The Commission on Aging (COA) spent much of its July 17 meeting listening to a guest introduce and answer questions about a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designed to match vetted volunteers with those who need free at-home support such as household chores, yardwork, and companionship visits.

Based in Manchester, UR Community Cares (pronounced “Your Community Cares”) was created in 2019 by former physical therapist Michelle Puzzo. Its mission is to build stronger communities where residents can safely age in place and continue to live independently through intergenerational connections.

A dozen people attended the meeting at Newtown Senior Center, with others joining via Zoom. A number of agenda items and public comments were addressed before Michelle Puzzo was introduced by COA Chair Anne Rothstein.

“She comes to us,” Rothstein said, “highly respected and highly recommended for her knowledge of how a community can reach out to elders in their communities.”

Human Services Director Natalie Jackson, who attended the meeting, agreed, saying she and others “thought it would be a great opportunity to hear more from her about what her organization does and how it might support our goal of helping senior citizens age in place here in Newtown.”

Puzzo created UR Community Cares, she said, after her career as a physical therapist took her into many homes where patients were recovering from injury or had an age-related concern.

“I was finding that many didn’t really want me to exercise with them, they wanted me to take out the trash, or do the laundry,” she said.

Despite going to school for her career and knowing these requests were not what she was in people’s homes for, “I was happy to do it because I knew they didn’t always have anyone to help them, and they couldn’t always pay for private caregivers, which can get so expensive.”

The turning point for Puzzi was the death of her grandmother.

“She was 99 and had macular degeneration, and had end stages of dementia,” she shared. “I saw, personally and professionally, what it takes to care for someone in their 90s. I decided to create this organization, and it’s evolved over the past four years.”

UR Community Cares, she said, “is a town-by-town approach to connecting communities” — communities of people who want to be volunteers with communities of people who don’t want to leave their home.

Through a secure website, members of the at-home community can request help in one of four categories: companionship, yardwork, housework, and transportation.

Volunteers do not provide, she said, any personal care or licensed work.

“There is no showering of someone, and no going up on a ladder to do electrical work,” said Puzzo, who continues to serve as the organization’s president and executive director. “It’s basic chores almost anyone can do.”

Through the website, volunteers create an account. Once approved they can see what is being requested within the radius of their choice.

“We have already done all the background checks on everyone before anyone can volunteer,” Puzzo said, “including the sexual offender registry.” According to program notes passed out on Monday, background checks include driving history for any transportation volunteers and a seven-year federal/state history.

“We connect the two parties, and the two parties then work out the details,” she said.

While the organization is focused on assisting senior citizens, Puzzo said its community does include much younger people.

“We’ll help an 18-year-old recovering from a serious injury, or a woman recovering from pregnancy,” she said.

Between the volunteers offering assistance and those requesting in-home help, approximately 1,400 people currently use the UR Community Cares website, Puzzo said.

Options For Underwriting

UR Community Cares estimates it spends an average of $100 per community member, Puzzo said Monday.

Funding helps with website maintenance, the multiple background checks, administration and marketing, “and other programs needs,” she explained.

Volunteers do not receive any funds, she said.

“Many people have had such a positive response to the help they receive that they want to pay their volunteer,” Puzzo said. “When we remind them that they’re volunteers, many people have turned around and made donations to our organization.”

UR Community Cares also relies on grants and funding from the towns it is working in to continue operations. The East Hampton COA approached the organization, Puzzo said, “because they had residents who need what we offer. The East Hampton Senior Center and Rotary have both donated ahead of our launch there.

“This then turns into a huge savings for people, especially those on a fixed income or tight budget,” she said.

UR Community Cares currently has funding in 70 towns across the state, Puzzo said.

“This is not just a Newtown problem,” she said.

Before it opens its website for requests in a new town, the organization likes to have between five and ten volunteers ready, she said. The goal is to get volunteers ready to help before the help is requested, she added.

‘Already Here’

Friends Of Newtown Seniors (FONS) President John Boccuzzi was at the meeting Monday. He pointed out that FONS tries to keep in touch with the town’s elderly residents as much as possible, but often has difficulty finding people who do not want help.

“Our group’s outreach is often through a retired social worker who visits people in their homes,” he said. FONS also sends birthday cards and get well notes “when we are aware of them.”

An active member of Newtown Nonprofit Council (NNC), Boccuzzi said the council “has invested in software that basically allows people to contact groups to let them know they are looking to volunteer, and groups can ask for volunteers.”

Jackson responded to that point by saying individuals cannot request in-home visits through NNC.

Fellow NNC member Katherine Simpson agreed with Jackson’s point, but suggested to Puzzo that she “reach out and apply to have an account through Newtown Nonprofit Council.”

COA Commissioner William Stern called UR Community Cares “a very compelling thing” that “could help with isolation for some people.”

In response to a question from Commissioner Barbara Bloom on reaching people who have self-isolated, Puzzo said her organization has created postcards to mail to every home in town. They have also, she said, worked with Town departments, local organizations and media outlets “to try to find a way to reach people.”

Newtown resident and FONS Chore Services Coordinator Bev Bennett Schaedler spoke up.

“I can’t stay quiet any longer,” she said to Puzzo. “Your program is here. We have all this.

“I have reached throughout town looking for volunteers for things just like this,” she said. “We’ve sent email blasts, did ads in The Newtown Bee, put notes in The Bee Extra, and nothing. This service is here, it’s been out there, and they’re not taking advantage of it.

“I’m always looking for volunteers,” Bennett Schaedler continued, her voice raising in frustration. “It’s out there for Newtown residents. Why aren’t they using it? I know people are out there. How do I find them?”

Bloom agreed, saying the services being offered by FONS and UR Community Cares “are super important, and there are people out there who could use companionship, who would benefit so much from a 20-minute visit and a cup of tea.

“It’s an immense thing to do for them, but they just won’t ask,” she said.

Bennett Schaedler said the mission of both groups is the same: to connect people who need help with simple tasks with volunteers interested in helping.

“I need the backing of the COA,” she said.

Rothstein then concluded the meeting shortly after 5 pm, telling Puzzo the commission “would have to see what we want to do moving forward.” She promised she and the COA would be in touch again.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.