Jul 1, 2023 Updated Jul 11, 2023
BUCKSPORT — The town of Bucksport, in partnership with Hancock County Habitat for Humanity and Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities Coalition, is launching a pilot Senior Safety & Accessibility Home Repair Program for Bucksport residents.
“This partnership is a positive step forward in assisting our seniors with safety and accessibility improvements that can enable them to stay in their own homes — and which provides a method of connecting them in a one-stop-shopping way to other programs and services that are available,” states Town Manager Sue Lessard. “We look forward to the positive impacts that this plan can have in our community.”
The Bucksport Town Council recently approved the use of $15,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for 2023-24 to purchase materials and support home safety and accessibility. This one-year pilot program aims to complete 20 to 30 basic home repair projects (costing $500-$1,000 each) that improve safety and accessibility for residents age 60 or over who reside in Bucks-port, meet income eligibility requirements and go through a successful site assessment by the Habitat for Humanity construction manager. Participating individuals will also have the option to enroll in the Thrive program (formerly Thriving in Place) to get access to local resources for active living, nutrition and fitness, home safety, finances, communication, legal and health care needs.
“We are excited to begin this project to help some of our most vulnerable citizens be able to safely age at home,” says Sherry Billings of Hancock County Habitat for Humanity. “We know that safe, affordable housing and good health outcomes are closely aligned, and we believe this partnership with the BBHCC enables the Bucksport community to take a multipronged approach to addressing the varied needs of our senior neighbors.
“The Habitat model relies on using some volunteer labor to reduce costs. HCHH has been operating in Hancock County as a 501(c)(3) since 1989 with a mission of building quality housing for economically disadvantaged individuals and that this is a pilot program that we hope to replicate with other municipalities in the future.”
Anyone interested in volunteering is welcome to contact Hancock County Habitat at director.hchh@gmail.com. For those interested in participating in the home repair program, visit Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities Coalition’s website to check eligibility requirements and complete an online interest form or call 469-6682.