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Ohio Circle of Friends Volunteers Reach Out to Rural Areas
Published: May 31, 2009
Faith In Action® National Program Report
When the Red Cross stopped providing rides to distant health appointments, a Faith in Action project in rural Ohio stepped in.
The project in Circleville, Ohio, which took place during Faith in Action, Phase 2 from 1998 to 2000, sought to help isolated people in rural areas who were without transportation but too proud to ask for help. The Faith in Action project was located at the Berger Health System, a health care organization that includes an acute hospital, a home health agency, a hospice, a rehabilitation center and an occupational health center. The project advertised its services and recruited volunteers through the local newspaper, a radio station and churches.
RWJF supported this project through a grant of $25,000 (ID# 034515).
Area senior services required a person to be 60 years or older to receive aid. The Faith in Action project had no age or income requirements so it was able to help people who were otherwise ineligible for assistance.
The project reported the following results:
- The project recruited 35 volunteers who provided assistance to 107 families with homebound, disabled, frail or elderly members. Recipients ranged in age from 40 to over 80. Volunteers provided light housekeeping, handyman chores, respite care, transportation, shopping, yard work, friendly visiting and telephone contact.
Some people simply needed someone to install a handrail or elevate a sofa with blocks to make it easier for them to sit down and get up.
One of the major services provided was transportation to the hospital and health appointments in Columbus, Ohio, 20 miles away once the Red Cross stopped providing that service.
After RWJF funding ended, the project started a family caregiver's support group where caregivers could come together, talk about their experiences and share ideas.
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Grant Results Sidebars
Some Grant Results reports on national programs have sidebars telling the story of a program theme, a particular site, or a strategic approach to the problem. Sidebars are prepared, based on the grant file, by external writers and editors. They are reviewed by RWJF staff and the director of the initiative. Any reviewer in the chain may ask for changes in the report to improve clarity or accuracy.
Read more about our approach.