BOLTON — A non-profit organization dedicated to enabling the elderly to remain in their homes and thrive in their communities for as long as possible is coming to the Bolton area. 

The organization, called Nashoba Neighbors, is part of The Village Movement. 

The Village Movement is a grassroots network of neighborhood-based membership organizations governed by its members that provide essential services to the elderly such as errands, home maintenance/repairs, rides and social activities.  

The Village Movement began in 1999. Since that time, over 300 “villages” in 43 states have popped up across the country. Today, more than 100 villages are in development, and in Massachusetts alone, there are 18 villages spanning from Cape Cope to the Berkshires.

Nashoba Neighbors, which will be serving the Berlin, Lancaster and Bolton area, is headed up by Bolton resident Catherine Pfau. 

Pfau was inspired to start the non-profit after reading an article about The Village Movement in The Boston Globe about three years ago.

“It just made so much sense to me, a way to not have to depend on anything town run or government run or anything, it’s really a grassroots organization of people helping themselves,” said Pfau, who currently serves as Nashoba Neighbors’ board president. 

Pfau said she was intrigued by the article’s discussion of the Beacon Hill Village, which was the first village to emerge in the state in 2002. At that time, a group of elderly neighbors who wanted to remain in their living situations, formed a village when they realized they needed assistance to stay in place.

“They didn’t want to keep asking their kids for rides or their neighbors because people don’t like to ask their neighbors around here too much,” explained Pfau. Adding, “They got together and created a non-profit of volunteers helping older adults and, in the meantime, the older adults are helping themselves because they are giving themselves meaning and something to look forward to aside from just retiring off into the sunset.”

When Nashoba Neighbors is up and running, members will be able to make a request for a service and a volunteer will sign up to fulfill the request, which can include anything from changing a light bulb, providing a ride to a doctor’s appointment, or even playing a board game.

Right now, Nashoba Neighbors has their non-profit status and their website is largely complete. Pfau said that the launch of her organization was stalled by the pandemic and they’re looking to launch in the coming months.

“We are making a lot of progress. We now have board members from all three towns,” she said. Later adding, “We are preparing to launch and we are at the stage where we are looking for volunteers.”

If you would like to learn more about Nashoba Neighbors, please go to their website at: https://nashobaneighbors.org/.