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History:
In 1991 United Way of
Merrimack County was one of three agencies in New Hampshire to receive a Project
Care grant. The major objective of the grant was to “assess the unmet needs of
the elderly in Merrimack County for services which would allow them to retain
their independence to the maximum extent possible”.
In 1991 the New London
Council on Aging asked Anne Stites to start a Mr.Fixit Program there. Ms.
Stites learned of the program while in New Jersey where she worked for the
Hunterdon County Office on Aging.
United Way of Merrimack
County concluded their three (3) year study in 1994 and started a chore service
of volunteers called Workmatch. They had asked Ann Stites to start the chore
program in the Concord area. In March of 1994 the name was changed to the
Mr.Fixit Program. Since the United Way is not in the business of running
specific programs they asked Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack
Counties, Inc. to manage and operate the new program as well as integrate it
within its services to seniors.
The new program was set up
to provide minor maintenance and repair to senior (60 years or older) and
disabled homeowners. The work would be done, free of a set charge to the client,
by qualified volunteers. There would be a set charge for materials only if
materials were needed for the project.
Initially, the Mr.Fixit
Program was available to homeowners in the Concord area only. The program
expanded into the Franklin area in 1995. Volunteers in these towns serviced
calls from surrounding areas. In the year 2000 there were 525 requests for
service in Merrimack County. Some of those requests were from sister towns (i.e.
Tilton) not part of Merrimack.
Realizing the needs of our
aging and disabled population the Mr.Fixit Program was offered in Belknap County
in April of 2001. Funding for this initial year was provided by Community
Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, Inc. and by a grant ($7,500) from
Franklin Savings Bank.
Expansion into Hillsborough
County started in April of 2004. In August that year the program name was
changed to The Fixit Program.
Expansion into Strafford County started in November, 2005 and an Assistant was
hired in March of 2006. Expansion into Rockingham County happened in the summer
of 2007.
There no federal or state
ongoing grants providing funding. The Fixit Program’s major funding comes from
the United Ways of The Lakes Region, Merrimack County, Greater Nashua and The
Greater Seacoast.
On almost a daily basis our
volunteers throughout the state perform numerous tasks around the homes of our
clients. Many of these tasks (a broken stair, a missing hand rail or a bathroom
grab bar) require immediate attention because of the safety factor involved. In
addition to the repair of the home another group of our special volunteers works
twice a year at cleaning the yards of seniors who request the service.
The Fixit Program is not
only beneficial to seniors and the disabled, but also to the volunteer. Retired
women and men can continue to use their skills while receiving tremendous
gratification in helping someone in need. Often our volunteers work in a group
of three or four developing friendships and real admiration for one another.
When asked why a volunteer was willing to give their time and expertise, one
volunteer replied, “I have spent many years in a community that has been good to
me. Now I want to return some of the benefits I received by helping others.
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