The Visiting Nurses Foundation will celebrate the opening of its new foundation office at 243 NW Chehalis Ave. in Chehalis with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon Thursday, Aug. 27.
The new office gives the foundation a dedicated home in the community, providing a place where individuals and families can connect directly with the organization, learn about available programs and access resources and support, according to a news release from the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber and the Visiting Nurses Foundation is inviting community members, local businesses, healthcare professionals, friends and supporters to join in celebrating the new chapter for the foundation and the community it serves.
Serving the community since 1991, the Visiting Nurses Foundation has spent more than 35 years supporting individuals and families through programs and resources that strengthen home health and hospice care in the community. The work is supported by a dedicated team of thrift store employees who help make our stores an important part of supporting the foundation’s mission, along with a passionate and committed board of directors. Together, they are an important part of carrying forward the foundation’s mission: to create funding for the education and assistance of Home Health and Hospice patients and their families.
Over the years, the foundation has continued to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the community while remaining rooted in the purpose on which it was founded — supporting home health and hospice patients and their families with resources, comfort and assistance when they need it most.
Leading the foundation is Executive Director Jacki Jewell, who has been with the Visiting Nurses Foundation for six years and whose connection to the mission is deeply personal. Her passion for supporting family caregivers grew from watching her mother-in-law care for her father-in-law, Bill, during the final stages of multiple sclerosis.
“Watching my mother-in-law care for Bill gave me a firsthand look at how much caregiving asks of a person and how deeply it can impact an entire family,” she said. “We did what we could to support them, but I saw how important it was for caregivers to have opportunities to rest, recharge, and simply step away for a little while. That experience stayed with me and helped shape my passion for supporting families who are caring for someone they love.”
Jewell credits much of the foundation’s continued growth to a passionate board of directors that shares that commitment to serving local families.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside a board that truly believes in our mission,” she said. “They are passionate advocates for the families we serve, and they are always willing to listen, think big, and ask what more we can do for our community. That shared passion is a huge part of what allows us to continue growing our impact.”
Experiences like Jewell’s, along with the needs the foundation continues to see throughout the community, helped shape the Respite Care Program. The program provides financial assistance that allows family caregivers to arrange care for their loved one and take a much-needed break — whether that means resting, spending time with their own family, taking care of personal needs or simply having a few hours to themselves.
At its heart, the program recognizes a simple but often overlooked truth: caregivers need care and support, too. Respite gives them an opportunity to step away from their caregiving responsibilities with the peace of mind that their loved one continues to be cared for.
The Visiting Nurses Foundation also operates a Medical Equipment Bank at all three of its locations, providing more than 3,000 pieces of durable medical equipment to individuals and families throughout the community, free of charge. The banks offer a wide range of equipment, including wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, commodes, shower chairs, knee scooters, Hoyer lifts and other items that help individuals remain safe, comfortable and independent in their homes.
With the addition of the foundation’s third Medical Equipment Bank location, the foundation is expanding the program even further by introducing wheelchair ramps. This new resource will help address another significant need for individuals who want to remain in their homes but face mobility and accessibility challenges. By providing both durable medical equipment and home-access solutions, the foundation is helping remove barriers and making it easier for families to care for their loved ones safely at home.
The Visiting Nurses Foundation is proud to partner with Assured Hospice to provide comfort therapy to hospice patients and their families. This partnership and the foundation’s long-standing commitment to funding comfort therapy are at the heart of what the Visiting Nurses Foundation was built upon. For more than 30 years, this work has helped ensure hospice patients have access to additional services focused on comfort, connection and quality of life.
Comfort therapy helps fill an important gap by providing services that complement traditional hospice care but are often not covered by insurance. These therapies can include massage therapy, music therapy, animal-assisted therapy, Reiki, acupuncture and other therapeutic approaches based on the individual needs of each patient. Whether it is the calming presence of a therapy animal, the familiarity of a favorite song, or relief provided through massage, these services can create meaningful moments of comfort and connection for patients and their families.
In 2026, the Visiting Nurses Foundation awarded $144,000 to Assured Hospice to provide comfort therapy services to local hospice patients. The foundation is incredibly proud of its continued partnership with Assured Hospice and of the program that has been such an important part of its mission and history. As the foundation has grown and expanded its programs over the years, comfort therapy remains a cornerstone of who we are and why we exist.
In addition to its respite care and comfort therapy programs, the Visiting Nurses Foundation supports the community through its scholarships program. The foundation is committed to awarding $25,000 annually in healthcare related scholarships, helping aspiring healthcare professionals pursue their education and careers.
The organization’s work is made possible through the generosity of local donors, volunteers, businesses and community members who believe in supporting their neighbors and strengthening healthcare resources throughout Lewis County.
Now, the Visiting Nurses Foundation is excited to welcome the community to its new home in Chehalis. For the first time, the foundation has a dedicated office where community members can connect directly with the organization, learn about available programs, and access resources and support. This new space creates a welcoming and accessible home for the foundation while allowing it to continue expanding its impact and serving families throughout Lewis County.
