3-minute read
Moving can be stressful, physically taxing and emotionally draining at any stage of life — but even more so for older people with low incomes.
A national nonprofit organization understands that and wants to help. Safe Moves for Seniors, which operates in 12 cities nationwide, recently opened its first Florida location in Lakeland. It offers completely free moving services to a select number of qualifying applicants each year.
The executive director of the Lakeland office, Nicole Ramer, is the owner of Organized Haven. She is also a certified senior move manager.
How it works: Safe Moves for Seniors was founded in 2022. It helps economically disadvantaged seniors with their entire move at no cost. Services include downsizing and decluttering, packing, moving and unpacking.
According to Ramer, the Lakeland location opened in January and received a grant in April. It is looking for its first clients within Polk County.
“I have enough funds to move two (households), but the need is very great in Polk County and beyond,” she said. “I am quickly realizing it will need to expand to all of Central Florida.”
Safe Moves for Seniors partners with several local businesses — Organized Haven, Move My Junk LLC and Browning Moving & Storage — to conduct the moves.
Who is eligible: Seniors, ages 60 and older, with a household income of less than $1,250 per month, are eligible for assistance. Applicants must apply online. The move must be within Polk County. The applicant cannot have any liquid assets, such as a house or car, and must have no other means to move belongings.
“A lot of our seniors have no one, so yeah, I am very happy to be able to say ‘yes’ to seniors,” Ramer said.
- To apply for services, click here.
- To donate, click here.
- To volunteer, click here.
Seeking donations: Ramer said she’s seeking donations from corporations, foundations and individuals. The Lakeland location is currently trying to raise $5,000, which would allow it to move two additional senior households.
With a typical move costing on average $2,500, the donations would go toward buying moving materials, packing and unpacking labor, administration costs and transport services, Ramer said.
Volunteers needed: Ramer is also looking for volunteers, particularly those who have a background in social work, senior care and senior assisted living, to help with the moves.
“For the funds to go as far as possible … we rely on the use of volunteers,” Ramer said. “I train the volunteers on how to pack, sort and downsize and how to unpack and resettle. “
The inspiration: While many older Americans would prefer to age in place, that’s not always possible. They might have become widowed or disabled, need to downsize for financial reasons or require assisted living services.
Ramer said she attended a conference last year where the founder of the national organization, Jill Yesko Diana, mentioned that she wanted to expand Safe Moves for Seniors nationwide. Ramer said she answered the call and decided to open a Lakeland location, especially considering Polk County’s considerable senior population and many receiving Medicaid benefits.
By the numbers: Since the national nonprofit was founded, its 12 locations have served more than 40,000 senior households, according to a news release.
“Safe Moves for Seniors is filling in a much-needed gap in our communities and having qualified move managers like Organized Haven provide this service with compassion closes this gap. Our work will go a long way to alleviate housing insecurity in Polk County,” Diana said.
Safe Moves for Seniors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Pittsburgh. Its other locations are:
- Bergen County, New Jersey
- Buffalo, New York
- Columbus, Ohio
- Denver Metro, Colorado
- Denver East, Colorado
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- New Market, New Hampshire
- Northern Illinois
- Quincy, Illinois
- San Diego, California
- Wooster, Ohio
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