Volunteer opportunities allow us to utilize our past experiences and skills. Over the years, Harpswell Aging at Home has benefited from the talents of many volunteers and has, in turn, provided those volunteers with an outlet to pursue their interests and passions.
A conversation at a meditation class brought Dave Brown and Jess Maurer together to start Harpswell Aging at Home. Brown, a retired college professor and organizational development consultant, and Maurer, the executive director of Maine’s Council on Aging, saw an unmet need in Harpswell. They wanted to provide our neighbors with ways to successfully age in their own homes, and they started building the blocks seven years ago.
Drawing on their own outreach skills, “We started recruiting others who we thought might be interested and helpful,” said Brown. Through surveys and focus groups, they identified concerns that included food, transportation and home repairs. HAH grew from there. “It was about neighbors helping neighbors,” Brown added.