Heritage Estates Chef Leaves Her Mark on Local Community

Mar 16, Alissa Sauer

As a Leisure Care community, Heritage Estates is committed to our core values of practicing well-being, striking a balance, having permission to play, leaving their mark, and breaking the mold. Take a closer look at how Chef Tara Teestel leaves her mark, positively impacting the local area where she lives, works, and plays through her work with Rooms of Hope!

Rooms of Hope is a non-profit organization that serves the San Francisco Bay Area. Servicing sick children, Rooms of Hope creates their dream bedrooms in their homes. Because children with debilitating illnesses often lose control over their schedules, their activities, and even their schooling, Rooms of Hope strives to provide a sense of joy and purpose, working with them to design a space that meets not only their immediate functional, storage, and medical needs, but also allows that child to begin the process of healing and dreaming about tomorrow.

Since 2013, Chef Tara of Heritage Estates Senior Living has been working with Rooms of Hope by cooking for their annual fundraiser, Beards & Brews, in downtown Livermore.

“I was introduced to Rooms of Hope over 12 years ago. I am continually humbled by which they provide dream room makeovers to children who are critically ill. It seems so simple, yet the impact it has on a child fighting for their life is enormous and often life-changing, if not life-saving. Seeing people with all different skill sets, from novice to licensed contractors, pull together to help families in the scariest and darkest times of their lives have forever changed me. I am honored to have worked with an organization that realizes when a child is critically ill, it affects the whole family, and surrounding the family with community is sometimes the best medicine.” – Tara Teetsel, Chef at Heritage Estates and Rooms of Hope Volunteer

Giving back to the community is important to every resident and staff member at Heritage Estates. Here, we live out what we call the Three-Thirds Lifestyle. It’s about showing up for our families, our communities, and our jobs – and in that order. It may seem backward to place work last on our priority list, but it makes perfect sense to us. We know that happy employees who do meaningful work in their homes and communities show up as their best selves for our residents.

To learn more about our unique approach to senior living, contact Heritage Estates Senior Living today! We offer independent living and assisted living services for a new generation of older adults.