The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan (CFOS) has announced the recipients of its 2022 Make a Difference grants. The Make a Difference Fund was established by the leadership of the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan in 2003 to meet emerging needs in the areas in which it serves.
This year, grants totaling $10,500 are being distributed to five nonprofit organizations that provide programs and services addressing emerging social and emotional needs of senior residents and their caregivers in Orange and Sullivan counties.
“Senior citizens have long been an underserved population, and the pandemic intensified the social isolation experienced by many people in this vulnerable age group,” said Elizabeth Rowley, CFOS President and CEO. “Our distribution committee agreed it was timely to focus this year’s grants on nonprofits addressing seniors’ unique needs.”
Among the grantees was Jewish Family Service of Orange County (JFS). The JFS Safety Net Program provides friendly visitor support throughout Orange County by trained volunteers to neighbors over 60 years of age.
Grantees also include the following:
The Pine Bush Area Public Library
Project: The Happier, Healthier You series-
$500 grant
The Pine Bush Area Public Library serves as a facility not only for borrowing books, etc., but also provide various other services through their Community Room, geared to Seniors. The Happier, Healthier You program teaches seniors good sleep habits, laughter, healthy thinking, and healthy eating so they can build a strong immune system, help to age gracefully, age-proof a senior’s brain and even how to become their own best friend.
Town of Montgomery
Project: Seniors Independence Project (TOMSIP)
$2,000 grant
For over fifteen years, TOMSIP has paired volunteers with seniors to help them remain living in their homes rather than having to relocate in institutional settings. Volunteers perform services such as giving rides for medical appointments and food shopping and help in their homes such as snow shoveling and keeping in touch with our Town’s seniors who we call “Neighbors”. Phone calls and visits are part of the program. We are often told that they would not have been able to stay in their homes as they wished if not for TOMSIP.
The program serves approximately 100 seniors in multiple ways each year. In addition, many isolated seniors who desperately need these free services are not aware of or are reluctant to contact us. We need to create programs to vastly enhance outreach so our seniors can receive the help they need.