Stephanie Bird has always taken care of people. From her sons to her parents, Bird has dedicated her life to those who mean the most to her. Guardian Angel Concierge Service is a natural extension of that lifetime of care.
Launched in October 2018, the business grew from what Bird describes as a “dream that I [could] help people.” After her parents passed away, she realized there were many others who “really needed people” to support them. Now operating from the third floor of the Hartnett Plumbing building in Colrain, Bird and her niece, Nikki Crossman, have turned that dream into a reality. The business first opened in Bennington, Vermont, before moving to 4 Bowles St. in Greenfield. Eventually, in August of 2023, the company found its forever home at 7 Jacksonville Road in Colrain.
When Bird started Guardian Angel Concierge Service (GACS), she knew she “could not do this business with anyone but [her] niece.” The impact of their partnership is visible on the corkboard across from Bird’s desk, which is covered in cards and photos from grateful clients. One letter from 102-year-old Lee Evers reads, “To Super-Duper Stephanie and Nikki, your so lovely card made me a happy 102 year old.”
His son, David Gladstone, says that GACS are “a blessing,” and that they made a measurable impact on both his and his father’s life. “Maybe that’s why they’re called the angels,” Gladstone said.
In the Hilltowns, where roads are tough to navigate and winter snow creates hazardous conditions, there is a “high need” for homecare, according to Crossman. Unlike agencies where staff might visit once and never return, GACS prioritizes consistency. “[Bird is] not just going to send anybody” to a client’s home, Crossman said, noting that the company’s goal is to keep the service familiar and personal.
The process begins with an introductory meeting featuring the primary caregiver and either Bird or Crossman; once established, they avoid switching staff to maintain consistency. Both women share a unified goal: providing the support necessary for their clients to age in place comfortably and remain in their homes for a lifetime.
This consistency extends to the type of care they provide and they way they go about providing it. The service plan, according to Bird, is molded by the family, and is a collaborative process between the two parties. Kerry Hammond knows about this collaborative process, as she began contracting GACS in 2019 after her mother began showing signs of early-onset dementia.
“My brother and I were both working, and we found that with Guardian Angel’s help, we were able to balance out our work and home life,” Hammond said, “along with caring for the ever growing needs of my mother as she … continued the process with her dementia.”
GACS is “completely non-medical” according to Bird, and provides a plethora of services, ranging from performing small-scale lawn care and driving clients to appointments to providing homecare services.
Crossman said that the main area of their business, private pay homecare, has a rate of $38 an hour. Depending on other services, such as lawn care, transportation or cleaning, it is a sliding scale fee.
With 18 current employees populating different areas around Franklin County, their range of service extends from end-to-end of the county. Female-owned and -operated, Bird said that GACS is “a stepping stone for girls coming out of high school.” Many of its employees are pursuing careers in nursing, and Bird joked it’s important to know if you’re comfortable giving someone a shower before going into the medical field.
One of the most important areas of GACS to Bird is her company’s work with Veteran’s Affairs (VA). Bird’s father was a veteran, and she said that “veterans come first before the regular client.” One of these veterans is Fred Lowell of Rowe, who said that his relationship with GACS started through the VA.
“Somebody at the VA referred me to them and [GACS] called me,” Lowell said. “I really needed some help here at home, I’m 83 now and I’m pretty much housebound these days. … The Guardian Angels, their organization is great, they’re very helpful.” He added that GACS has become “like family” to him, which is a common through-line with much of its clientele.
“[My dad’s] a real people person and people love him,” Gladstone said. “It’s just beautiful to watch how well these angels treat this old gentleman … it’s more than a service the way they relate to dad, it’s very personal and very warm and loving.”
If GACS isn’t able to provide a service, they often know someone who can. It does have a handyman service for smaller projects that Bird said “the big dogs don’t have the time to do.” For larger projects, Bird said that as a concierge service, they can recommend different businesses and services that are “reliable, honest and trustworthy.”
But now, for the first time in a very long time, GACS has enough employees to that it is now able to accept new clients. Bird said there’s a folder somewhere on her desk that’s full of applications for her company’s services. Crossman said that because the company hasn’t been able to accept new clients for a long time, she hopes to get that message out because GACS could assist more people who need the help.
And Crossman knows that for the company’s clients, it’s not easy for them either, as she said she knows it “not easy having someone come into your home in the last chapter of your life.” But for her, and Bird, if they can put a smile on their clients face, that’s enough.
“It’s a good feeling when you see them smile and they really appreciate you, or they look forward to you coming and you just brighten up their day when you walk in the door,” Crossman said. “That’s enough alone.”
“That, to me, is worth more than money,” Bird said.
For more information about Guardian Angel Concierge Service, visit gacsllc.com, email info@gacsllc.com or call 844-211-4790.
