Volunteer Profiles - Meet Elaine

Be the Difference Nomination for Elaine Saulter submitted by Christine Reilly Ferry

Besides caring for her family and working full time, longtime Santa Cruz County resident Elaine Saulter has provided volunteer 16,000 hours of volunteer service for addiction and suicide hotlines with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. While there is no easy recovery from addiction or suicidal thoughts, research demonstrates that support networks and connection promote lasting sobriety, prevent relapse and encourage desperate individuals to obtain help. Elaine is one of the dedicated individuals who provides this support during the caller’s darkest hours. In my mind, connecting with someone on the brink of suicide or putting a needle in their arm is daunting at best and terrifying at worst. Doing it for 16,000 hours is heroic beyond measure.

Elaine was motivated by witnessing the suffering of the unhoused in Santa Cruz. Knowing that there are many causes and a multitude of problems and suffering that creates the state of homelessness, unable to watch their plight, needing to be part of the solution, in 202 Elaine founded the Recovery Café Santa Cruz, a 501c3 non-profit that provides sober social support for individuals recovering from any of life’s traumas. Recovery Café Santa Cruz is part of the Recovery Café Network based in Seattle, Washington and has been open since July 2021 – a significant accomplishment in and of itself during the Covid Pandemic.

Many of us have compassion for those who are suffering. Elaine has made the focus of her life’s work to give herself to those who are suffering.

The Volunteer Center will be honoring Elaine at the 2022 Be the Difference Awards on May 18th. For more information about the awards, visit the event page HERE.