History

Visiting Neighbors was founded in 1972 by a group of Greenwich Village residents who were concerned about their elderly neighbors who were being discharged from the hospital and going home with no support network in place. Many seniors were being readmitted to the hospital because they fell, did not follow medical advice, or weren't eating right because they were unable to go shopping or were feeling isolated, sad and/or unmotivated. As the program flourished, word spread throughout the community about the concept of “neighbors helping elderly neighbors,” and Village Visiting Neighbors was born. Volunteers were screened and carefully matched with seniors wanting companionship, based on mutual interests, similar backgrounds, personality and compatibility, and a friendly visiting program was created.

“Village Visiting Neighbors is an effective, intelligent group of people who represent the best in voluntary social activism…whose friendly visitors fulfill a significant function in the development of a network of care”

- Dr. Philip Bricker, Director, Department of Community Medicine at St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center.