Arapahoe Homecare Cooperative Brings Essential Care Back to the Community
When the nursing home in Arapahoe, Nebraska closed its doors, local residents faced a growing challenge: how to access quality care while remaining in their homes and community.
Rather than accepting the loss of services, Cathy and Linda saw an opportunity to make a difference. Together, they launched the Arapahoe Homecare Cooperative, a member-driven business dedicated to providing in-home care services to residents throughout the area.
Today, the cooperative is accepting clients, creating jobs, and helping fill a critical need in the community.
Nebraska Enterprise Fund (NEF) has been proud to support the development of the cooperative through technical assistance and cooperative development resources.
“The Nebraska Enterprise Fund, through the generous support of USDA, is excited about the potential and opportunities to support the creation of viable cooperative businesses, especially in the rural communities of our state,” said Jim Reiff, Executive Director of Nebraska Enterprise Fund. “We see cooperatives as a viable business model that supports the creation of economic opportunities and community vitality.”
For Becky Parker, NEF’s Cooperative Development Specialist, the cooperative’s success demonstrates the power of local problem-solving.
“Cathy and Linda have come up with a way to provide homecare in clients’ homes that has become needed since the closing of the nursing home in Arapahoe by working together and starting a homecare cooperative,” Parker said. “They continue to grow and have in the last week hired their first employee and are actively looking to hire a couple more as client needs continue to grow in the area.”
Michael Young, Chief Operating Officer of Nebraska Enterprise Fund, sees the cooperative as an example of communities coming together to create solutions.
“I am elated for the inception of the Coop Arapahoe Homecare,” Young said. “As the global and Nebraska economies are impacted by reduced resources, this is a perfect example of communities and entrepreneurs coming together to not only provide much-needed services, but also to drive economic growth in a collaborative fashion.”
The Arapahoe Homecare Cooperative highlights the impact that cooperative businesses can have on rural communities: creating jobs, meeting local needs, and strengthening community resilience through collaboration.
To learn more about the cooperative and its journey, read the full story from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln: https://news.unl.edu/article/arapahoe-homecare-cooperative-now-accepting-clients