Our Friendly Visiting Program provides friendship and social support for lonely, isolated elderly people age 60 or older. Our Forever Friends receive a minimum of twice a month visits by staff or Visiting Volunteers. Visits include more than just friendly conversation. We also assist our Forever Friends with medical transportation, running errands, and small tasks.

For more information, please email Julie Beck, Elder Services Coordinator at jbeck.hou@littlebrothers.org.

Medical Transportation: We provide door-through-door (picking up passengers at the door of their home and delivering them to the door of their destination) Medical Transportation within Houghton and Keweenaw Counties for elderly residents age 60 and older. We also provide transportation to our nearest regional hospital in Marquette. We also provide handicap accessible transportation using wheelchair vans. This service is provided free-of-charge.

We require at least one week notice to enable us to recruit a volunteer driver or reserve a wheelchair van.

To request transportation, please email Madeleine Long, Transportation Coordinator at madeleine.long@littlebrothers.org or call 906-482-6944.

Firewood Program: Many Copper Country residents still heat their home with firewood. We supply our elderly friends with a load of firewood each winter to offset their annual heating costs. Donated firewood must be used solely for home heating, not for discretionary heating such as for sauna firewood.

To request a load of firewood, please call Debby Hart, Supplemental Firewood Coordinator at 906-482-6944.

On Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter we host holiday dinner parties at 10 locations in the five county area for anyone age 60 or older who will be alone on the holiday. We also have two sites dedicated for home meal deliveries.

Our dinner parties are festive celebrations with a traditional holiday meal, brightly decorated hall and tables, entertainment, and lots of laughter. Before our elderly guests leave, they receive a fresh flower and usually some leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Transportation is provided for those who need it, and all volunteers are encouraged to sit and eat with our elderly guests.

Dinner party locations:

Hancock, Calumet, Houghton, Tapiola, South Range, Copper City, Ontonagon, Baraga, Marquette, and a private party for our Forever Friends who are residents at the Houghton County Medical Care Facility.

Our two Home Meal Delivery Sites are in Houghton and Laurium

Click here to view the FOOD SAFETY VIDEO! It’s only one-half hour and very informative. Every step we take to ensure the safety of our elderly friends and our volunteers is a step in the right direction. Thank You!

We provide our Forever Friends with numerous social activities throughout the year. We celebrate holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Activities include movie matinees, birthday celebrations, inter-generational events, community events, and more. Our goal is to give our Forever Friends the opportunity to remain active and celebrate these special occasions.

Services are not available in all counties.