7/8/25, 5:00 PM

She was on the phone with a volunteer from CareNetworkCR, trying to explain how she's lost everything.

Mold had crept into the walls of her apartment, forcing her and the teens to evacuate. Every couch, mattress, and piece of clothing with a soft surface was gone. She had scraped together just enough to find another apartment. One mattress and no peace.

Her voice faltered. On the other end of the line, the CareNetworkCR volunteer, not by coincidence a retired health professional, froze only for a moment. Then the volunteer switched to her familiar healthcare mode. The volunteer knew what she was hearing wasn't good.

What happened next wasn't flashy. There were no sirens or flashing lights. But there was intervention. Divine, holy, intentional intervention. Over the next few weeks the volunteer checked back again, walking with this woman step-by-step, educating and encouraging the woman to advocate for herself.

Through the mazes of doctor's offices, medical supply providers, and insurance, eventually, a path was opened for the caller to have medical products that would allow her to be more mobile, less housebound, and healthier. The volunteer became her medical advocate. She fought for her. The woman received the medical care she needed. Because someone stepped into the gap.

That's what advocacy looks like. It's not always loud, but it is always love in action.

And that wasn't all. CareNetworkCR gave her a voucher to Hidden Gems, their thrift store on 8th Avenue SE, near downtown Cedar Rapids. There, dignity was restored one towel, one blanket, one pair of jeans at a time.
One volunteer noticed something that didn't sound quite right - but what followed was the breath of Jesus filling every gap: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

*All caller care plans and outcomes vary*