For a decade, Melanie Allmayer has served as a spiritual care volunteer through the chaplaincy program at Jewish Family Services. Whether visiting a patient in the hospital or making a call to an older adult living in a long-term care facility, Allmayer continues providing caring conversation, a listening ear and a hand to hold.
Allmayer’s inspiration to serve at JFS came years ago.
“As a high school student, I admired the work of JFS social worker Reggie Goldberg,” Allmayer said.
While the Prairie Village resident didn’t follow Goldberg’s career path into social work, Allmayer did commit to helping others. A member of Congregation Ohev Sholom, Allmayer was recommended to serve in the JFS spiritual care volunteer program by the congregation’s rabbi at the time, Scott White.
“I was honored and thought that I would give it a try for a year,” Allmayer said. “Obviously, I have enjoyed being a spiritual care volunteer more than I imagined and plan to continue.”
Working through the Jewish community chaplaincy program at JFS, spiritual care volunteers work closely with Community Chaplain Jonathan Rudnick to deliver comfort, connection, and support. These volunteers go through extensive training as they fulfill the mitzvah of “bikkur holim,” visiting the sick in the community.
A native Kansas Citian, Allmayer holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and human services and two master’s degrees — in marketing and romance languages. Allmayer’s educational background has served her well as a spiritual care volunteer.
“I visit Jewish and non-Jewish patients at KU Medical Center in their rooms pre/post-Covid and over the phone during COVID, and I began having phone visits in Spanish with Latino patients this year,” she said. “I complete online forms of my visits for JFS and an email summary of my visits for my KU chaplain mentor.”
JFS is not the only organization to benefit from Allmayer’s caring work.
She volunteers each week as an interpreter for JayStart, KU’s free clinic for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. Allmayer also serves as a biweekly volunteer interpreter for JayDoc, KU Medical Center’s free health clinic and freelances as a certified medical interpreter and trainer with Jewish Vocational Service. She co-leads a chapter of Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, an organization building relationships between Jewish and Muslim women.
Recently, Allmayer was honored by JFS for her 10 years of service as a spiritual care volunteer. During her tenure with the program, she has had some memorable moments, and one in particular stands out. Allmayer visited a young couple who recently moved to the metro area and had just become first-time parents of a 3-pound premature baby.
“I was nervous when I first entered their room because the anxiety about this baby’s survival was palpable. I was able to visit this family monthly for about five months and witnessed the steady progress,” Allmayer said. “When the baby was healthy enough to be discharged, I felt emotional and connected to this family. I think about this family and how much I learned from them about faith, love and appreciation.”
With a decade as a JFS Spiritual Care volunteer under her belt, Allmayer has no plans to stop. A self-described people person, she loves the work.
“I meet people during their vulnerable times and try to bring some sunshine to their day by asking them about what they do for fun when they’re not in the hospital,” she said. “I am amazed how much some people share about themselves and how uplifted I feel by their inner strength, life experiences and spirituality.”
