UR Community Cares uses secure web-based technology to match local Volunteers with Community Members (age 70 and over or age 18 and over with a physical disability) who need free at-home support.
Household chores, yard work and companionship visits are requested and pre-scheduled online. Our program bridges the gaps between family, friends, and professional caregiving. Through intergenerational social connections (within a 15-mile radius), we help build stronger communities where residents can safely age in place and live more independently.
According to a 2018 U.S. Census Bureau report, “In 2035 there will be 78 million people age 65 and older compared to 76.4 million under the age of 18. In other words, the elderly population will outnumber children for the first time in the country’s history-a demographic shift that poses a unique set of public health challenges.”
Our mission is to connect people who need at-home help with those who want to help, town by town!
UCC was established after having seen gaps in traditional at-home care services. We help fill those gaps by linking our Volunteers with elderly or disabled members within their community.
On our digital platform, Community Members put in a request for assistance, which is then sent out to all Volunteers within that person’s area. Volunteers can pick which requests make the most sense for them in terms of availability, giving them flexibility in when they’re able to provide their services.
We also rely on our Partners, organizations who want to engage the community together. Partners spread awareness of the platform among potential Community Members and Volunteers, both through their own networks and organized “Community Days”. Additionally, we support towns in setting up their own UCC branches, by helping to raise funds, enrolling Community Members within the town, and engaging with the community at large.