Nonprofit organizations that provide services to the elderly
received over $250,000 in grants awarded by Foundation for Roanoke Valley. As part of the Foundation’s Special Interest
Grants process, nonprofit organizations were given the opportunity to apply to
the Foundation’s Mary Louise Home Fund and Marion S. and Willie Z. Camp Fund
for Eldercare, both which support services to the elderly.
“We continue to see an increasing need for services to the
elderly population. The Foundation is
thrilled to be in a position to award such large impact grants in an attempt to
meet the need,” says Michelle Eberly, FRV Program Officer.
The following organizations are recipients:
·
Adult Care Center of Roanoke Valley received
$35,000 to support its Sue Nutter Scholarship Fund. This Fund would provide its senior clients
with financial constraints the opportunity to use the Center’s services.
·
Alzheimer’s Association, CWVA received $50,000
to supports its Arts Fusion Plus program.
This program targets older adults in the region and offers creative arts
and social activities to persons with early stage dementia in order to improve
the quality of life for the person and their caregivers. “Growing research
indicates there are steps we can take to promote brain health and to
enhance well-being in persons with early dementia. Interventions such as
social clubs and creative, expressive arts allow individuals living with
dementia to express themselves in ways that are satisfying and communicate with
others, and improve quality of life.
Generous funding provided by Foundation for Roanoke Valley will allow
the Alzheimer’s Association to expand our reach in providing the ARTS FUSION
program for persons with early stage dementia to engage in social, musical, and
arts programming throughout the region,” says Ellen Phipps, Alzheimer’s
Association VP Programs & Public Policy.
·
Botetourt
Resource Center received $20,000 to support its services to older adults. The Center offers services such as
recreation, fuel assistance, co-prescription, home repair, basic needs as well
as information assistance, referral to human resources, and advocacy to help
balance the needs of older adults who struggle economically and socially on
fixed incomes.
·
LEAP for Local Food received $11,952 to expand
its Senior Incentive Program to target seniors living in housing units in NW
Roanoke that are managed by the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority. With this program, during the off-season,
LEAP will transport seniors who live at Melrose Towers to the monthly Grandin
Village Community Winter Markets and during the market season, the LEAP Mobile
Market will stop weekly at two RRHA sites.
·
Local Office on Aging received $40,793 to
provide assisted transportation to its clients who currently receive intensive
case management services. While LOA
provides transportation, the service is only door to door. Often frail seniors need help to assist them
in getting to the vehicle and getting from the vehicle into the doctor’s office
for their appointments. With this
grant, LOA can hire a certified nursing assistant (CNA) to provide this service
of not only assisting clients into the vehicle, but also accompany clients to
their doctors appointments.
·
Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley was
awarded $25,000 to continue supporting its Senior Extravaganza for the
elderly. The Senior Extravaganza is an
annual event held in the Roanoke area and is well attended by older
adults. There are health screenings,
pharmacy consults, exhibits about health and safety issues, workshops, and
entertainment. Approximately 400 seniors
attend this event each year.
·
New Vision was awarded $21,000 to provide
equipment and training in the use of voice-activated virtual assistants. This
equipment, used by its elderly clients, can report weather, read audiobooks,
play music, communicate with caregivers, and more.
·
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra received $50,000 to
support its Wellness Arts program. Small,
trained ensembles of RSO professional musicians will bring music to populations
through sessions in older adult facilities throughout Roanoke. This program will address physical,
emotional, cognitive, and social needs of memory care patients in those
facilities.
"We are excited to share the power of music and its ability to
impact our health through this new Wellness Arts program. The Roanoke
Symphony is grateful to Foundation for Roanoke Valley for their support of this
groundbreaking work in our community," Says David Crane, RSO Executive
Director.
 |
L to R: David Ward, New Vision; Mike Pyle, Adult Care Center
of Roanoke Valley; David Crane, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra; Ron Boyd, Local
Area Office on Aging; Ellen Phipps, Alzheimer’s Association; Sam Lev, LEAP for
Local Food; Robyn Dobyns, Botetourt Resource Center; Ashley Reynolds Marshall,
Mental Health America
|
