2023-2025 Grantees
This page highlights the impactful and innovative work to be accomplished by the third cohort of Community Care Corps grantees. Each snapshot includes a program overview highlighting key efforts, partners and future directions. Learn more about work of the Community Care Corps grantees and explore how your organization can implement its own innovative programs.
ALS Association Oregon & SW Washington
Portland, Oregon | www.alsoregon.org
The ALS Volunteer Program provides people living with ALS and their caregivers additional support by expanding two programs across the State of Oregon and Southwest Washington. We plan to recruit and train (at least) 140 volunteers to fulfill Caregiver Mentor and Helping Hand volunteer roles in order to serve more families and reach more rural communities. The goals are to support people with companionship, real-world experience and empathy and also assist with practical tasks like chores, errands, and gardening. This much-needed help allows families facing ALS to reduce their isolation and save money and time.
Area Agency on Aging, Region One
Phoenix, Arizona | www.aaaphx.org
The Area Agency on Aging in Phoenix, Arizona proposes to recruit and train 30 new volunteers to help pre-and-post non-emergency medical appointments. Volunteers will provide 1215 round trip rides and act as medical chaperones to 600 unduplicated adults 60 and older, caregivers and adults with physical disabilities. Pre and post appointment tasks may include helping with food, picking up prescriptions, and making sure the environment is set up for recovery. This specialized service will improve access to healthcare for older adults, caregivers, and persons with physical disabilities, create new meaningful volunteer opportunities, and expand the Agency’s volunteer base and programs.
Ascension St. Agnes Foundation
Baltimore, Maryland | www.givesaintagnes.org
The Ascension St. Agnes Foundation (ASA) requested support to expand and enhance our Chaperone Program. Volunteer chaperones are layered onto Lyft transportation, and a shuttle, to accompany older adults and adults with disabilities to and from non-emergency medical appointments. Demand continues to outpace the supply of volunteers. A new incentive program will help us increase our volunteers to a total of 125, enabling us to increase the number of unique participants by 150 individuals. A new contract with a health care aid will enable us to serve a more medically fragile population, expanding the Chaperone Program to new sites within ASA.
Association for Learning and Mentoring Services
New York, New York | www.almsny.org
ALMS' Empowering Independence program aims to enhance community engagement and support for seniors, Intellectual or Developmentally Disabled (IDD) individuals, and family caregivers in the New York Metro area. Addressing challenges that limit independence and community involvement, the initiative provides comprehensive aid for nonmedical tasks and access to food, technology training, language translation, and social interaction. The program involves IDD individuals in community service, offering invaluable work experience and promoting inclusivity. It caters to the needs of family caregivers by providing respite services, emotional support, and social opportunities. The program leverages intergenerational volunteers and fosters an inclusive community network.
Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging
Cleveland, Ohio | www.benrose.org
PALS (Pet Assistance Linking Support): Supporting Pets, Supporting People, will match volunteers with an older pet owner who needs assistance with basic pet care (e.g., dog walking, feeding, changing water, managing waste, bringing in pet food deliveries). We aim not only to assist with pet care and decrease caregiving tasks, but also to provide older adults with social support and decrease isolation. PALS will serve up to 60 clients, 20 caregivers, and train 120 volunteers. This local model addresses a topic that is often overlooked in programs for caregivers: the work performed for their loved ones’ pets.
Blount County Community Action Agency
Maryville, Tennessee | www.blountcaa.org
Blount County Community Action Agency will provide ‘aging in place’ services to individuals 65 years and older, who are facing Instrumental Activities of Daily Living challenges in securing food resources, housing instability, and experiencing mobility limitations at home and in the community. Utilizing over 50 volunteers, expanding services to the target population will include the Smoky Mountain Meals/Ani-Meals on Wheels Program, SAFER Homes ramp program and Smiles Senior Transportation program. ‘Aging in place’ services will also include an innovative senior housing model that supports shared benefits to a senior homeowner and a senior who is on the verge of homelessness.
CASS Housing, Inc.
