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 of which support services to the elderly.
“We continue to see an increasing need for services to the elderly population,” says Michelle Eberly, FRV program officer. The Foundation is thrilled to be in a position to award such large impact grants in an attempt to meet the need.”
Organizations recipients are:
Adult Care Center of Roanoke Valley-$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-$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-$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-$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 (LOA)-$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-$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. New Vision-$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 audio books, play music, communicate with caregivers, and more.
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra-$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.
