Sometimes when you need a little help, the best option is to reach out to your friends. At the Council on Aging, the Friends of the Elderly have provided Dartmouth with a helping hand — whether it’s funding a new garage for the senior center or establishing a wellness center.

“We’ve been doing this since the existence of the Council on Aging. We did it on a very small basis when we started. We became a [nonprofit] in 1986,” said Maria Connor, the president of Friends of the Elderly. “Since then, we keep getting larger. We have fundraisers and two little stores.”

Initially, the group raised money through fundraising events held periodically throughout the year, but the thrift shops have enabled the group to have a steadier stream of income. One is a smaller store situated in the middle of the senior center. Another is a larger space — a converted garage — that’s filled with clothing, furniture and other hidden treasures.

“People in the community donate things — it can be towels, pans, clothing, you name it,” said Council on Aging Director Debra Raymond, adding that the group often receives donations from people who are downsizing homes or moving out of state.

“When a project comes up that they think will benefit the community, they tap the money that they’ve raised,” Raymond said.

The thrift store, which is open from 9 a.m. to noon on weekdays, is operated exclusively through unpaid volunteers.

“We’re trying to raise money for worthy causes in the community,” said Christine Crofton, who volunteers at the stores. “Most of the things we do are for the Council on Aging, but there’s other things in the Town of Dartmouth that the Friends help with.”

She said the Friends have directed their funds toward everything from scholarships to food banks. One of the group’s upcoming plans it to fully furnish one of the rooms at the O’Connor-Sisson House. The nine-unit building on Route 6 will be used for low-income veterans’ housing and could see residents moving in as early as next February.

“Now that the thrift store is really taking off, we can do more,” said Crofton.

In the past, the Friends have made many improvements around the senior center. This includes expansions to the main building, adding a Wellness Center that Connor estimates costs nearly $1 million and building a five-car garage for the Council on Aging’s vehicles. The latter project came about after the Council’s vehicles were vandalized.

“People were cutting the catalytic converters out of our vans,” said Raymond. “We had to replace them, so [Friends] built the garages so we could house our stuff.”

The latest addition, a smaller garage built this past April, houses outdoor equipment for the groundskeeper in one room and storage for medical supplies in another. The medical equipment, which includes crutches, canes, walkers, commodes, shower chairs and wheelchairs, are part of a loaner program run by the Council on Aging.

Raymond said that Dartmouth residents who are in need of supplies can loan them out through the Council on Aging. Because of the Friends of the Elderly’s latest contribution, they can now store the equipment properly.

Connor said the improvements around the senior center and the group’s work in the community wouldn’t be possible if not for the people living in the area.

“I’m always amazed how generous the people of Dartmouth are,” said Connor. “They’ve supported us through all these years. If it wasn’t for the generosity of the citizens of this town, we would not exist.”