Fort Wayne, Indiana | www.casshousing.org
CASS Housing seeks to initiate a volunteer program that will help provide support, mentorship, and educational guidance to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. Our goal is to provide over 500 hours of volunteer support to expand our educational programs and connect four volunteer mentors to adults with I/DD living independently in a CASS program home. These services will offer another layer of support as we work towards inclusion, choice, and safety in residential services for adults with I/DD while taking away barriers that stop families from transitioning their loved ones out of the family home.
Chico State Enterprises – PASSAGES
Chico, California | www.passagescenter.org
PASSAGES AmeriCorps Volunteers of Butte and Colusa Counties will provide volunteer chaperones to accompany older adults and adults with disabilities to non-emergency medical appointments and outpatient procedures. The goal is to ensure older adults living in rural areas have access to medical care. We will be using 15 current AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers for the Medical Chaperone program, then recruit, and train 30 new transportation chaperone volunteers. Due to the extremely rural nature of Butte and Colusa counties, we believe this service will have a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of our ever-growing older adult population.
Christine B. Foundation, Inc.
Bangor, Maine | www.chrisbfund.org
Christine B. Foundation (CBF) is the only organization of its kind meeting the growing demand for cancer nutritional support services in Maine. We provide no-cost programming focused on equitable access to cancer nutrition assistance, and care navigation and coordination. 1,000-1,200 Mainers rely upon CBF’s two-person staff and team of volunteers to deliver our services weekly. Our volunteers package and disseminate 105,000+ medically tailored meals to 1,500+ people across 11,500+ square miles each year. Our goal is to expand our Cancer Nutrition Assistance Program (CNAP) and address our waitlist of cancer patients and their caregivers. To do this, we need more volunteers.
Como Park Living at Home Block Nurse Program
St Paul, Minnesota | www.comobnp.org
The mission of the Como Park Living at Home Block Nurse Program is to organize community volunteers, professionals, and family members to provide care for their neighborhood seniors in ways that support choice, dignity, and independence.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Northampton, Massachusetts | www.cooleydickinson.org
Cooley Dickinson’s Pioneer Valley Memory Care Initiative (PVMCI) will expand our volunteer program so that more older adults with dementia and their families can receive dementia-competent volunteer support. The goal is to decrease isolation and increase wellbeing for both the older adult with dementia and their family caregiver. PVMCI partners with the Amherst, Easthampton, and Northampton Neighbors organizations to provide their volunteers with dementia training, pair volunteers with PVMCI families, and run a volunteer support group. PVMCI will create a Volunteer Coordinator position to grow the program and connect 60 families with a volunteer to help them age at home.
Council on Aging of Central Oregon
Bend, Oregon | www.councilonaging.org
The Council on Aging of Central Oregon’s (CoA) current volunteer model, called Caring Connections, provides seniors with regular telephone calls to create meaningful connections, provide safety checks, and support family caregivers. The program will expand to in-person visits and events to facilitate deeper friendships between the volunteers and their participant match and provide opportunities for transportation and chore assistance. By creating a variety of additional touch points, we will enhance the accessibility of the program, ensure access to the full social service resources we offer in our three-county region of Central Oregon, and meaningfully address isolation and loneliness.
Elderbridge Agency on Aging
Mason City, Iowa | www.elderbridge.org
Social isolation among seniors is a growing concern. To combat this, Elderbridge volunteers provide transportation, telephone reassurance, outdoor chore, and Happy Mail, along with other activities for seniors 60 and over within a 29-County area. Goals to address unmet needs of clients in rural areas while staying connected and cared for, reducing social isolation, and improving quality of life while remaining independent. The Happy Mail Program has volunteers sending 200 seniors cards or postcards every other month in the mail. The CommUNITY Kindness Project is an intergenerational outdoor chore cleanup project and helps breakdown barriers and build bridges between generations.
Faith in Action Georgetown
Georgetown, Texas | www.faithinactiongt.org
Faith in Action Georgetown (FIAG) provides free transportation for Georgetown residents age 65+ who cannot afford a vehicle or no longer drive due to health reasons. FIAG utilizes a volunteer model to provide door-thru-door transportation for medical appointments, grocery shopping, personal errands, and social engagements. We will utilize our 264 current volunteers and will recruit and train 50 new volunteers to serve 858 clients including 100 new clients. The goal is for clients to have access to free transportation, community connection, increased quality of life and the ability maintain their independence while they age in place.
