Visiting Neighbors is a Lifeline!
Loneliness can be a person’s worst enemy, especially if you’re elderly and unable to leave your apartment. Without someone to talk to, it’s easy to become depressed...even physically ill. You lose interest in the outside world, and live in isolation and despair. It’s easy to feel as if no one cares.

Visiting Neighbors’ dedicated volunteers give seniors a reason to keep going, a trusted new friend to share their lives and memories with, someone they can count on. Volunteers, who are carefully screened and trained, enjoy the opportunity to share their own unique interests with the seniors, and gain great pleasure from seeing the difference they make in someone’s life.

VN’s programs are more than just welcome amenities. For many seniors, they’re a lifeline that makes it possible to remain independent, living in their own apartments, rather than being forced into nursing homes. As one longtime volunteer says — "VN serves the heart!"

Visiting Neighbors began with a concept: "Neighbors Helping Neighbors."
Back in 1972, eight Greenwich Village residents created a neighborhood service based on a simple concept: "Neighbors Helping Neighbors." With their friendship, they encouraged seniors to remain independent, provided encouragement, and let the elderly know that their community cared.

The idea caught on, and now more than 450 VN volunteers help 700 clients each year, advocating for them when help is needed, and providing assistance, enabling them to maintain their pride and dignity.

VN’s programs serve seniors in Greenwich Village, NoHo, SoHo, the East Village, Chelsea, Gramercy/Stuyvesant and the Forest Hills/Rego Park communities.

Visiting Neighbors' Mission
Visiting Neighbors’ volunteers help older adults alleviate loneliness and isolation, provide mental stimulation and emotional security, and encourage physical independence. VN champions the power of the volunteer, bringing generations together to share life experiences and gain respect for each individual’s uniqueness. VN promotes a positive acceptance of life after sixty and the value of the elderly in society.

Visiting Neighbors Staff
Cynthia Maurer,
Executive Director