Barbara Weidlich is a Local Hero to Hundreds of Children

National Volunteer Week, April 12-18

NEEDHAM, Mass. – For the past five years, Barbara Weidlich, of Needham, has dedicated her time and money to Walker’s hospital-diversion program. Rain or shine, she spends three hours once a week delivering a pizza dinner, complete with soda and an ice cream cake, watching movies and leading story time. She provides children, between the ages of 3 and 13, who come to Walker facing severe emotional crises, with a welcomed distraction, a smiling face and a change in their normal routines.

Walker is a Massachusetts Association of Chapter 766 Approved Private Schools (maaps) with integrated clinical, psychiatric, occupational therapy, and speech and language services. Walker’s Residential Treatment Program is a nationally accredited, fully licensed, flexible, family-driven program specializing in safety, stabilization, assessment, and treatment for children between the ages of 5 and 14 who face behavioral challenges. This program helps children build social, emotional, and behavioral skills to ultimately live successfully in a home or community setting.

Walker’s two hospital-diversion programs are specifically designed to provide short-term emergency stabilization and support to children between the ages of 3 and 13 who are actively experiencing severe emotional crisis. These programs offer a community alternative to psychiatric hospitalization where family involvement is strongly encouraged in order to support the children in the most effective way possible. The Community-Based Acute Treatment Program serves children between the ages of 5 and 13. The Intensive Community-Based Acute Treatment Program, which was created in response to the increasing number of younger children requiring crisis care, offers services to children as young as 3 years old.

“The main purpose of my weekly visits to Walker is simple – to put smiles on the children’s faces,” says Weidlich. “The program is designed so that the children receive the care that they need in a warm environment.”

Weidlich, who has no children of her own, takes pride in the maternal role she has taken on at Walker’s hospital-diversion program. Weidlich sometimes sees children return for treatment, which humbles her to be part of their growth. She gladly pays out of pocket for the meals and sweet treats she brings and is always happy to assist Walker with other programs and fundraising initiatives, such as helping students at the Walker’s Beacon High School in Watertown, where she leads a discussion with teens about career choices and personal financial management.

“I think of Walker staff members with great respect and admiration as they are angels of this earth, working tirelessly and with great patience with the children to give them the care that they need,” says Weidlich. “The dedication of the staff is a reason I continue to volunteer at Walker and I am honored to be part of the team.”

Weidlich is one of more than 300 volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to Walker. A retired financial services executive, Weidlich also volunteers for the Needham Community Council, serves as a trustee for the Plimouth Plantation and makes frequent contributions to the Greater Boston Food Bank.

National Volunteer Week is April 12 to 18. To learn more about Walker, please visit walkercares.org. To become a volunteer or learn about individual and corporate/group volunteer opportunities, please contact Sarah Whalen, Walker’s donor relations and volunteer manager, at 781-292-2151.

About Walker

About Walker Founded in 1961, Walker is a leader in special education and clinical residential and day programs. Through extensive educational and therapeutic services, annually Walker directly serves more than 1,200 young people, ages 3 to 22, facing complex emotional, behavioral and learning challenges, helping them to build on their strengths and skills. Each year, Walker impacts an additional 18,000 children and families through offsite training and consultation services. Students hail from nearly 100 communities across Massachusetts. For more information, visit walkercares.org.

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