At Cassia, our commitment to serving older adults with faith and compassion starts in our local communities, but it doesn’t end there. This calling is rooted in Christ’s love and the belief that every older adult deserves dignity, respect and belonging, wherever they are.

“Caring for older adults isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are,” says President and CEO Matthew Kern.

“That calling doesn’t stop at the doors of our communities here in the United States. It reaches across cities, cultures and continents.”

Inspired by Kenyan nurses Cassia had recruited, the organization formed a meaningful partnership with the Little Sisters of the Poor at Nyumba Ya Wazee Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya. There, the sisters care for older adults with extraordinary devotion, with far fewer resources than we have in the United States. Their ministry reflects the same deep truth we hold dear at Cassia—that caring for elders is Holy Work, carried out with reverence and joy.

On behalf of Cassia, Elim Preferred Services provided a $20,000 donation for medical supplies, helping strengthen their ability to continue providing compassionate, dignified care to those they serve.

A Journey of Faith, Fellowship and Shared Purpose

To deepen this relationship, a Cassia delegation traveled to Kenya: Director of Recruiting Sara Shore, Senior Director of Clinical Services Holly Williams, Chief Clinical Officer Jaime Brady and Vice President of Human Relations Cheri Almquist. They went to listen, to learn and to witness the sisters’ ministry firsthand.

From the start, it felt less like meeting new partners and more like recognizing family across an ocean. The sisters immediately embraced their visitors with a heartfelt welcome.

“There’s a peaceful feeling there. I wanted to stay there all day. They’re so welcoming,” says Sara Shore.

Residents greeted the team with warm smiles. Songs of praise rang out during worship services. The sisters moved with quiet purpose, tending to needs with reverence and joy—a daily rhythm shaped by devotion and strengthened by faith. It was clear to the Cassia team that the sisters’ service goes beyond mere caregiving.

Holly Williams felt that devotion deeply: “I truly saw what compassion was while there. Sunup to sundown, they’re up getting these people ready. They’re doing laundry. They’re tending the garden. They’re holding services. And these ladies had a smile on their face.”

The sisters’ humility revealed a faith lived out in every gesture. “They’re like ‘It’s all right; it’s God’s work. God brought us here and we’re here to provide,’” Holly says.

They do all that without many of the resources readily available in the United States, Chief Clinical Officer Jaime Brady says. And yet, in every corner of the home, Cassia’s team felt the unmistakable presence of shared purpose—a shared understanding that caring for older adults is sacred work that binds us across cultures and continents.

Vice President of Human Relations Cheri Almquist captured this beautifully: “The sisters do the same thing that we do every day. They are fostering fullness of life in the spirit of Christ’s love … They are dedicating their lives and really the quality of care, the cleanliness, the showing of dignity and respect to the residents all paralleled what we here at Cassia do.”

Carrying the Mission Forward

This journey to Kenya reminded us of something timeless and true: compassion knows no boundaries and Holy Work is universal. When we give, we receive. When we serve, we grow. And when we care, we are united as one family in faith.

We are grateful to the Little Sisters of the Poor, to the residents of Nyumba Ya Wazee and to every member of the Cassia community whose generosity makes this mission possible.

Thank you for helping us carry Christ’s love to the hearts of elders across the world.