Our Mission
The mission of Eldorado Neighbors Helping Neighbors (ENHN) is to provide volunteer services to residents in the greater Eldorado area who need temporary support to stay and age in their homes. Our purpose is to assure residents are aware of and receive needed services not only through our organization but by providing referrals to other services and resources available in the larger community. As our community grows older, more residents will need a helping hand.
Our History
ENHN began in 2017 with the leadership of an Eldorado resident, Dr. Michael Landen, an epidemiologist with the State of New Mexico. After trying to help his own aging parents in Virginia and realizing they needed help with specific tasks, he thought aging Eldorado residents must be struggling with the same things. The first year the group focused on strategic planning, building connections and understanding the needs of our community. Dr. Landen served as our first Volunteer Coordinator and encouraged Santa Fe County to have ENHN affiliated with the County’s Senior Services. Volunteers were then vetted by the county and asked to complete a volunteer application and undergo a criminal background check.
By 2018 we were offering services to the community and held monthly volunteer meetings. In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic, our activities almost came to a halt, people did not want a stranger coming into their homes, and our volunteer meetings were held via Zoom for our volunteers’ protection. Like the rest of the world, we slowly recovered and carried on with our program. In June 2022, our volunteer meetings were held live again, and requests for services began to climb. By July 2023, we officially became an independent, all-volunteer organization.
While we are a non-profit organization, we are not a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization and cannot provide tax deductions for donations. Our costs - printing of brochures/cards, display stands, supplies for meetings, volunteer recognition and appreciation - are covered by donations made by our volunteers and donors in the community.
Our Leadership
We are all unpaid volunteers and there is no staff. With the creation of a Steering Committee in January 2025, decision- and policy-making were shifted from the large volunteer group to a more workable 4-5 member Steering Committee with ongoing input from all our volunteers.
Our Steering Committee is currently comprised of and filled by:
Volunteer Coordinator - Anne Nichols
Program Coordinator - Volunteer Position Available
Publicity/Marketing Coordinator - Volunteer position available
Recorder of Minutes - Volunteer position available
Member-At-Large - Nancy Weeks
Community Support
We are deeply grateful for the support of:
Eldorado Community Improvement Association (ECIA) which provides us with meeting space, Vistas articles, calendar listings and event participation
Eldorado businesses and organizations for displaying our brochures and cards
A special thank you to:
Santa Fe County Senior Services for providing us with roots in the beginning
FAQs
Click the drop-down arrows on the right to expand the answer.
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Yes. Primarily the Volunteer Coordinator and assigned volunteers will know the client’s personal information in order to provide services. Any recorded client information in printed/hardcopy form and in electronic/digital form is managed to maintain client confidentiality.
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ENHN services are provided free of charge, however, clients are required to provide light bulbs and batteries and pay for any materials needed by the volunteer to complete the job.
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While services are generally provided on a short-term basis, frequency and duration are negotiable depending on the client’s needs, their familial, social, and financial resources, and current volunteer availability.
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Yes.
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No. Services are offered regardless of age.
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Phone and email requests will be addressed during regular business hours, Monday - Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.
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This is not typically the case but could be possible given volunteer availability.
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Typically, a volunteer will make an initial phone call to the client to discuss the request for service and set up a specific time to meet and provide the service.
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As a non-profit organization with no funding, we do not carry liability insurance that covers our volunteers. Homeowner’s Insurance Policies usually cover any accidents/injuries occurring on your property, minus your deductible. Review your policy or consult your insurance agent for your specific terms of coverage.
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Yes, but there is no guarantee that the requested volunteer will be available at the requested time or have the necessary skill set for all types of services.