Frequently Asked Questions

We are you, me, each and all of us who live together here at Avery Point. So why a “neighbors” website?

Each one of us is unique, as are our daily needs. This website is designed to bring neighbors together in a safe and positive way so that we can offer, accept and be aware of the “things” that we may no longer be able to do on our own.

This website offers a place for Volunteers to register and “sign-up” to help in areas of transportation, food delivery for the homebound and getting garbage to the garbage room without fear of getting trapped aka G-Pals.

What you need to know:

Transportation:

We cannot provide emergency medical transport and/or accommodate wheelchairs. The Requester must be able to transfer into and out of a vehicle. All volunteer drivers will “see” the request and it will be accepted according to availability on the date of service. Drivers and Requesters will be in direct communication to work out logistics, etc.

Food Delivery:

This service is provided to residents who are able to place their evening meal food orders at either The Point or Fireside Restaurants, but unable to pick-up the meal. The Volunteer will deliver the food between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. as it becomes available for pick-up at The Point or Fireside Restaurants. This service is being “tested” for long-term viability.

G-Pals:

Persons eligible for this service are those who are unable to safely open the doors to the garbage rooms due to use of a wheelchair, rollator, walker or other assistive device that gets in the way of entry and exit. Requester will be “introduced” to a volunteer who will be their “regular” G-Pal. (During the testing period successful communication between the parties was done via text.)

Volunteers:

You can register for any, all or none of the above. Whenever a resident asks for a service you have signed up to provide, you will get an Email with the relevant request. 

Your response will be either to reply “ACCEPT” to the request, or to IGNORE the request by not replying,  so that the search engine continues to look for a suitable volunteer. You will not be asked to provide a service that you have not registered for, so if your availability or personal situation changes to prohibit participation – or to allow greater participation, you will be able to edit your Volunteer Profile.

Acknowledging need is a hard step for many of us to make.

Avery Point Neighbors welcome the opportunity to step up and step in.

This volunteer service is a totally resident driven program and is not in any way connected to or affiliated with Avery Point or Erickson Senior Living. 

Accordingly, Residents using this service hereby waive any claims against and release all volunteers from any liability or damages for performing any volunteer service requested by or through this site. 

AP Neighbors offers various volunteer opportunities such as Transportation to Non-Emergency Medical appointments, Meal Pickup for temporarily home-bound neighbors, and Garbage Pickup when needed.  More Options may be added if a need is identified.

First time users, please "Verify or Change User Information" using the Button on the Home Page (starting point was information in the Resident Directory from the myErickson App).  

You can then fill out a "Volunteer Signup" form on the Volunteer Page.  Indicate which categories for which you are willing to Volunteer.  The categories are: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, Meal Pickup and Garbage Pickup. These selections mean you are willing to Receive a Volunteer Request, not that you are committing to a specific Volunteer Request. 

When a Volunteer Request is made in the categories you indicated, you will receive an Email Volunteer Request with details of the Request, including time and place, and expected duration and address if a Transportation Request.

If you are willing to be the Volunteer, respond by replying Accept to the Emailed Request .

This still doesn't mean you are the Volunteer matched with the Requester, you may not be the only person accepting the Request.  

If you are the first Accept response, you and the Requester will receive a Volunteer Acceptance form and the Request will be closed. 

First time users, please "Verify or Change User Information" using the Button on the Home Page (starting point was information in the Resident Directory from the myErickson App).  

You can then fill out a "Request Volunteer Service" form on the Volunteer Page.  Indicate which category you are requesting,.  The categories are: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, Meal Pickup and Garbage Pickup.  There is an individual form for each Service, which you would then fill out.  

When you are finished providing the details, click "Submit" and the Request will be sent to Volunteers who signed up to provide that Service.  You will receive a confirmation Email that your Request has been distributed.

Hopefully, your Request will be Accepted by one of our Volunteers, at which time you will receive an Email confirming the Request and showing the Volunteer who Accepted the Request. 

It is up to you then to continue interaction with Volunteer if necessary, or to change, cancel or postpone the Request.

Connections are a list of potential opportunities to connect in a more immediate, ad-hoc way. 

For example, I may need someone to run a Small Errand, be a Walking Companion, or to provide a Friendly Visit.  Or I may want to contact a few neighbors for an impromptu game of Bocce or Pickleball. 

So I would push the Button "View and Email Specific Connections" on the Connections Page, select a category, and then see a list of folks who signed up for that category. 

I could then Select one or more of those folks to send an Email to, after composing a short-note to indicate what I am proposing. Example - "Are you up for a game of Pickleball at 3PM today?".

The Connections process is not set up to respond to replies, just to send the Email to the selected folks.