Douglas County Neighbor Network

Volunteering and making a difference in Douglas County.

What is Neighbor Network

Douglas County’s Neighbor Network Volunteer Services program is committed helping the elderly and disabled residents of Douglas County. The concept of the program is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors”.  Volunteers help people stay independent and in their homes as long as possible by providing services such as transportation, home care, household upkeep, and companionship.

As a recipient enters the program, they are interviewed to assess their individual needs.  Neighbor Network can then help them get the resources needed to stay self-sufficient.  Sometimes that means finding a volunteer to go in once a week to help around the house and offer companionship.  Many times it means providing transportation to medical appointments, the grocery store, or other critical errands.  Volunteer services also augment other agencies’ resources to help the receiver maintain maximum independence at a reduced cost.

Most of the clients in Neighbor Network live alone and do not have the financial resources to hire out for transportation and help around the house.  The volunteer based program is able to greatly increase that client’s quality of life.  Someone who was lonely now has a friend – someone who was homebound now has a ride and someone who could not keep up with their house now has help.  These are things we all take for granted, but greatly impact the way people live.  For these recipients it is the difference between staying in their home, and having to be placed into assisted living or nursing home care.