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A Decade of Service
Established in 1998, Reach Out Morongo Basin’s (ROMB), formerly known as Reach Out 29, mission is to provide support, assistance, education and referrals to our senior and disabled neighbors in the Morongo Basin. As an Interfaith Volunteer Caregiving Program this is accomplished by utilizing volunteers to provide informal caregiving such as friendly visiting both in person and by telephone, shopping and errands, personal business assistance, minor home repairs, yard work, and transportation to medical, dental and social service appointments.
 Reach Out was designed to fill the gaps of traditional paid providers, both governmental and private. The nature of the tasks assigned to volunteers appear ordinary yet often fall through the cracks as our neighbors age, for example visiting, shopping, errands to the post office, bank and pharmacy, filling out forms and reading mail. The decision to expand throughout the Morongo Basin was in direct response to the many calls for these services; calls from private citizens, caregivers and other agencies. Our local churches are on the front line of these calls and help when possible, yet the bringing together of the volunteers who can help those neighbors in need of help is not being done on a grand scale by any other agency.
Recognized Service
As demonstrated by the donation of office space in the area senior centers, Reach Out is recognized by the City of Twentynine Palms and the Town of Yucca Valley as providing exceptional, loving service to our senior and disabled populations in a way no other organization is doing. This is a top priority for both municipalities as well as our faith community.
Programs
Reach Out programs include the Interfaith Volunteer Caregiving Program, which matches volunteers with elderly and disabled neighbors, and the Transportation Program. Through 2005, services were provided to seniors and disabled in the Twentynine Palms area only, defined by the 92277 zip code. In January 2006, it was decided that Reach Out would expand its services to the entire Morongo Basin to include Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Wonder Valley, Landers, Morongo Valley and surrounding areas.
Volunteered Time
In 2005, 191 volunteers served more than 335 unduplicated care recipients logging 5,573 volunteer hours in the homes of our elderly and disabled; additionally, service is given daily by staff and volunteers to the patrons at the Twentynine Palms Senior Center in a walk-in capacity. Our Transportation Program drove 32,180 miles to medical and social service appointments throughout San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) documentation, we know that virtually all of our clients are considered to have low-to-moderate income by the federal government standards.
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