Village Caregiving: From Personal Mission to National Home Care Force

BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. – July 29, 2026 – A press release announcing seven new offices and 160 new jobs might seem like standard corporate fare. But for Village Caregiving (VCG), a privately-owned home care agency, the expansion announced in the first half of 2026 represents something more fundamental. The move, which pushes the company’s footprint into 22 states and brings its caregiver count to over 4,800, is the latest chapter in a story that began not in a boardroom, but from a place of shared family struggle.

"Our business numbers just tell one part of our story. The real story is our impact," said Jeff Stevens, co-founder and CEO of Village Caregiving. This sentiment cuts to the core of the firm’s strategy. While the numbers are impressive—a nearly 16% client increase to serve over 5,800 seniors and veterans—the strategic choices behind them reveal a company doubling down on its founding principles. By expanding into states like Massachusetts and Montana for the first time, VCG is executing a deliberate plan that intertwines scalable growth with a deeply embedded social mission.

A Strategy Rooted in Community Need

Village Caregiving’s expansion map tells a clear story. The new offices are not in sprawling metropolitan hubs but in smaller and mid-sized communities: Asheville, N.C.; Altoona, Pa.; Cape Cod, Mass.; Helena, Mont.; Jackson, Tenn.; Sandusky, Ohio; and Sheridan, Wyo. This is not an accident. It’s a direct response to a critical demographic reality: the accelerating demand for senior care in areas often overlooked by larger providers.

As the U.S. population ages and a strong majority of seniors express a desire to age in place, the home care market is booming. However, this growth is not evenly distributed. Rural and smaller urban areas frequently face a deficit of quality, reliable care options. VCG is stepping into this gap. Confirmed offices are already operational in locations like Helena, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming—the latter with a physical address on Coffee Ave—while active hiring is underway in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Sandusky, Ohio. This on-the-ground presence validates the company's claims and signals a tangible injection of both services and jobs into local economies.

The creation of 160 new caregiving jobs is particularly significant against the backdrop of a national caregiver shortage. The industry is plagued by high turnover, often driven by low wages and demanding work. VCG’s expansion, therefore, is not just about meeting client demand but also about creating stable employment in these communities, a move that provides a dual economic and social benefit.

Innovating Beyond Basic Assistance

While geographic expansion provides the scaffolding for growth, VCG is simultaneously deepening its service offerings to address complex needs. The company recently launched a pilot program in Illinois and Kentucky focused on delivering personalized services for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. This isn't a proprietary model developed in a vacuum; it’s aligned with the national GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) model promoted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The GUIDE model emphasizes comprehensive, person-centered care that supports not only the patient but also their family caregivers. By adopting this framework, VCG is moving beyond the essential, nonmedical services of cooking and cleaning into the nuanced and critical work of dementia support. For the more than 6.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, programs like this represent a shift toward a more holistic and humane standard of care that allows individuals to remain at home with dignity. It’s a forward-looking investment in specialization that few nonmedical agencies undertake at this scale.

This commitment to serving specific, high-need populations is further reflected in its expanded partnership with the Kentucky Purple Star Award Program. This state-level initiative recognizes schools that provide robust support systems for military-connected children and their families. By deepening its involvement, VCG’s eight Kentucky locations are empowered to provide direct financial, in-kind, and volunteer support to veterans and their families—a demographic that aligns perfectly with the company’s mission and existing veteran care services.

The Founder's Mandate: The Story Behind the Growth

To understand VCG’s trajectory, one must look back to its 2013 founding. The company was established by three friends—Andrew Maass, Jeff Stevens, and Matt Walker—who found themselves simultaneously navigating the complexities of securing home care for their own family members. They bonded over shared difficulties and a collective realization that the market lacked affordable, compassionate, family-centered care. This personal experience became the firm’s foundational DNA.

This origin story is more than a feel-good anecdote; it is the strategic lens through which all corporate decisions are viewed. The focus on underserved communities, the investment in a complex dementia pilot, and the support for military families are not disparate initiatives. They are direct expressions of the founder's mandate to build the company they wished had existed for their own loved ones. This mission-driven ethos provides a powerful narrative that resonates with clients and, crucially, with employees.

The Bottom Line of a 'Best Workplace'

Perhaps the most telling indicator of VCG’s health and strategic coherence is its first-time inclusion on Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces list. This award is not a top-down honor; it is earned through rigorous, confidential employee surveys. In an industry where caregiver burnout and turnover are existential threats, creating a certifiably positive work environment is a profound competitive advantage.

Achieving this status is a direct result of tangible investments in the workforce. Research into VCG's job postings reveals competitive hourly wages—ranging from $17-$20 in Sandusky to $20-$22 in Sheridan—alongside benefits like 401k planning, paid training, and flexible hours. These are not just perks; they are essential components for attracting and retaining skilled, compassionate caregivers. By treating its caregivers as valued professionals, VCG is building the human infrastructure necessary to deliver on its promise of high-quality care.

The linkage is clear: a supported, engaged workforce leads to better client outcomes and lower attrition, creating a virtuous cycle that fuels both the mission and the bottom line. As Village Caregiving continues its national expansion, its success demonstrates that in the business of care, how you treat your people is inseparable from the quality of the service you provide.