Kathy Good
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Kathy has devoted her personal life experience and professional life experience to a common goal, helping caregivers in her area.
Kathy is the volunteer executive director of the Family Caregivers Center of Mercy, in Cedar Rapids. She stops at nothing to help support caregivers. Kathy holds a master’s degree in social work, and spent over 30 years working in that field. During her years as a Licensed Independent Social Worker, Kathy worked to improve the mental health of the community, including older adults and the disabled. She served on the Linn County Community Services board, where she advocated for those struggling with developmental disabilities. Kathy was also an inaugural member of and held an officer role on the Cedar Rapids Americans with Disabilities Committee until 2015. |
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Kathy became active on the Alzheimer’s Association of East Central Iowa board when her husband, Dave, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 56. The Goods advocated for Alzheimer’s awareness at the state level and on Capitol Hill. Their national lobbying efforts helped Early-Onset Alzheimer’s become part of Social Security Disability Compassionate Allowances, waiving the traditional two-year waiting period for benefits and streamlining disability applications.
Kathy has been a tireless fundraiser for the cause as well. From 2008 to 2013, Kathy organized Team Good as part of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, raising $100,000 for research.
When her husband moved to Mercy’s Hallmar residential facility, Kathy raised $11,000 and in-kind donations to organize an art cart full of beautiful works so patients at Hallmar could use this artwork to create colorful spaces, just like home. She also created an after-dinner reading group for residents of the facility.
Kathy was called upon in 2014 to lend her insights and experience to a new program—a family caregiver center that offers a wide range of service to help with the stress caregivers face. Kathy is now the volunteer executive director of the Family Caregivers Center of Mercy.
Kathy has been a tireless fundraiser for the cause as well. From 2008 to 2013, Kathy organized Team Good as part of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, raising $100,000 for research.
When her husband moved to Mercy’s Hallmar residential facility, Kathy raised $11,000 and in-kind donations to organize an art cart full of beautiful works so patients at Hallmar could use this artwork to create colorful spaces, just like home. She also created an after-dinner reading group for residents of the facility.
Kathy was called upon in 2014 to lend her insights and experience to a new program—a family caregiver center that offers a wide range of service to help with the stress caregivers face. Kathy is now the volunteer executive director of the Family Caregivers Center of Mercy.