Tunbridge, Vermont

Tunbridge Neighbors Helping Neighbors

889-3437

What is Tunbridge Neighbors Helping Neighbors?

TNHN has been started by local residents in order to improve the lives of residents of Tunbridge, Vermont and the immediate surrounding area.

TNHN provides needed services to residents through volunteer actions and acts as a clearinghouse and coordinator for volunteer efforts. While the emphasis is on helping seniors, help will be available to anyone who asks.

TNHN sponsors and helps with events and programs of general interest to the community. The basic purpose is to provide occasions where the community can get together for events that are fun and/or helpful.

How it Works

Anyone needing help with something should call 889-3437. Someone will take your request and find a volunteer who can do it. The volunteer will then call you back and agree on the time, what needs to be done, and so on.

There will be no charge for any service. You don’t have to be a member of anything to get help. There are no dues or fees. If you want to reimburse a volunteer for gas or such, that is OK.

Who is Eligible for Help?

Anyone in Tunbridge and the immediate surrounding area can request help. This service is intended for all, young and old, rich and poor, healthy and infirm. Everyone needs help with something sometime, and we want helping each other to become a habit. In fact, it already is a habit; this is just a way to make help more readily available.

What Services are Offered?

The list below is of things volunteers have already said they would be willing to do. However, you can ask for anything you need some help with; if the request makes sense and we have a volunteer who can do it, you can get the help.

• Transportation to and from medical appointments, other local transportation, rides to church or local events;
• Picking up prescriptions or other goods from stores;
• Doing errands for those unable to do so;
• Bringing someone back from the mechanic, if they have had to leave their car for service;
• Short-term loans of medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or crutches;
• Cooking meals for people who are ill, or otherwise unable to cook for a short time;
• Minor repairs, painting, or minor improvements to peoples’ homes, such as changing a lock;
• Changing a flat tire, jump-starting a car;
• Simple repairs to household appliances;
• Help lifting or moving large objects;
• Friendly visiting or reading to shut-ins or others;
• Helping people use their computer, or get on the Internet;
• Delivery of library books;
• Delivery of Food Shelf items;
• Referral for services from state, county, or federal agencies;
• Ride-sharing for shopping or other purposes;
• Help with gardening or lawn care;
• Short-term loan for a generator;
• Etc.

How Do I Volunteer?

Call 889-3437 and we will put you on the list. You may then be called from time to time. No one is going to be asked to do something week after week.

Let us know if there are particular things that you might be able to do.

Events and Programs

We hope to sponsor or help with at least one event or program per month of interest to local residents, such as:

• Community pot-luck suppers, (co-sponsored if possible with another community organization);
• A Community bulletin board or ride-share posting;
• Speakers or musical programs of interest to the community, historic house tours, garden tours;
• Healthy cooking and nutrition workshops;
• Craft workshops;
• Bus trips for seniors and others to out-of-town cultural or sports events;
• A community newsletter;
• Classes in subjects of interest, such as computers, gardening, crafts;
• Community swap meet or flea markets;
• Etc.

These events are open to anyone. Some will have a “suggested donation” jar at the door. Workshops or trips where there is a definite cost will have a fee of some kind for participants.

Donations

We are supported so far entirely by donations, and we welcome contributions from community members and others.

Board Members

• Bunchie Angell
• Bill Chester
• Frank Lepore
• Rick Scully
• Felicity Swayze
• Jim Wick
• David Wolfe

Volunteers

So far we have a list of about 40 people who have agreed to volunteer.