Arlington Neighborhood Villages

TO ENABLE OLDER ADULTS TO CONTINUE LIVING SAFELY, INDEPENDENTLY, AND WITH AN ENHANCED QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AS THEY AGE BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO SUPPORT SERVICES AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS.

ARLINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGE (ANV) PROVIDES DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS AGING IN PLACE, AS WELL AS SOCIAL SUPPORT TO FOSTER CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 215+ VOLUNTEERS DELIVER SERVICES INCLUDING: RIDES TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, THE GROCERY STORE, BANK OR POST OFFICE; ERRANDS; FRIENDLY VISITS; TECH HELP; AND ASSISTANCE ACCESSING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. IN 2022, 215 ANV VOLUNTEERS FULFILLED 3,261 SERVICES AND GAVE 9,163 HOURS OF THEIR TIME. VOLUNTEERS DROVE A TOTAL OF 35,583 MILES AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE. 97% OF MEMBER REQUESTS WERE FILLED. HUNDREDS OF EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS WERE CONDUCTED WITH ALMOST 5,000 PARTICIPANTS.ANV MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN TO ARLINGTON ADULTS AGED 55 AND UP. ANV'S SUPPORTS 328 MEMBERS, RANGING IN AGE FROM 58 TO 102 YEARS OLD. 73% OF ANV MEMBERS ARE FEMALE, 44% ARE AGED 80 AND UP, AND 58% LIVE ALONE. 16% OF ANV MEMBERS REPRESENT DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND 31% USE A MOBILITY DEVICE (CANE, WALKER OR WHEELCHAIR) OR HAVE SOME DEGREE OF HEARING OR SIGHT LOSS. 100% OF THE OLDER ADULTS WE SERVE LIVE IN ARLINGTON COUNTY, AS DO THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR VOLUNTEER CORPS.33% OF ANV MEMBERSHIP, OR 108 SENIORS ARE LOWER-INCOME. ANV AGGRESSIVELY MOVED TO SERVE MORE LOWER INCOME SENIORS DURING THE PAST 3 YEARS, TAKING TWO CRITICAL ACTIONS: (I) SERVING AT-RISK AND IN-NEED SENIORS REFERRED BY NONPROFIT AND COUNTY PARTNERS AT NO-COST; AND (II) REDUCING ANV'S MEMBERSHIP FEE BY 80-95% (FOR SOME TO AS LITTLE AS $25 (ANNUALLY) FOR RESIDENTS WITH INCOME LESS THAN $26,000) THROUGH ANV'S FINANCIAL AID FUND. ANV IS DEPENDENT ON VOLUNTEERS TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION. DESPITE ITS SMALL PAID STAFF, ANV HAS A LARGE IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE DONATED VOLUNTEER LABOR THAT HELPS TO RUN AND MANAGE THE ORGANIZATION AND PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO SENIORS. ALL ANV VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED AND VETTED THROUGH CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND WHEN APPROPRIATE, DRIVING RECORD CHECKS. IN THE WORDS OF OUR MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS: "I HAVE BEEN AN ANV VOLUNTEER FOR 10 MONTHS AND AM FINDING IT THE MOST REWARDING VOLUNTEER WORK I HAVE EVER DONE.""THE VILLAGE IS AN ANSWER TO A PRAYER, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO LIVE ON MY OWN.""MOM FEELS BLESSED WITH THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE SHE HAS MET AND THE FRIENDSHIPS SHE HAS MADE THANKS TO ARLINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGEVISITS, SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP COME FROM THE HEART AND MEAN A LOT TO MY MOM (AND TO ME AS A RESULT!) THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU AND YOUR FANTASTIC TEAM DOES FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY MOM." "I'VE ENJOYED MEETING ANV MEMBERS AND LOVE LISTENING TO THEIR VERY INTERESTING STORIES. I'M NOT SURE WHO BENEFITS THE MOST FROM MY SERVICE."THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS INTENSIFIED THE DEMAND FOR HELP STAYING SAFE AT HOMEESPECIALLY FROM OLDER ADULTS ON FIXED INCOMES. DURING THE MOST CHALLENGING EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC AND CONTINUING TO THIS DAY, ANV VOLUNTEERS HAVE STEPPED UP AND SUPPORTED SENIORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY BY DELIVERING FOOD FROM OUR LOCAL FOOD BANK, GIVING RIDES TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS OR TO GET VACCINE SHOTS, DELIVERING PRESCRIPTIONS AND SUPPLIES, AND HELPING NAVIGATE TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES AS WE ALL SWITCHED TO THE ONLINE WORLD FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND ENGAGEMENT. ANV HAS OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, NEVER CLOSING AND SERVING EVEN MORE SENIORS AS DEMAND GROWS.