By Jennifer Blank, MiCAFE Network Coordinator, at Elder Law of Michigan
On August 14, 2019, Elder Law of Michigan will honor Kelly Jonker, Certified Long-Term Care Ombudsman, with the 2019 Joe D. Sutton Call to Justice Award for her elder abuse prevention work.
The Joe D. Sutton Call to Justice Awards honor those that share the mission of Elder Law of Michigan, Inc. to advocate for, educate, and assist those in need, with a continued focus on older adults and persons with disabilities.
Ron Tatro, Vice President of Elder Law of Michigan, said, “Ombudsmen play a vital role in protecting seniors and others living in care facilities. Kelly is recognized as a leader in those efforts often going above and beyond to protect patients.”
Kelly graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She has been a Long-Term Care Ombudsman for 10 years covering Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties.
Kelly is an active member of the Elder Death Review Team, Kalamazoo County Elder Abuse Coalition, and the Elder Abuse Prevention of Branch and St. Joseph counties. She is currently participating with the Attorney General’s Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force.
Elder Law of Michigan is proud to honor Kelly with the 2019 Joe D. Sutton Call to Justice Award. Join us in honoring Kelly and her years of service in making a difference in the lives of older adults Wednesday, August 14th from 6 pm to 8 pm at Founders Brewery in Grand Rapids. RSVP for the West Michigan event.
Jennifer Blanck is a MiCAFE Network Coordinator at Elder Law of Michigan and has been with Elder Law of Michigan since September 2014. As a MiCAFE Network Coordinator, Jennifer helps clients apply for benefits through the Department of Health and Human Services and helps find resources for clients with needs that cannot be met by one of our programs.