It Takes a Village to Age in Place
California adults can expect to have more choice and control to remain in their homes and communities as they age. The Archstone Foundation has awarded grants totaling $1.3 million to expand and strengthen “villages” in nine California counties that will help older adults age in place. Currently, there are 29 villages in California— eight are open and 21 are in development. Nationally, there are 55 operating villages with an additional 120 in various stages of development.
“We have an obligation to our parents, ourselves, and our children to respect the value of a meaningful life no matter what one’s age,” says Terry Simonette, president and CEO of NCB Capital Impact. “We must do all we can to create sustainable ways for all Americans to remain independent, dignified, and connected to our communities throughout life,” he adds.
Villages are self-governing, membership driven, nonprofit organizations run by small staffs and volunteers working together to build welcoming communities, provide social supports, and coordinate affordable services, including transportation, in-home medical care, home repairs and other day-to-day needs for people wishing to remain in their home and communities. In 2010, NCB Capital Impact and Beacon Hill Village launched the Village to Village Network to provide a national peer to peer network to help communities establish and sustain their own villages.
“We know that older adults desire and plan to age in place, close to the people, organizations, businesses and services they know,” says Susan Poor, senior policy advisor, NCB Capital Impact and Village to Village Network. “Capital Impact’s technical assistance through the Archstone grant includes individual work with grantees, group convenings, regular conference calls, and peer-to-peer learning that will advance the ‘state of the art’ in the village movement to grow and sustain villages throughout California, and sharing best practices nationwide.”
Villages supported by these grants will receive training in business planning, marketing, sustaining growth and viability, creating and managing strategic partnerships, and designing member programs, services, and benefits.
“These grants represent an investment in Creating Aging Friendly Communities through the Expansion of Villages, which seeks to further understand and document the varying village models being developed, ” says Archstone Foundation President and CEO, Joseph F. Prevratil, J.D. “If villages are successful and sustainable then together we will be pioneers in a movement that will be tailored to meet the needs of an aging population.”
The largest award, $235,372 , to the University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, is a 30-month grant to conduct an external evaluation of the Foundation-supported Expansion of the Village Movement initiative; the smallest $52,727, for a one-year term, is awarded to Community SeniorServ, Orange, CA, to support the development of a hub and spoke village model serving Orange County.
Two-year grants are awarded to:
NCB Capital Impact, Washington, DC , $229,910 to provide technical assistance to Foundation supported villages and convene four meetings of California villages.
Ashby Village, Berkeley, CA ,$100,000 to support the expansion of a grassroots village model serving the greater Berkeley area
Avenidas, Palo Alto, CA, $100,000 to support the expansion of a grassroots village model serving the greater Palo Alto area
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, $98,700 to support the launch of a grassroots village model serving Santa Barbara
Plumas Rural Services, Quincy, CA, $100,000to support the development of a hybrid village model that expands upon an existing time bank and the launch of two village spokes
Pomona Valley Community Services, Claremont, CA, $100,000 to support the launch of a hub and spoke village model serving the eastern part of Los Angeles County and western part of San Bernardino County
San Francisco Village, San Francisco, CA, $100,000 to support the expansion of a hub and spoke village model serving the City of San Francisco
Tierrasanta Village of San Diego, San Diego, CA, $100,000 to support the expansion of a time banking village model in the community of Tierrasanta
Wise & Healthy Aging, Santa Monica, CA,$100,000 to support the expansion of a hub and spoke village model serving west Los Angeles.
