A new era begins at DARTS

He was quick to praise Bailey’s leadership of the nonprofit and her help with his transition to its helm, as well as the many volunteers that make the nonprofit’s work possible. In the coming months, he will begin formally devising ways to expand services and give the aging population a larger voice in the community.

A Minnesota native, Lavin spearheaded a senior wellness program at the YMCA that was adopted at branches nationwide. It focuses on promoting seniors’ health through means other than physical fitness, such as educational classes and caregiver support services – mirroring some work that DARTS has done for decades. He learned of the opening at DARTS from his wife Laurie, who has volunteered with DARTS in Hastings for 10 years in a variety of capacities, avidly with its “snow angel” program, which assigns people to shovel seniors’ driveways and sidewalks.

The need for healthy aging solutions became closer to his heart after his father developed Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s amazing when your life mission and your work mission collide and you have the opportunity to see your dedication in action each and every day,” said Lavin. “DARTS was really more aligned with where I wanted to be engaged with our seniors and our aging population. We’re looking at how we support them in a well-rounded capacity, not only from a wellness standpoint but from a service standpoint – when they need caregiving relief in a respite type program, or if they need help in the ability to stay in their home…. Personally, with some of the things that had happened within my family, it was a natural match for me to want to go for this position.”

DARTS serves about 2,200 people annually – about two-thirds of whom live alone – and is funded through grants, fees for services, and donations from businesses and organizations. Its low-cost services help seniors save money and reduce their need to do potentially dangerous household chores that may involve lifting heavy objects, climbing ladders and more. Volunteers help with yard work, simple home repairs, grocery shopping and other household tasks. Last summer, DARTS received a $267,000 Live Well at Home matching grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to begin offering those home services in southern Ramsey County through August 2026. It also recently expanded its caregiver support programming to southern Washington County.

Perhaps DARTS’ most public-facing service is its $2 bus loops, which give seniors an opportunity to go shopping and get to appointments. In West St. Paul it operates 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Wednesdays. Another program that has become increasingly popular since its launch in 2022 is The Breathing Space, which pairs volunteers with older adults – many struggling with memory issues – so their caregivers can have a 4-hour break, and the adults can socialize. It’s held 10 a.m.-2 p.m., each Thursday at Augustana Lutheran Church in West St. Paul and the same time each Friday at Easter Lutheran Church in Eagan. Caregiver coaches can also be contacted in person or over the phone to receive helpful resources designed to help prevent caregiver burnout and isolation. DARTS also began hosting Café y Conversaciones last year. It’s a monthly social and game hour at the DARTS office at 1645 Marthaler Lane in West St. Paul where members of the Latino community can voice concerns and discuss issues for which they need support.

Lavin is the fifth president since DARTS was established in 1974. The organization’s name was an acronym for Dakota Area Resources and Transportation for Seniors until 2008 when it rebranded to simply DARTS. For more information or to explore volunteer opportunities, call 651-455-1560 or visit dartsconnects.org.

“We’re always looking for volunteers and we’d love to have people reach out and be a part of our wonderful volunteer base,” said Lavin. “The more volunteers that we can secure and train and be a part of our organization, the more we can deliver and provide services to the aging population that is so needed.”

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