Chore: A Win-Win Situation
By Wendy Carlson

In 1992, Ella Clark, a social service agent in Sharon, noticed that several elderly residents in town were struggling with chores and housework. With a small grant, she started Chore Service, which helps individuals and families who need affordable help to live safely and independently at home. 

Last February, Chore Service and Litchfield Hills Chore Service in Bantam consolidated. It serves more than 200 adults and people with disabilities with in-home, non-medical assistance in 13 towns in Litchfield County. 

The nonprofit is partially funded by a grant from the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging, which subsidizes all clients aged 60 and over, regardless of income. Clients donate based on monthly income, and the 40 employees who work for the service are paid based on their expertise, says executive director Jane MacLaren. They provide light housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping, transportation to medical appointments, outdoor work, and compaionship. As little as three or four hours of services a week can be enough to keep people in their homes, regardless of their ability to pay, she says.

“We get calls from clients daily, so the need in the area is great and the reward for workers is limitless,” she says. 

Many workers at Chore have developed friendships with the people they serve. They become part of the family. So, it’s a win-win situation,” MacLaren says.