Friends of Our Island Home was started as a way to gift/donate directly to programs at the facility that touch the residents. As a municipally owned nursing home, Nantucket’s Board of Selectmen is the governing body overseeing the facility, along with the the rest of Nantucket Town and County funded by tax dollars. Our Island Home is just that, a home. Although the standard of care for the residents is not compromised, municipal budgets often don’t cover the activities that mean the most to those in a residential skilled nursing program. FoOIH as a private, non-profit entity, can raise funds and pay directly for goods and services that are first requested by department heads, residents, family members etc. and then approved by the administrator. We modeled our approach to the successful Friends of the Nantucket Public Schools – who successfully help students and teachers beyond what the school system can provide.