joldersma & Klein Funeral Home
Total Fabrication Solutions
ClickBid Event Fundraising Platform
Getman Corporation
Rose Street Advisors
Ed & Sue Stanton

04/22/2026

Tonya Collins, our new Philanthropy Director for Major Gifts, joined Ken Lanphear on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM this morning to talk about what makes Centrica Care Navigators different — and why that difference matters to every family we serve.

From 168 active volunteers to our Open Access Program that ensures no family ever faces a bill they can't handle — this is community care, the way it was always meant to be.

Give your time or make a gift. Both change lives.

🔗 Volunteer: CentricaCare.org/volunteer
💛 Give: CentricaCare.org/giving

04/21/2026

Over the past two months, something extraordinary has unfolded through the collaboration between the Centrica Care Volunteer and Pediatric teams. A pediatric patient, who was receiving respite care at Centrica Rose Arbor Place, required nearly constant companionship—an uncommon and complex need that called for an equally uncommon response.

What happened next speaks to the very heart of our mission.

In partnership with leadership, the Volunteer Department mobilized, building a schedule that ensured this patient was never alone, from early morning through evening, every single day of their stay. More than 60 shifts were filled by approximately 38 dedicated volunteers who stepped forward without hesitation.

But this story is about more than numbers.

Several volunteers returned again and again, forming meaningful connections with this patient. They learned this child's needs, discovered how to comfort them, and became a steady, familiar presence in their world. In a situation that could have felt overwhelming, they brought consistency, compassion, and peace—not only to the patient, but to the supporting caregivers and staff.

This level of commitment is not routine—it is exceptional—and yet, it is exactly who our volunteers are. They show up. They adapt. They give of themselves in ways that transform care and elevate what’s possible.

As you move through our community, if you encounter one of our volunteers, take a moment to thank them. Their selfless dedication makes moments like this possible. They are the quiet force behind so much of the comfort we provide—and a powerful reminder that one day, it could be our own families who are touched by their kindness.

If you would like to be a part of or support our truly remarkable volunteer team, go to our website and apply today.
CentricaCare.org/volunteer
CentricaCare.org/giving

04/20/2026

This National Volunteer Week, we continue putting a spotlight on some of our amazing volunteers!

Baylee is a goldendoodle who has volunteered with Stephanie and Debbie since 2023. Our pet therapy volunteers bring so much joy to our patients, and we are so grateful to have them amongst our volunteers!

We truly could not do what we do without volunteers. Did you know Medicare requires that at least 5% of all patient care hours at a certified hospice be performed by volunteers. Not staff. Not administrators. Volunteers — people who show up simply because they care. That rule exists for a reason. Volunteers have been at the heart of hospice since the very beginning. And they still are.

Give to support our volunteer services, or join our growing team of dedicated volunteers today!
CentricaCare.org/volunteer

04/18/2026

🦋 Our annual Memorial Butterfly Releases are fast approaching!

Join us on May 16 at Lake Front Park, Maple Lake Amphitheater in Paw Paw at 9:30 a.m. and celebrate the life of a loved one and release a monarch butterfly into the wild.

Our Battle Creek area event will be on August 1 at Leila Arboretum Society. More details on our website.

Butterflies are $10 each, and this year we have commemorative ornaments available for $20. The funds we raise from butterfly and ornament sales strengthen our ability to provide compassionate care to all who need our services, regardless of their ability to pay.

Please head to our website and register today.

CentricaCare.org/events/butterfly-release

🎉 Congratulations to Laurie Cooper, Kalamazoo Valley Community College – 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award!This week, Kala...
04/17/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Laurie Cooper, Kalamazoo Valley Community College – 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award!

This week, Kalamazoo Valley Community College was proud to celebrate one remarkable individual as its 2026 Distinguished Alumna of the Year, Laurie Cooper. Laurie is a NorthStar Care Community Institute Field Educator for Centrica Care Navigators and Southwest and has been dedicated to our organization for over 20 years.

Her journey as a hospice nurse and mentor exemplifies the courage, compassion, and commitment to community that define the Kalamazoo Valley experience.

As their 10th honoree, Laurie represents one of the college’s most established areas of study, nursing. Through this program, thousands of graduates have gone on to make a difference in healthcare across our community and beyond. Cooper now joins a distinguished group of alumni whose contributions span fields from education to entrepreneurship, each leaving a lasting mark in their own way. 🧡

In the photo: Laurie Cooper with Kalamazoo Valley President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.

