What would it take for you to stay in your home as long as possible? In 2002, a group of seniors in Boston asked themselves that question and decided to create what they called a (virtual) village. Since then, hundreds of villages have sprung up, the “village movement” was born, and the Village to Village Network was founded to support the movement. In 2017, a group of residents of Albuquerque’s Parkland Hills decided to join the movement and form their own village, now called Parkland Village in Southeast Albuquerque.
What is a virtual village? It is a non-profit organization that provides volunteer services to people who are elderly or disabled to enable them to age in place in their homes. It is ideally designed to create a sense of neighborhood community, as Parkland Village does. Services provided include local transportation; light household chores and yard work; technical assistance; and friendly visits (e.g. playing cards, cup of tea, cooking together) to prevent isolation and enhance connection.
The 501(c)(3) non-profit is all-volunteer. Anyone in its service area who considers themselves to be elderly or disabled is eligible to become a member and receive services. Others can become members to support the organization. Many members are also volunteers. It is optional for volunteers to be members.
Members pay annual dues of $150 for an individual and $200 for a household. Discounted dues are available for those who can’t afford the regular dues. Vetted volunteers also live in the service area, hence the motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
How does it work? A member who needs a service contacts the Village phone, and a call manager on duty enters the person’s request into a Helpful Village digital platform. E-mails automatically go out the next morning to all volunteers who are offering the type of service requested. A match between volunteer and member generally occurs without further work by the call managers.
Parkland Village also has numerous social events in area parks and in members’ homes. Virtual Zoom forums that are educational or simply social are also scheduled to strengthen a sense of community in the service area and foster connection among the residents.
Forming a village requires a dedicated core of individuals and a considerable amount of work. However, efforts have paid huge dividends in the form of new friends, fun times, and the satisfaction of building community. Parkland Village and others like it are ready to help groups in Albuquerque wishing to create their own. If you or anyone you know is interested, start by talking to neighbors and reaching out to your neighborhood association to find that dedicated group of people.
If you know of anyone who lives between San Mateo SE and Richmond SE and between Gibson SE and Zuni/Garfield SE, they may contact us to learn about becoming members and/or volunteers of Parkland Village. If you live outside this service area and would like information or help to start your own village, contact us at (505) 417-8799, visit www.parklandvillageabq.org, or send an email to [email protected].
