Home Help Services provides household respite

Whether he's aiding clients with minor paint jobs and rides to the grocer or rebuilding an entire deck, Home Help Services provider William Baumgardner said he just wants to help.

"Whatever the task, just ask," is the motto for his new business, Home Help Services, Baumgardner said. He started the business to help elderly, disabled or overwhelmed homeowners care for their property and manage tasks.

Raised in Ocean City, Md., the home-help provider said he lived in Florida for most of his adult life, working in auto repair and the insurance industry. After returning to the Delmarva peninsula to care for his own ailing family members and go into semi-retirement, Baumgardner said he was struck by how many older retirees needed an extra set of hands for help around the house.

Helping people has always come naturally and been personally rewarding, Baumgardner said, so when he was on the lookout for a part-time job, he took that into account.

After he conferred with his significant other, Nina Cameron, a physical therapy assistant who regularly sees clients in need of help with daily tasks, Baumgardner decided helping others manage their household duties would be the most rewarding part-time job he could get.

"I thought, nothing is coming to me, so I have got to create something," he said. "What can I do to help people, keep myself busy and generate a little bit of money?"

And so, Home Help Services was born.

Cameron said Baumgardner was always willing to lend a hand, and there is a need in the community, so launching a small business just made sense.

"He really does have empathy for people," she said. "He just wants to help out, and he's willing to do whatever he can."

Spending the majority of his career the insurance industry, Baumgardner said he realized people weren't going to be willing to let just anybody into their homes, so the new business owner said he took steps to make sure he is fully insured in case any accidents happen during home repair or tasks related to Home Help Services jobs.

Baumgardner said he consults with his clients to agree on a price before starting jobs to avoid any confusion over pricing.

In his efforts to get the word out about his business, Baumgardner said he has gone to support groups to speak and contacted local churches and the Easter Seals.

"I'm not looking to get rich off this thing, and I'm not looking to be overly busy," Baumgardner said. "I just want to help as many people as I possibly can."

Cameron's son, Hari Cameron, said although he's not disabled, he has been the beneficiary of Baumgardner's goodwill on several occasions, attesting to his skills as the handyman who helped him renovate his restaurant, a.(MUSE) before it opened last summer.

"He's great," Hari said. "He can do anything, and no job is too big or too small. Anything he can do, he will."

For more information, contact William Baumgardner at 410-610-5434, via email at wbaumgardner@ymail.com or look up Home Help Services on Facebook.