How old do you have to be to get help from VINE?
Serving seniors is a priority to us. However, as resources permit, we assist younger people with disabilities and individuals and families who are encountering difficult life situations. VINE’s chore, caregiver support, nursing home transition, peer counseling and transportation programs receive partial funding from grants and contracts to help people aged 65 and older to remain living independently. VINE works closely with the staff at county Human Services and several managed care organizations to provide rides for their clients of all ages.
Where does VINE get its funding?
VINE’s operating funds come from a variety of sources. We are supported by donations, program and rental income, fundraising events, the United Ways of Mankato and St. Peter, and state and federal grants. Grants cover approximately 45% of our costs but are not guaranteed from year to year. It would not be possible for us to provide the kind of help that we do without the financial support of those who benefit from our services.
How much does it cost to use VINE services?
VINE has no established “charge” for our services. It is important to us that anyone who really needs our help receives it, regardless of ability to contribute. However, it does cost money to operate VINE. Our yearly budget is about a half million dollars, including staff salaries, insurance, telephone, materials and supplies, postage, mileage paid to volunteer drivers, the expenses of our building, and other costs associated with running the organization.We ask that everyone who receives help from VINE make regular contributions, as they are able, towards the cost of running the organization. Our actual cost of coordinating a volunteer is $17.50 /hr. This figure was arrived at by dividing our total budget by the number of volunteer hours provided last year and is less than the national average.
So how much should I be donating if I get help from VINE?
There are no easy answers to this question. How much you can contribute depends on a number of factors. When considering how much you can afford, you might ask yourself questions like:
- How much money do I have left each month after paying my bills, including my medications?
- Are my adult children able to stay at work because a VINE volunteer provides rides or chore assistance to me? Would they have to use vacation or sick time to take me to my medical appointments? If this is the case, could your son or daughter help cover some of the costs of the help you receive from VINE?
- Are VINE’s services helping me to remain living in my own home? If so, consider the $25,000 - $50,000 each year that you’d have to pay if you moved into a catered or assisted living facility (rent plus additional services) or a nursing home. Base your contributions on how VINE’s services extend the length of your independence.
- How much would it cost me to use a cab, hire someone to do a household chore, or provide respite care so I could get some time away from my care giving responsibilities? Listed below are estimated rates if you purchased these services from a private business in our community.
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1 hour of paid respite care from a private home agency
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$27 |
| 1 hour of handyman services from a local business |
$40 |
| Mowing your yard (depending on size) |
$20 |
| A cab ride from downtown Mankato to Wickersham Clinic |
$18 |
- Could I make a planned gift of money I have invested in property, IRAs, stocks or bonds? Even if you don’t have a large monthly income, a gift of this type is always put to good use. Call Pam Determan at (507) 387-1666 to discuss how best to make a planned gift, which could have positive financial benefits to both you and VINE.
Should I pay the volunteer?
No. People choose to volunteer at VINE because they want to help people with the things they can no longer do themselves. We provide educational opportunities for them, reimburse drivers for their mileage costs, and host annual volunteer recognition events. Feel free to “treat” a favorite volunteer to pie and coffee, a box of candy or a can of pop if you’d like. All volunteers are instructed that they may only accept personal gifts that they can eat. All cash gifts are given to VINE. For your convenience, a VINE volunteer will gladly deliver your donation to our office and you will get a receipt.
Will VINE still help me if I move into an assisted living facility or nursing home?
No. VINE’s services are intended to help people remain living independently in their own homes and to supplement the help that family and neighborhood caregivers can provide. When a person chooses to move into a facility, new types of caregivers and services become available to them and VINE’s volunteer care giving role comes to an end.
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