Creating the Good with AARP IL

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, we talk to Pat Matsumoto, who shares the story of her experience as the daughter of Japanese American immigrants – including her memories of the time her family lived in an internment camp in Arkansas – to her years growing her career in arts & culture in Chicago and to her “second career” in retirement serving as director and secretary of the board of the Japanese American Service Committee Housing Corporation. We also celebrate the life of Bernie Wong, a fearless champion for Asian Americans, and Asian American older adults in Illinois, who passed away earlier this month.

Shirley Webb is an 83-year-old national and world champion power lifter whose career in weightlifting began at 77, when her granddaughter convinced her to sign up for a membership at the local gym. Now, Webb inspires older adults like her to exercise, stay mobile and live long and healthy lives.

Across Illinois, organizations and volunteers alike have stepped up to help older adults get vaccinated. They’ve scheduled appointments, arranged rides and even lined up nurses to visit and vaccinate homebound residents in their homes. This episode features the efforts of two of those groups, Vaccine Buddies – a volunteer group of “good humans” from Naperville—and AgeSmart, a senior advocacy organization from the East St. Louis area.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, and Fritzie Fritzshall, President of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, emphasize the need to spread words of understanding and stop the spread of hate speech in today’s society.

Rochelle Crump is the president National Women Veterans United, which helps hundreds of female veterans live happy and healthy lives.

Colette Hawley of "Coco's Songs for Seniors" takes her show to new "heights" as she travels around Illinois performing at nursing homes and

After losing his daughter to gun violence, Shemuel Sanders helps dozens of Decatur youth find purpose and plan for their futures.

Jacky Connelly founded Mrs. Jacky’s Solders 17 years ago to pack care packages for soldiers, just like her mom did for her dad when he was a sergeant in World War II.

Grammy-nominated composer Victor Pichardo has dedicated his life to preserving traditional Mexican music, including passing it down to the next generation of Mexican-American performers.

When the coronavirus pandemic led to a mask shortage in her hometown of Jerseyville, Illinois, Janice Arnold knew there had to be a way she could help – even if she didn’t know how to sew.

“Emergencies aren’t called emergencies because we’ve had time to prepare for them,” says Arnold, the founder of Angel Ministries. “I knew that if I got enough people involved, we could figure it out together.”

Arnold put out the call to her network of volunteers to come together and make masks for healthcare workers in Jerseyville. Much to her surprise, 200 volunteers offered to source materials and start producing masks.

Over time, as the community’s needs evolved to include more people, Angel Ministries began creating more sizes and styles – most recently for school children. In addition to the 12,000 masks the group has already made, the volunteers are now working to make five masks for each child in the school district – one for each day of the week.

“It’s so important that our children have a clean mask in a style they like,” she says. “That way, they feel comfortable and confident wearing them.” Janice Arnold has one piece of advice to anyone who thinks that a problem is too big for them to fix: “just start small.”

That’s exactly how she got on the path of helping people 20 years ago, work that she started part-time helping a few families around Christmas time while she worked a full-time job. Now, five years into retirement, she is able to continue helping families, but now full-time.

“Whether it’s a mom who was just evicted, or a family who needs help getting clothing or school supplies for their kids, we find a way to get it done,” she says. “Around town, I’m known as the lady who gets it done.’

For more information on how to become involved or how to support Arnold’s work through Angel Ministries, visit: www.Facebook.com/AngelMinistriesJC

And for more information on ways YOU can get involved in your local community visit aarp.org/nearyou or discover opportunities to give back nationwide by visiting Create the Good.