Inspiring Conversations with Jenny Vandermyde of Endless Compassion Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Vandermyde. 

Hi Jenny, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I own/run a Non-emergency medical transportation, company. I transport people with or without a wheelchair to medical appointments or wherever they need to go. I was born and raised in Zeeland, MI. My mom was a nurse and worked in a Dr. office for most my childhood. I knew she had some kind of health problems and witnessed a lot of disease, as well as watching her be a caretaker to her own sister whom was diagnosed with the same disease, Multiple Sclerosis. My mom was my rock, my best friend, and taught me a lot, more than I even realized at the time. When I graduated high school in 2003 my mom was slowly showing more deterioration and within a couple years she lost her ability to walk and as the years passed the disease crept up her body slowing taking more and more independence from her to the point of having to be chair/bad bound and having to depend on others to feed her. 

Luckily my mom had a wonderful support system to help her through all the scary life changes that she faced throughout her disease. She had a love for life and was a huge inspiration to all who met her, she was never one to judge and would do anything she could for another person. After I met the love of my life, Ross, we got married in 2010 and I worked as a Nurse Assistant in local nursing homes for 14 years. My husband started his own trucking company during the time we started our own family (2012: Kaden, 2015: Brylen, and 2017: Kinslee). I was able to stay at home with my babies, help my mom as needed, and help with dispatching and office work for my husband. Then in October 2017 my mom got pneumonia and was just not improving, we had to bring her to the hospital due to not getting enough oxygen and that was her last trip, she fought for a good 2-3 weeks until she passed on November 5, 2017. 

I did my grieving and had a hard time emotionally that next year, my kids were getting older and all entering school age so I was wanting to get back to work but wanted something meaningful and something I knew my mom would be proud of. I researched and did a lot of praying for clarity and guidance. One night while researching I ran across NEMT’s and thought it’d be perfect for me with my knowledge of caring for people with disabilities and dispatching/transportation! 

I wanted to start something in honor of my beautiful mother, with my years of experience as a nurse assistant and taking care of my mom, along with me and Ross’s experience in the transportation industry, I thought this would be a great fit for me! I don’t want to just bring people to and from where they have to be, I want this to be a business that will carry on my mom’s legacy of her compassion to others and her compassion she had for life… Endless Compassion🥰. I want to be that person who anybody can feel free to talk to or vent to and be there for them so that they know they are not alone in the battle they are facing. To share my mom’s story and be a friend to someone who may feel all alone, and most importantly to be a servant of God and show his love through me. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, I started exactly a month prior to COVID, so it was a little nerve-racking thinking, am I going to be able to make this work a month into starting during a pandemic and a state shut down…. 

We’ve been impressed with Endless Compassion Services, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I transport people with or without physical disabilities. I have a minivan that can fit up to 2 wheelchairs in it. I understand the stress that comes with transporting a disabled loved one and make it a personal goal to have the trip run as smoothly, comfortably, easily for the individual and family. It may seem so easy for a perfectly healthy individual to run to the doctor, dentist, grocery store, restaurant, but when you are wheelchair-bound it is hard to find a way to get from point A to point B, I remember the stress and exhaustion from when I was in that position as a caregiver to my mom and hope to make it a little easier for others. I started the company mainly as transportation but in the back of my mind wanted to someday expand and do some home care as well. I have been keeping busy with transportation, but am ready to now push on being a home caregiver. I have met so many incredible people and want to continue to help individuals with home tasks and being there for family’s who just need an extra hand in caring for their loved ones. I am hoping to this spring take on a few clients with home help, while my husband helps with transportation. I feel the Lord put me here on this earth to make a difference and show love and compassion through my passion for caring for people and being there for families throughout tough life changes. 

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was VERY shy; I was definitely the “baby” of the family and a mama’s girl! I was always interested in being a nurse as a child, I was obsessed with playing dolls, taking care of them, and played outside a lot. After high school I got my cosmetology license but never worked in salon ‘cause I didn’t have a passion for it. Then I got my nursing assistant certification, worked a couple years, and started college classes for getting my Registered nursing degree. I didn’t ever finish it and started getting busy with marriage and starting a family. I regretted not finishing for a while but now know that this is what God had planned for me and I absolutely love what I do! 

Contact Info:

• Email: Endlesscompassion@ecs.news
• Website: https://ECS.news
• Facebook: @endLessCompassions