In The News
Hometown Hero
In June of 2023, NPLH Founder Molly Hoadley accepted the Hometown Hero award.
2023 Annual Report
No Place Like Home (NPLH) is an all-volunteer group of community members servicing Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel, ME. Our mission is to help older residents live and thrive in their homes. We provide rides to people with no other means of transportation for basic errands, such as shopping, haircuts, and bank visits. We do small tasks around homes, such as assembling furniture or placing air conditioners in or out of windows. We also operate a medical equipment loan closet (MELC), providing durable medical equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, etc) for short- and long-term use.
The Spurling Fitness Center continues to partner with NPLH in generously providing space for the MELC, and the Town of Kennebunk provides storage for overflow equipment inventory. Cole-Harrison continues to support NPLH with insurance. Volunteers staff a phone line used for people calling in requests for assistance, and also regularly staff the MELC space. Phones are covered 5-days per week (M-F) and MELC hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 11:00 am – noon.
In 2023 NPLH received 840 calls. Of these, 583 calls for the MELC and 143 calls were for rides or other services, such as replacing smoke alarm batteries, moving large items around the house, raking for a temporarily disabled person, and hanging shelves. This is a significant drop in requests for rides (in 2021, 342 people called in this category). The decrease is most likely due to the Town of Kennebunk’s Kennector program, which provides rides to local people who are unable to drive. In addition, with things getting back to normal from COVID, more people are able to rely on other providers of transportation (friends, neighbors, etc.).
In 2023 our volunteers provided 1284 hours of service, a value of $17,714.00 (at Maine’s minimum wage of $13.80/hour) and drove over 3981 miles at their own expense providing $557.00 in in-kind (at the charity rate of $.14/mile). Other donations, including storage facilities and insurance totaled in-kind contributions of $9875.00. We do not track in-kind donations of durable medical equipment, as we have no way of calculating depreciation. NPLH receives financial donations from individuals (most often people using our service) and some grants from churches or other area donors. These funds are used for new equipment, if needed (we purchase 1-2 wheelchairs, knee scooters, or specialized walkers each year, as needed). Expenses also include equipment repair, cleaning supplies, advertising and administrative overhead, such as printing, maintenance of our google phone system, legal fees, etc.
In 2023, NPLH loaned 257 items to local people in our catchment area, a number that seems to have leveled off for the past couple years.
As we look forward to 2024, we are researching new ways in which our volunteers can meet the needs of older adults In our community. We also hope to expand our outreach in order that people who are unaware of our service, are informed and contact us for any help that we can provide.
2021 Annual Report
No Place Like Home (NPLH) is an all-volunteer group of community members servicing Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Arundel, ME. Our mission is to help older residents live and thrive in their homes. We provide rides to people who have no transportation for basic errands such as shopping, banking, and hair appointments. We do small tasks around their homes, such as assembling furniture and putting in/taking out window air conditioners. We also run a free medical equipment loan closet (MELC), providing durable medical equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, etc.) for short-and long-term use. In 2021, due to the Covid epidemic and the temporary closure of The Center’s medical transportation program, NPLH expanded services and provided rides to medical and vaccine appointments.
In September 2021 NPLH secured a donation of space from the Spurling Infinity Center to house most of the MELC equipment. Volunteers provided all the labor to make shelving and move equipment and Hancock Lumber donated materials. Cole Harrison donated insurance coverage. Backup equipment inventory remains in POD storage provided by the Town of Kennebunk.
In 2021, our 729 calls were almost evenly split between medical equipment requests (387) and requests for rides or other help (342). The latter number compares to 236 in 2020, a 69% increase year to year. (Note: NPLH took over the MELC from the Town of Kennebunk in July of 2020, so data is not comparable). Volunteers gave rides or helped in homes of over 80 residents, many of whom were regular weekly users.
Of the rides given in 2021, 75 (28%) were for medical appointments or Covid vaccinations. This is the first year that NPLH has tracked this information.
Over 20 NPLH volunteers donated 960.95 hours of time in 2021. If this were reimbursed at Maine’s minimum wage, the cost would be $12,252.00. This is an 80% increase over 2020, when volunteers donated 533.5 hours.
NPLH volunteers drove 4355.7 miles (at their own expense), providing another $609.80 in-kind (at the 2021 charity mileage rate of $.14/mile). In 2020, volunteers recorded 2814.1 miles, reflecting a 55% increase.
Other donations, including storage facilities, insurance, building materials, food, writing and engineering expertise totaled in-kind contributions of $6175.00.
The MELC loaned 252 items and received 236 items returned or newly donated. Most loaned items were wheelchairs, walkers, commodes/toilet boosters, and shower chairs.
In 2021 NPLH continued to make a significant contribution in meeting the needs of our aging community while taking on the additional role of the MELC. We rely solely on the generous donation of time from our volunteers and donations of medical equipment, money and services from the community. Our 2022 goal is to continue to expand services to our older population and continue to build the community relationships that support them.