Caring Carroll matches volunteers with older adults to help with everyday tasks | HOLIDAY HOPE

Allana Haynes, Baltimore Sun
·3 min read

This story is part of a series running through December profiling the five local charities that will benefit from the 2023 Holiday Hope campaign, sponsored by The Carroll County Times and the Kahlert Foundation.

For the last 16 years, the nonprofit organization Caring Carroll has been helping older county residents who have limited resources with tasks that support them to live independently.

Still, despite their longevity in the community, manny people are not aware of Caring Carroll’s services, according to Executive Director Mike Rodgers.

“Over the years, I noticed that more and more people I talk to say, “I’ve heard of Caring Carroll’ or ‘my neighbor volunteers’ or ‘my neighbor gets help from Caring Carroll,’” Rodgers said. “There’s still a lot of folks in Carroll County who don’t know who Caring Carroll is and that’s one hope that I have, that [people know] that we’re here to help.”

Caring Carroll matches trained volunteers with older adults in the county to help with a variety of non-medical needs, for example friendly visits, help with errands, gardening, light housekeeping, small home repairs, yard work or transportation to and from appointments.

Kahlert Foundation Executive Director Ellen Myers said transportation services in particular can be very helpful for older county residents.

“Transportation in the community has been an issue, particularly people getting to doctor’s appointments, to grocery store, to the bank, or whatever it might be. And so Caring Carroll has a wonderful program where they’re getting seniors to these types of appointments,” Myers said. “They have volunteer drivers and people can go online and line up a ride to someplace that is important for them to be like a doctor’s appointment.

“Oftentimes, you can’t afford an Uber or Lyft, if they were even available, which there’s not a ton of that available in Carroll County. If they were, it’s expensive, so this is a great alternative, particularly for the senior population.”

Established as a nonprofit in 2007, Caring Carroll began as a safety check program with volunteers calling to check in on isolated elderly and disabled adults who wished to continue living independently, according to its website. Volunteers soon understood that older county residents needed more than a phone call and services expanded.

Today, the organization has more than 120 volunteers, about half of whom are active on a weekly basis.

Rodgers said the community can support the organization by donating money or volunteering their time.

“If it weren’t for our volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to exist and help as many people as we can,” he said.

The nonprofit has been hosting holiday pop-up shops in its offices, selling holiday gifts to raise funds for programs. The next pop-up is set for Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., in the Carroll Nonprofit Center, 255 Clifton Blvd, Westminster, in Suite 213. Call the office at 410-775-5596 for more information.

The Holiday Hope campaign provides unrestricted funds that organizations can use in areas that need the most assistance, including Caring Carroll. To participate in Holiday Hope, donate online at http://bit.ly/cctholidayhope or write a check payable to one of the organizations below and send to: Holiday Hope, 332-140 Village Road PM8179, Westminster, MD 21157. Include the form found inside the print edition of The Carroll County Times to receive a thank you card from the organization.

  • BridgingLife Hospice Care

  • Caring Carroll

  • Carroll County Food Sunday

  • The HOFFA Foundation

  • Shepherd’s Staff