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Shelley Osterloh ReportingTeams of volunteers combed a west side neighborhood today offering to help to the elderly as part of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program.
Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson offered words of encouragement before more than 70 volunteers hit the streets to spread the word to seniors that they are available to help with a variety of chores.
Nancy Kelley-Gillespie. Dir., Neighbors Helping Neighbors: "Providing visits in their home, providing companionship, helping them with their light housekeeping needs. Grocery shopping, escorting them to doctors appointments, to coordinating community service projects like cleaning up their yards, painting their homes or fixing their roof or something along that line."
The Neighbor to Neighbor program is the heart of the WD Goodwill Initiatives on Aging at the University of Utah College of Social Work.
Nancy Kelley-Gillespie. Dir., Neighbors Helping Neighbors: “A big part of our goal is to build community, to mobilize neighbors to help meet the needs of the elderly that are living in their own homes."
Volunteers from the Mayor’s office, Americorp, and Rowland Hall St. Marks High School went door to door in one neighborhood to see if folks needed their help.
Volunteer at Door: "We are here with Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and we are just wondering if you would like some information and if you need to register to vote or anything."
Volunteers say they enjoy the work and meeting people.
Chelsea Webber, Rowland Hall St. Marks High School: "It feels really good to know that you are helping senior citizens. Especially like they said that their walks are too much for them. It’s nice that they at least know that we are around to help them out with that."
Organizers say a little help can mean all the difference in the world to someone who is elderly and cannot quite manage some of the physical chores that need doing around a house. And volunteers say service to others is rewarding.
Jerica Johnson: "It made us all feel really really good, like we made a difference in the community."
If you want to volunteer, or live in the Salt Lake area and are in need of a little help around the house, you can check into the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program. Just follow the link to their web site or call (801) 581-5162.
