WASHINGTON—After nearly a year of planning, Good Company has made its entrance onto the volunteer service scene by providing free visits to Washington residents who would enjoy a bit of neighborly companionship.
A non-denominational program, founded by Trisha McMahon and sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Washington, Good Company’s vetted volunteers are on-call to visit whoever is in need: the homebound, the socially isolated, the aged, the grief-stricken, or anyone of any age who could use a friend, a listening ear, or a conduit to the community.
“You’d be surprised at the numbers of people who would benefit from our program,” McMahon said.
For now, Good Company volunteers are available to visit Washington residents only. “We intend to open our program up to the rest of Litchfield County residents once it is well established in Washington.
Inspired by the poignant lyrics of the Beatles 1960s hit record, “Eleanor Rigby,” McMahon gathered a group of volunteers whose mission is to end social isolation in the community. Numerous studies and reports, reveal that periods of social isolation can ultimately cause a slew of serious mental and physical health issues. The Surgeon General dubbed social isolation and loneliness to be “…a national epidemic …”
“Without sounding too sappy, rich or poor, we all need each other. But sometimes we forget that and think we either we can go it alone or conversely; we tend not to take notice of the single person living next door who never goes out or ever has visitors. That’s so sad,” said McMahon.
While Good Company volunteers don’t do chores, run errands, make meals, or provide personal care, they do offer one key thing: friendship. “True, in many cases, our volunteers are strangers upon entering someone’s home, but when they leave, they’ve made a friend who is excited to receive another visit,” says McMahon.
Good Company volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and offer a range of life experiences. Helping those they visit to smile and feel a part of something is their optimum goal. Pre-arranged visits can run 15 minutes to an hour and might entail whatever friends do when together: playing cards, listening to music, reading aloud, working on a craft, having a fun chat, discussing local lore, or sharing a good laugh.
“There is a simple application for people who would like to be visited. From the information we gain, we try to match the visiting volunteers’ skills and interests with that of the people they’ll be visiting,” says McMahon.
While currently confined to Washington, there is a countywide component to Good Company, through which volunteers write periodic cards and letters to whomever could use a cheery note.
“This is a great aspect of our program, especially if the person isn’t ready to receive visitors,” said McMahon. “What a unique pleasure it is to get something personal in the mail.”
To request a visit, receive a greeting, join as a volunteer, or learn more about Good Company call 860-717-2844 or email fccw.goodcompany@gmail.com.