🦋 Our annual Memorial Butterfly Releases are fast approaching! Join us on May 16 at Lake Front Park, Maple Lake Amphithe...
04/14/2026

🦋 Our annual Memorial Butterfly Releases are fast approaching!

Join us on May 16 at Lake Front Park, Maple Lake Amphitheater in Paw Paw at 9:30 a.m. and celebrate the life of a loved one and release a monarch butterfly into the wild.

Our Battle Creek area event will be on August 1 at Leila Arboretum Society. More details on our website.

Butterflies are $10 each, and this year we have commemorative ornaments available for $20. The funds we raise from butterfly and ornament sales strengthen our ability to provide compassionate care to all who need our services, regardless of their ability to pay.

🧡 Please head to our website and register today.
CentricaCare.org/events/butterfly-release

04/14/2026

This National Volunteer Month, we're highlighting and appreciating our amazing volunteers who are at the heart of what we do providing end-of-life care to our community here in SW Michigan.

One of our volunteers, Maria, has been deeply enriched by her experiance as a volunteer. She reads poetry to one of her patients and she talks here about how much that has impacted her, and how she can always see that it makes the day of her patient.

Join us as a volunteer today, or if you aren't able to give your time, please consider making a donation. Your gift to Centrica Care Navigators has an incredible impact on our clients, volunteers, staff and community.

Volunteer with us: CentricaCare.org/volunteer
Donate today: CentricaCare.org/giving

🟠 Please Note: the location for the grief support group, Journeys, scheduled for Tuesday, April 14th, has been changed. ...
04/13/2026

🟠 Please Note: the location for the grief support group, Journeys, scheduled for Tuesday, April 14th, has been changed.

Journeys will now meet at:
Centrica Care Navigators
7100 Stadium Dr.
Kalamazoo, MI 49009

Questions?
Call: 269.345.0273

All year long, we witness moments that remind us why this work matters. 🧡Moments of compassion. Quiet excellence. Unwave...
04/10/2026

All year long, we witness moments that remind us why this work matters. 🧡

Moments of compassion. Quiet excellence. Unwavering presence. The kind of care that stays with people long after the visit ends.
The Spirit of Caring Annual Legacy Award is our chance to pause and honor the people who bring our values to life every single day.

This year's award was selected from an extraordinary group of nominees — individuals already recognized for going above and beyond, who continue to show up for patients and families in the most meaningful ways.

We are proud to celebrate all of this year's nominees:
Carlie Street • Melissa Schiederer • Barb Martin • Julie Ward • Kendra Lovorn • Theresa Wilhelm • Tom Rufo • LaToya Chaney • Lisa Watson • Andrea Nienhaus • Amanda Weaver • Kim Courtney • Katie Bonita • Theresa Frever • Rachel Johnson • Laura Newman • Joanne Hetrick-Roder

Each of you represents the very best of what we do. Thank you. 🤍
And this year's Spirit of Caring Annual Legacy Award recipient is...
✨ Melissa Schiederer ✨

Melissa's nomination came from a patient — someone walking through one of the hardest seasons of their life. In that season, they didn't just find care. They found comfort, connection, and a presence that never wavered.

So much so, that this patient did something extraordinary. They wrote and recorded a song for Melissa called "Tribute to MA and Centrica Care Navigators." Listen to this special tribute in the second slide.

A song born from gratitude for the bond that formed through that care — something that went far beyond tasks or responsibilities and became something deeply, beautifully human.

That is the Spirit of Caring. That is Melissa.

"The impact we have doesn't end with the care we provide — it lives on in the people we serve, in their stories, and in the way they carry those moments forward."

Congratulations, Melissa. Thank you for the difference you make every single day!

Comforters, confidants, helpers. Our volunteers are essential to what we do at Centrica Care Navigators, and they’re not...
04/08/2026

Comforters, confidants, helpers. Our volunteers are essential to what we do at Centrica Care Navigators, and they’re nothing less than extraordinary in their generosity and care. In giving their time to help people live better, most find their investment to be incredibly rewarding.

There are so many ways you can help, and all of them are flexible to fit your schedule:
• Home Hospice Care
• Administrative
• Event Support
• Journeys Program for kids
• Rose Arbor Hospice Site
• Pet Therapy

Get in touch today and see what volunteer positions might be a good fit for you.
269.345.0273
centricacare.org/volunteer

Address

7100 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI
49009

Telephone

+12693450273

Website

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