SWAMPSCOTT — For many local volunteers, helping older neighbors through Seaglass Village has become about far more than running errands or giving rides. It’s about building relationships, reducing isolation, and helping seniors remain independent in the communities they call home.
The nonprofit organization, which serves aging residents in Marblehead, Nahant, Swampscott, and the Vinnin Square area of Salem, is actively seeking additional volunteers as demand for transportation and other services continue to grow.
Seaglass Village was founded in 2021, based on the nationwide “village model” of grassroots, neighborhood-based membership organizations for older adults. The Village connects volunteers with seniors who may need transportation, companionship, or assistance with small household tasks.
“The whole concept of it is that neighbors sign up to help neighbors,” Director Penny Stratton said. “We can help older people stay in their homes independently if we can provide them with transportation, if we can help them with chores, or if we can just go over and visit to keep them from being isolated.”
In addition to rides and errands, the organization also holds social groups and events intended to build community and reduce loneliness among seniors.
Executive Director Anne Quagrello said the organization boasts around 100 members, evenly split between Swampscott and Marblehead, with a growing presence in Nahant.
Volunteer Anna Irvine of Swampscott said the experience has been deeply rewarding.
“Volunteering gives me a great sense of satisfaction,” Irvine said. “People are so grateful when you do something that makes their lives easier. Most are very pleasant and anxious to talk about their fascinating lives. The more people you meet, the better it is.”
Quagrello emphasized that there is no minimum time commitment required for volunteers, allowing people to fit service into their schedules when it works for them, without feeling overburdened or overwhelmed.
“We try to make that the kind of beauty of it and the appeal of it, that they can do what they want, when they want,” Quagrello said. “We don’t want them to be overburdened.”
Irvine said that flexible commitment is one of the greatest strengths of the program.
“The flexibility works out great,” she said. “It allows me to do more when I’m available and take time off when family visits from out of town.”
Quagrello said transportation needs have more than doubled over the past year, citing an especially urgent need for volunteer drivers.
“The demand for transportation has skyrocketed in the past year,” she said. “We encourage community members who are interested in experiencing the rewards of volunteering to get involved.”
For members receiving assistance, the impact often goes beyond logistics.
“It’s a godsend to have such caring, pleasant people helping,” said Swampscott member Agatha Marano. “In this sometimes cynical world, it’s wonderful to know that people really care for people. Something as simple as receiving a phone call asking how you’re doing is a really important thing for a person living alone.”
Swampscott resident Bobbie Cohen, Seaglass Village’s very first member, said the organization has helped restore her independence. Cohen, who relies on volunteers for transportation, said the relationships she has built with volunteers have become deeply meaningful.
“Since I joined Seaglass Village … their wonderful volunteers have changed my life,” Cohen said. “Their enjoyable conversations during our times together have developed into meaningful friendships. I am so grateful to them for giving me my independence back.”
Quagrello said volunteers frequently develop close relationships with the people they assist, often noticing changes in health or mobility and helping connect members with additional resources or communicating directly with families when necessary.
“I don’t think the general public would have an awareness of how isolated some of the seniors in our community are,” she said. “There are people living alone … that don’t have family and friends nearby and that we are one of their only resources.”
Those interested in volunteering or becoming a member at Seaglass Village can visit www.seaglassvillage.org or call 781-718-0401.
