My Nonprofit Reviews

Vinalhaven Eldercare Services (VES)was founded to assist island elders so they may remain near family and friends throughout their lives.

In addition to a 8 person assisted living home, The Ivan Calderwood Homestead, VES provides many services free of charge so none will go without. These include:

Meals on Wheels, Medic Alert Phones, Loan of Medical Equipment, Vehicle and Wheelchair Van transportation, Day Visitor programs for social, opportunities, Activities, games, music, special events, club meetings and exercise programs at the Homestead, In-home care provided by Homestead staff and Providing a home base for the visiting nurse program from the mainland known as Maine Health.

These services are vital to keeping our elders safe and ensuring they will live out their lives with the support and dignity they so richly deserve.

I am the current President and a Co-Founder of Vinalhaven Eldercare Services, a non profit organization devoted to assisting older residents so they may remain on the island, engaged in the community and near family and friends.
The cost of living on the island is greater than on the mainland, and most of our elders are living with very limited resources. We supply various critical services which our elders could not pay for.
It seems large granting organizations are not interested in small non-profits, such as ours. They want " a bigger bang for their buck". We have applied for funds from United Midcoast Charities for specific needs.
On several occasions board members from UMC have come to to the island to visit with us, tour our assisted living home, and discuss our challenges and successes. They are the only funder who has ever visited us, which indicates to me, they really care about where their resources are going and how wisely they are used. I admire them for taking such a personal interest and being so responsible with the funds they have to share.