Village Volunteers Can Help You Stay in your Forever Home
Once a year – and sometimes more – I write about a service that enables Sussex County
residents facing aging challenges remain happily and easily in their homes while also offering
one of the best ways for friends of seniors to volunteer to help them.. It’s known as Village Volunteers, for residents of
northern and western Sussex County and South Coastal Village Volunteers for those who live toward the southern end. When
you join you can get help with all kinds of daily activities, including:
TRANSPORTATION
Village Volunteers can take you:
To medical appointments
To appointments with veterinarians (you’ll accompany your pet and the volunteer)
Grocery shopping – or they can do your grocery shopping for you
To appointments with your hair dresser or barber or other folks who keep you looking
good
On other errands that are crucial to keeping your home comfortable – like treks to
Home Depot or Lowes for your garden – or places that are important to you, like
libraries or church or the synagogue
HOME MAINTENANCE
If you love your home but don’t have the time or expertise to keep it ship-shape, Village
Volunteers can:
Change light bulbs and smoke alarms
Install screens and storm windows
Hang pictures
Conduct simple repairs
Help you take care of your plants and garden
IN-HOME SUPPORT
If you’re dealing with too much clutter and need help organizing your checking accounts and
credit cards and subscriptions, there are Village Volunteers who are very good at those tasks as
well. They can also help you clean out and organize your refrigerator.
TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE
Sure, we all want to be “techy seniors” but the apps for basic banking, updates to your smart
phone and getting your TV remote to work can be annoying to almost anyone who wasn’t
raised with all of this stuff. That’s why Village Volunteers can:
Help you set up your cell phone, program your thermostats and connect your TV
remotes so various streaming services are easy to deal with
Set up your computer, including basic tasks like email
Help you figure out other electronic gadgets
COMPANIONSHIP
A lot of us are fortunate enough to have friends and family members who are just a phone call
away, but sometimes it’s nice to spend time with someone who enjoys your company and lives
nearby. That’s why Village Volunteers can offer:
Conversation and companionship, including home visits
Phone calls to check on your well-being or to just chat
Support for caregivers who need a break
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Membership for your household is $750 a year. If you live alone it’s $500 a year. If you don’t
need a membership yet but want to enjoy some benefits and support the Village you can
donate $250 a year. If you’re in a low income bracket, financial assistance is available.
WHO CAN BECOME A MEMBER?
Membership in Village Volunteers is most useful to folks who can still move freely with the aid
of a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair and who simply need help to keep their households
running.
If you live in Lewes, Milton, Rehoboth, or Dewey, you can join
Village Volunteers. If you live in Bethany Beach, Millville, Ocean View or South Bethany, you can join South Coastal Village Volunteers.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A VILLAGE VOLUNTEER?
It’s a great way to connect with nice people and enjoy the satisfaction of making their lives
better. Get all of the details at the membership links for Village Volunteers
and South Coastal Village Volunteers.
