Growing Older Together (GOT) was born out of compassion and community response. When two older members of the Upper Delaware Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (UDUUF) experienced serious health crises, fellow congregants stepped in to provide essential support — transportation to medical appointments, home-cooked meals, and regular social visits. Over time, this couple’s situation deepened their friends’ awareness of the very real vulnerabilities many of us face as we age.
In response, UDUUF hosted a series of readings and discussions focused on the realities — and limitations — of federal, state, and local programs designed to support older adults. Participants also explored innovative, citizen-led models emerging across the country that offered supplemental and alternative approaches to aging support. As interest grew beyond the congregation, members of the wider community joined the conversation, expressing both concern and a desire to create meaningful services tailored to the needs of our rural region.
Public meetings followed. Through thoughtful discussion and collaborative brainstorming, community members identified priority services, compiled lists of skills and assistance they could personally offer, researched existing programs, and explored the feasibility of building a locally based support network.
By March 2015, Growing Older Together was formally established, and in January 2017, GOT officially began operations. The organization adopted the innovative Village model, a nationally recognized approach that empowers older adults to remain in their homes while staying socially connected and actively engaged in their communities.
Today, Executive Director Thomas Cambridge, Board President Cathleen Breen, and Board Members Sam Avrett, Heidi Finkelberg, Maryann Haberthur, Charlie Curtin, Arielle Larson, Amy Becker, Dr. James Lomax, and Colette Ballew — along with many dedicated volunteers — continue to lead a community-wide effort to address the challenges and opportunities of aging in our region.
Click on each underlined name to read each board members' biography and learn more about them.