Board members of the Friends of Our Island Home have been actively working on the Advisory Workgroup with the Town of Nantucket regarding building the new nursing home, which is proposed to be located at the Sherburne Commons site, which is Town-owned property under lease to Sherburne Commons.

We know the cost of building a new nursing home is a significant expense, and as the local media pointed out, it can make us all look twice at the numbers. However, we understand that should the taxpayers vote in favor of this new building, the estimated cost for the average single-family year-round home with the residential exemption would range between $250 – $300 per year—further details to follow on this.* Please consider this an investment in each other and consider the costs of not having Our Island Home. 

Our intentions are: 

1) To educate the community on the vital importance of this project, emphasizing what is at stake and the costs involved so they are better informed to vote at Town Meeting 2025.

2) To spearhead two public forum events led by local leaders representing the local agencies serving the island’s elderly population.

3) To provide transparent and factual information from the Town of Nantucket and Our Island Home. 

Our understanding is that if the Nantucket voter chooses “no” and leaves Our Island Home where it stands today, it may not exist in the future, and we could lose our only skilled nursing home on Nantucket. Therefore, all those who need a nursing home on Nantucket could face having to move off the island. Away from their family and friends, away from the island they called home.

We hope to obtain sponsors to promote the public forum events. Mind’s Eye Communications will manage the communications/education awareness campaign as a partial sponsor. The Nantucket Dreamland Theater is sponsoring the public forums. If funds allow, NCTV will broadcast these events. We hope to have a live broadcast to engage residents who are interested but unable to attend the forum events in person to participate in Q&A. 

The forums are expected to occur in the fall 2024 and spring 2025. 

This educational communication campaign depends on receiving financing to support the Friends of Our Island Home. If you want to help or have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us or donate to our cause.

Click here to see the Town of Nantucket’s proposed new building for Our Island Home.

* Based on the information from FY 24, it is subject to change.