PROJECT C.A.R.E.
(Community Action to Reach the Elderly)

Coordinating Agency: Jackson County Department On Aging
59 Central Street
PO Box 596
Sylva, NC 28779

Director: Helen Bryson

Project Care Coordinator: Ben Friddle
Email: benfriddle2verizon.net

Phone: 828-586-8562
Fax: 828-586-1120

Project C.A.R.E. is a program of the National Eldercare campaign launched nationally in May 1991 by the U.S. Administration On Aging as part of the Older Americans Act.

At that time, the Jackson County Aging Services Committee was identifying areas of need for the aging population and developing a plan for meeting these needs. Minor emergency home repairs and safety modification in homes for low-income elderly, particularly the homebound, was identified as a high priority.

An action plan was developed to use volunteer help to do the home repairs or safety modifications. Along with finding volunteers was seen the need to seek donations to pay for the materials necessary for the repairs and modifications. The Jackson County Department On Aging is the lead agency coordinating the assessments of need, finding the volunteers and funding. Volunteers have been made available for Project C.A.R.E. through local churches, business people, schools, colleges and other resources.

The program’s primary concern is the safety of senior citizens, age 60 and older, in their own homes. It is Project C.A.R.E.’s goal to assist seniors to remain in their homes as long as possible. It is much less expensive for seniors to remain in their own homes, rather than a nursing home. Emotionally, seniors are much better off if they can remain in their homes, surrounded by those things familiar to them. As the song says, “there’s no place like home!”

Project C.A.R.E. limits its efforts to those projects involving carpentry skills. Generally, plumbing or electrical projects are not accepted. The following are examples of work done through Project C.A.R.E.:
  1. Repair of floors that a senior is in danger of falling through or that pose some other potential hazard to the senior’s safety.
  2. Repair decks and steps, as needed to insure safety.
  3. Repair of walls, as needed, to insure structural integrity necessary to keep the roof from falling in.
  4. Construction of new and or safer steps, ramps and other avenues of access to a senior’s home.
  5. Installation of handrails, inside and outside, to effect safer movement, in and out of the house, as well as inside the dwelling.
These are examples of things Project C.A.R.E. involves itself with. During certain times of the year, the scope of the projects is expanded to include projects, not normally addressed by Project C.A.R.E. Generally, this occurs during March and the summer months, when teams of college students come to Jackson County under the Southern Appalachian Building Aid (SABA) program. SABA Teams also bring funds to pay for materials. These monies can be used outside of the normal Project C.A.R.E. guidelines therefore providing a wider range of people and projects to be served. Average annual activity for Project C.A.R.E. is: Volunteers
Project C.A.R.E. is very dependent upon volunteers to help the program coordinator. If you have some carpentry skills, or home repair skills, Project C.A.R.E. can use your services from time to time. Please consider volunteering for one or more projects with Project C.A.R.E.

To volunteer, call the Coordinator—Ben Friddle and discuss what talents you have and what time you have available to volunteer. Call 586-8562.

Thank You!