Nonprofit UR Community Cares Looking For Southington Volunteers

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Nonprofit UR Community Cares has officially received a $5,000 grant to expand its reach into Southington, and now the group is looking for volunteers in town.

UR Community Cares is designed to help people ages 70+ and/or ages 18+ who have a temporary or permanent physical disability. Its staff links individuals in need with a volunteer who helps them around their home, at no charge.

The nonprofit was recently given the grant from the Bradley Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust, which is run through the Main Street Community Foundation and gives money to 501(c)(3) nonprofits that serve the Southington community.

Michelle Puzzo, the organization's president and co-founder, was presented with a check from the Main Street Community Foundation on Monday.

"There is a large Southington demographic of aging residents that will need more assistance in the years to come and less people in the workforce to support them," Michelle Puzzo, the organization's president and co-founder, told Patch.

Read more: Nonprofit Branching Into Southington Using Grant Money

Currently, two people have signed up to help out in Southington, Puzzo said, and her goal is to have 30 volunteers in total.

UR Community Cares' efforts are designed to help people remain independent as they are aging in place, Puzzo said.

"We want Southington residents to understand how many people need transportation for appointments; due to living on a fixed income many are unable to pay for services and due to less caregivers there is less available workers for those that are able to pay for help," Puzzo said.

Anyone who wants to get involved can sign up on the nonprofit's website.