Fixed incomes and rising cost of living have put many older adults in a tight spot, unable to afford nursing homes or professional services.
In response to a community needs assessment that revealed a growing demand for assistance among Goodhue County’s senior population, Three Rivers Community Action is expanding its services into Wanamingo.
The nonprofit serves Wanamingo and other communities in Goodhue County through its Zumbrota office. It also has offices located in Rochester, Faribault and Wabasha. Three Rivers provides a variety of services, including housing assistance and early childhood education, with older adults being one of the primary demographics it serves.
Three Rivers began serving Wanamingo this spring, and is currently seeking volunteers in the community to help local seniors. Three Rivers already offers chore and homemaker services through volunteers in Zumbrota, Mazeppa and Cannon Falls. Volunteer Coordinator David Kujawa said they’re not limited to those communities, and he will seek volunteers for anyone who requests assistance in Goodhue County.
Three Rivers expands into communities based on where requests for help come from, and where people step forward to volunteer. Kujawa said the organization could expand to Kenyon next, and community members can expedite that process by signing up to volunteer.
“We’ll take all of the volunteers we can get. We’ll take folks that are looking to just help for one hour a week, folks that are looking for more, if there’s a boy scout group, a girl scout group, a church group that’s looking to improve their community, we’ll take them however they come and however many want to sign up. It’s really just important that we have a robust community base of volunteers to be able to meet needs as they come and to be able to meet those needs quickly,” said Kujawa.
People interested in volunteering for chore and homemaker services, Meals on Wheels or other services can join Three Rivers’ database to be alerted when needs arise in their community.
Bob and Virginia Schmidt have volunteered with Three Rivers for several years, serving Meals on Wheels in Zumbrota and now Wanamingo.
Virginia, a hospice worker for 16 years, said she volunteered because she wanted to stay involved in the community after retirement. Once Bob started tagging along, it didn’t take long for him to get invested too.
“Someday I’m going to need the help. I’m just glad I can pay forward right now,” he said.
The couple delivers meals five days a month in Wanamingo, and two days a month in Zumbrota. While they don’t have long to spend with each client, providing a dose of human contact is an important part of what they do. Virginia said the work is deeply rewarding, and she always feels good after a day of volunteering.
“I think we get more out of it than they do, actually,” she said.
The Schmidts have also helped clients with transportation and errands, and sometimes bring their dog along for visits. They hope to volunteer for chore and homemaker services in the future as well.
Bob said some clients can seem closed off or grumpy at first, but over time it becomes clear they’re just lonely and in need of connection.
“It’s been a real blessing for me. I love every single one of our clients,” said Bob.
In addition to individuals like the Schmidts, Kujawa said community partners like Hillcrest Center have been key source of volunteers in Wanamingo.
“They’re a fantastic community partner. They take whole weeks, sometimes every single month, they’re great for when we need substitutes,” said Kujawa.
Businesses and other organizations can sign up to send volunteers as long as they agree that each adult volunteer will complete a background check and respect clients’ confidentiality.
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