Belonging to this community has made a big difference in my life. I was looking for a project after I retired and HomeHaven fit the bill to a T. Beside dozens of fulfilling volunteer opportunities, there are so many things to enjoy as a member - cultural events, talks and trips and gatherings, play readings and book discussions, tips on health and creative aging from our Health & Wellness group and others, walks around the area, and, best of all, the chance to make interesting new friends. I have loved being part of HomeHaven.
HomeHaven is an absolutely wonderful organization! I have been a member since the day it was founded—namely, 15 years ago. My membership has given me nothing but joy and has given my retirement purpose and fulfillment. I love volunteering and helping others; and, as I age, I look forward to being helped by my many terrific friends who are fellow members. I could never have survived the death of my beloved husband without the support and love of those friends. I have enjoyed working closely with this great group of people since HomeHaven’s inception; we continue to welcome new and interesting people as we grow and thrive. Our Executive Director and her staff are sensitive to the needs and wishes of our members; hence, we continually come up with new programs, new activities, and new issues to grapple with. I can’t think of a better environment in which to grow older.
I have not found this organization to be hospitable to elderly people with mobility challenges. Among other things, events are held in homes that are not accessible to people using walkers and those people are told that it is not appropriate for them to attend. In addition, married couples are required to have a household membership (currently $995 a year) even if one member of the household no longer resides there because of health issues and/or is no longer allowed to attend events. (Rationale--a co-owner of a home benefits from the ability to access home maintenance referral services even if s/he no longer can live there.) It has been a disappointment to see the organization abandon members once they age to the point that mobility aides such as walkers are necessary, while still charging the full membership fee. It is somehow even more lonely to be abandoned by an organization that was once so important to you.
EDofHH 07/23/2025
I'm sorry this individual had a bad experience with HomeHaven and chose to write incorrect, confusing, and misleading information in their review. To clarify: If one member of a married couple or partnership no longer lives in the home, the "household" membership is converted to an "individual" membership and the fee is reduced. As for "not allowing" members to attend events, I cannot think of a situation where we have done that. We stress safety, so we inform members of any physical obstacles they may encounter at an upcoming event. We have dozens of events every month, and occasionally one may be inaccessible because it is held in a private home. Finally, we don't abandon our members. In fact, we do everything we can to help them engage and participate. (There are things we legally cannot do, but that's a longer discussion.) Our renewal rate is currently 91% and it is rare for people to leave our organization due to dissatisfaction.