Faith has always been the constant in John Dolan’s life, ever since he grew up in a traditional Irish Catholic household in the projects of Newark, NJ. Even now, a day never goes by without the 87-year-old immersed in the daily scriptures or praying the rosary. God has always come first to him, followed by family.

But there is now a third pillar – one that is driven by the generosity of people like you.

“Monadnock at Home,” he says with a smile. “God, family and Monadnock at Home. Those are the three things that matter most to me.”

“I Wouldn’t Want to Be Anywhere Else”

John and his wife Carol moved to New Hampshire in 1968. A single vacation, filled with overwhelming kindness and hospitality, was all it took to capture their hearts and make them realize the Granite State was their home. The couple raised their children in the Monadnock Region, where John spent many years as the Executive Director of the Sharon Arts Center.

Twenty years ago, Carol got sick and passed away. While it was tough on John, his unwavering faith kept him going. He downsized to a quaint one-bedroom mobile home, finding solace in his neighborhood, his cherished spot by the window for painting, and his small backyard where he used to hit wiffle balls with his golf clubs There’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

“They Are My Angels”

As time passed, John, like many seniors, began to experience the regular challenges of aging. The network of friends and family he had always relied on for support began to dwindle – some passed away, while others moved far from the area.

Then after being diagnosed with scoliosis and other illnesses, John faced the sobering reality that he could no longer drive, a moment that he calls “devastating.” While his daughter did her best to drive him to the store or appointments, her full-time job and personal commitments made it increasingly difficult to provide the consistent support her father needed.

It was through his occupational therapist that he first heard about Monadnock at Home, a Catholic Charities NH subscription-based program that connects seniors to social programs and a trusted network of service providers and volunteers for assistance with various needs. Members pay a nominal fee, and donor support funds reduced-fee scholarships for seniors with limited financial resources.

“I honestly don’t know where I’d be without Monadnock at Home,” says John. “They do what they do out of the goodness of their hearts. They are truly life-savers.”

John receives rides to doctor appointments, gets his groceries delivered, and can access pre-vetted professionals for help with home maintenance, whether it’s fixing a faucet or repairing a refrigerator before the food spoils. For seniors like him, Monadnock at Home can be the difference in enabling them to continue independently in their homes while providing a sense of social connection that many of their situations lack.

John is profoundly thankful to the donors who make every ride, every grocery delivery, and the countless smiles possible: “You are filling a critical need – and because of you, I have many reasons to get up each day, excited for what’s ahead,” he shares.

As John reflects on the impact of Monadnock at Home, his faith shines through.

“When I ask the Lord for help, he sends his people,” John says, his voice filled with emotion. “And those people are Monadnock at Home. They are my angels.”