A collection of citizens, police officers, politicians and human services workers have banded together to form Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a private group that aims to help elderly Windham residents navigate the network of governmental assistance programs.

The group also hopes to install a private safety net by funneling donations toward Windham residents.

“I think there’s a lot of need out there,” said State Sen. Bill Diamond (D-Cumberland County). “We want people to know there’s another resource hopefully we can help them with.

Diamond, who said he gets phone calls every winter from people seeking help with their heating costs, was one of 17 people in attendance at the first Neighbors Helping Neighbors meeting on Dec. 12.

“This year the numbers were much greater, and that led me to believe there were more people in need,” said Diamond.

“Fuel seems to be the No. 1 issue that people are worried about right now,” said Windham Historian Kay Soldier and Neighbors Helping Neighbors member.

“The group will be a resource for information,” said Diamond, “but also hopefully a resource for funds.” Diamond said Neighbors Helping Neighbors will help people find existing services at first, but the goal is to be able to provide services of its own.

“I think there’s definitely a need for it. Elder people don’t want to call some stranger up,” said Martha Jenkins, 61. She has lived in North Windham for the last 35 years and attended the initial meeting.

Soldier said a lot of older people are reluctant to seek help and will be easier to assist if they can talk to someone they have met before.

“I know there are a lot of people who would sit in the cold before they would pick up the phone,” said State Rep. Gary Plummer (R-Windham).

“They may be willing to talk to someone who is a neighbor they know, whereas they may be reluctant to talk to strangers,” he said. Plummer also said the group is looking for donations from businesses and local people.

“It’s meant to be a bridge, not necessarily a sustaining operation,” said State Rep. Mark Bryant (D-Windham). He said the group will be similar to dialing 211 for human services information, but more personal with services available on weekends.

Bryant also said he’s received more calls this year from people who can’t afford their heating bills, due in part to the early onset of winter storms and high price of fuel.

While Neighbors Helping Neighbors was formed with helping seniors in mind, Diamond said the group will not restrict its aid to the older members of society. Last weekend, he met with a single mother in Windham with two children who had gone four days without heat while they waited for government approval for fuel assistance.

She didn’t know where to go to seek help during the interim so, as she stated, they just bundled up and waited,” said Diamond.

“There’s going to be more things in the future,” said Soldier. She said the group plans to branch out into other areas in the future, such as the purse snatching problem that has cropped up recently at Shaw’s Supermarket in North Windham.

Other Neighbors Helping Neighbors include Community Service Officer Matt Cyr, Town Councilor Bob Muir, Lakes Region Farmers Market organizer Bob Wehmeyer, Madeline Roberts, who is the social service administrative assistant for Windham and the manager of the Windham Food Pantry and Clothes Closet.