Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a phrase often used to describe what are called villages. The Village movement began in Boston where Beacon Hill Village residents organized a way to provide needed services that allow older neighbors to age in place and not have to move away or to an institution. Since then, hundreds of villages have sprouted across the United States.

Several organized villages exist in Northern Virginia. They may rely on staff or volunteers to provide services and some charge membership fees. For example, the Herndon Village Network provides free rides to community residents.

Reston for a Lifetime (RFL) is part of the Village Movement, but unlike many organized villages in the Washington, DC metro area, RFL does not provide direct services or charge fees for providing information or educational opportunities about how to age in place.

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

We learned early on not to reinvent the wheel. What is unique to Reston and much of Fairfax County is that there are dozens of programs that, if people only knew about them, can help older adults age in place.

For example, Reston has more than one free rides program that allows you to book a ride to a doctor’s appointment, shopping or other chore.

• Shepherds Center of Northern Virginia not only provides rides with vetted drivers, but its volunteers will help with simple tasks around the house, check-ins and social events.

• Reston Useful Services Exchange uses a time bank model that allows neighbors to help neighbors by swapping service hours for such things as rides, simple household repairs. Reston USE also has ongoing social events.

• Reston’s faith communities often have volunteer groups such as a caring committee that help its members (or their neighbors) with many of the things a formal Village may provide such as check-ins, home or hospital visits and basic home maintenance tasks.

But Mini Villages are Possible

Reston’s 130 plus town house clusters have already been fertile ground for Village-like Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) programs. For example, in 2019, a North Reston cluster of 18 town homes — with three quarters of residents over age 65— explored helping one another with selected tasks.

• The initial organizer hosted a potluck dinner to kick off the effort, discuss ideas and determine next steps.

• A follow-up email listed desired tasks and sought volunteers. Some participants requested help with changing a furnace filter or light bulb, assistance with setting up email or a television, retrieving a package from a high shelf, or help with taking out the garbage.

• Neighbors set up a schedule to offer help and solicit more volunteers.

Getting Started

For those interested in starting a NHN program, RFL created a Get Started Tool Kit. The toolkit includes a community survey, draft newsletter articles, a draft service schedule, a presentation and case studies. To get your kit, simply fill out the contact us form below and request a copy.

As you get organized, Fairfax County provides information and support for growing villages as part of its Neighbor to Neighbor program. Even more information on villages such as how to organize one or to network with others can be found at the Village to Village Network site. RFL is a network member and is also part of the Washington Area Villages Exchange.