The Family Caregivers Coalition in Sheboygan County was co-founded by Jane with the Sheboygan County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) in 2010. She co-chairs the coalition with the ADRC and works with steering members from the Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia Care Network, United Way, Mental Health America, and Hearthstone as well as a family caregiver representative. The mission of the coalition is to identify, recognize, support, and enhance the role of family caregivers through 1) community outreach, 2) education, 3) peer support, and 4) shared resources in order to help family caregivers thrive. Caring for a parent, spouse, or friend with a chronic illness such as dementia, cancer, heart disease, and stroke while often balancing caregiving with full-time employment can be physically, emotionally, and financially exhausting.

Recent 2022 data indicated that 261 family caregivers and 82 community organizations are current members. The current and emerging needs of family caregivers are met annually through four educational programs, weekly e-newsletters as well as a monthly family caregiver education/support group that Jane creates new educational content for and co-facilitates. Jane also creates content for and co-facilitates one-two of the educational programs each year. Content focuses on research-based health-related, resources, self-care topics, etc. She also facilitates an annual evidence-based six-part evening series that targets employed family caregivers. There are no membership dues and programs are sustained through shared skills and resources of members.