Making the World a Better Place

In 2020, at the height of COVID, CVCOA started a Creative Care Kit project to bring arts activities to homebound older adults, helping to enhance social connection through arts and technology. These skills-based, practice-focused, and social-centric kits are a great way for people at various skill levels to engage with creativity and connect with others. Creative Companion volunteers also connect with kit recipients to help inspire and motivate, encouraging storytelling and sharing of creative work.   

Phyllis, a 94 year old living in Moretown, participated in the Creative Care Kit pilot back in 2020-2021 and has continued using the materials ever since. This month, she received the crafting kit, which includes materials and activities for collage and rock painting. 

When asked about her motivation to participate this year, Phyllis said “As long as I am breathing, I can try to be creative and hopefully in some small way make the world a better place.” On a fixed income, Phyllis would not be able to purchase these art materials or afford the cost of an art class in the community. She said this outreach program has been “like a God-send" to her. 

She has also been amazed at the quality of the supplies she has gotten through the program, saying how they are “absolutely wonderful” and “of the highest quality.” In the past, she has done drawing and sketching but is excited about the opportunity to study collage and thinks this will be a “better artistic medium” for her as she is fond of abstract art.  

When it comes to the staff at CVCOA who have helped her over the years, Phyllis says they are fantastic, dedicated people “who want to make the world a better place.”  

If you are age 60+ and interested in receiving a Creative Care Kit or volunteering as a Creative Companion, please contact the CVCOA Helpline at 1-802-477-1364 to learn more.

If you are an organization with questions about offering this opportunity in your area, please contact Luke Rackers at [email protected]. 

Make a gift to CVCOA today so that people like Phyllis can have the resources and opportunity to explore their creative side (select Creative Aging Initiative Fund)!