Georgia Southern University Research and Service Foundation, Inc.
Statesboro, Georgia | www.georgiasouthern.edu
The Center for Social Gerontology at Georgia Southern University, is requesting $200,000 to establish an intergenerational transportation team of Volunteer Chaperones and Volunteer Drivers, based on the Trusted Rider model. The goal of this program is to test the feasibility of building intergenerational, volunteer transportation teams consisting of a driver and a chaperone to accompany older adults and adults with disabilities, to and from non-emergency medical appointments and procedures. Twenty-five College Student Volunteers and five stipended Volunteer Leaders who are low-income older adults will be screened and trained. Mileage will be available to prevent volunteer hardships.
Iona Senior Services
Washington, DC | www.iona.org
Iona Senior Services supports people as they experience the challenges and opportunities of aging through education, advocacy, and by providing community-based services to help older adults and caregivers age and live well in the nation’s capital. Iona’s Age Well Live Well volunteer program provides companionship for older adults living alone, in-home respite support for family caregivers of aging individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias, support with daily activities for individuals who are aging with differing abilities and providing older volunteers and volunteers of different ages the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of others.
Jannus Inc
Boise, Idaho | www.jannus.org
Idaho's Aging Strong offers three volunteer-powered services for aging adults and caregivers: Legacy Corps friendly visits and respite, Powerful Tools for Caregiving education, and Memory Café support groups. This proposal aims to enhance and expand these programs by adopting a 'Volunteer Village' model. New volunteers will be recruited and cross-trained for diverse roles and services extended to more families. The model encourages flexibility, continuity, and relationships across programs. Robust recruitment strategies will attract new volunteers and community collaboration will replicate the successful Memory Café program. The aim is to provide comprehensive support to more families while engaging volunteers more fully.
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | www.jfcsphilly.org
JFCS will engage approximately 50 volunteers in our programs that connect individuals living with disabilities to the larger community, empower them to raise their voices on issues of social justice to educate others and ensure their needs are met, and provide community and connection to ensure positive ongoing mental and physical health. Neurotypical and neurodiverse adult volunteers will participate in Baking with a Mission (BWAM), imparting life-skills and education about food insecurity; engage in Social Justice Advocacy for people living with disabilities; provide support to caregivers; and be connected through a Friendly Caller Program, ensuring safety and well-being.
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich
Greenwich, Connecticut | www.jfsgreenwich.org
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich through coordination with TrustedRiders Inc. will offer volunteer chaperones and transportation for non-emergency medical/ wellness appointments and procedures to older adults and adults with disabilities with a new program, Compassionate Companions. The goal of Compassionate Companions is to provide a " door through door " transportation and accompaniment service to older adults in Greenwich and Stamford Ct. thereby reducing missed medical & non-emergency procedure appointments and reducing feelings of isolation in older adults. Compassionate Companions will fill the gap in current transportation resources while adding the security of a trusted, trained, and compassionate volunteer chaperone.
Meals on Wheels New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico | www.mow-nm.org
Through the pilot Assistive Technology Installation (ATI) project, Meals on Wheels New Mexico’s volunteers will be trained to provide assistive technology installation for senior clients and clients living with disabilities. By installing flashing doorbells for hard of hearing/Deaf clients, assistive handrails for clients with difficulty walking, easy to turn doorknobs for clients with arthritis, and expandable door hinges for clients who use walkers/wheelchairs, clients can get to the door to receive meals without injuries—overall increasing independence and the ability to age with dignity at home. We will train 40 current volunteers and recruit 10-20 new volunteers for the project.
NE Oklahoma Connection Group, Inc
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Northeast Oklahoma Connection Group, Inc is a newly organized 501c3 non-profit minority organization initiated to help the community. Ninety percent (90%) of the NE Oklahoma Connection Group is Native American. This organization has 30 plus years working in communities to make changes for all races. The organization is in NE Oklahoma where two tribal governments (Cherokee Nation and United Keetoowah Band Cherokee of Oklahoma) are located within the Cherokee Reservation. This project will cover two counties within the 14-county reservation. Cherokee and Adair Counties are both low-income population communities in NE Oklahoma. This project will support elder communities.
OPICA Adult Day Program and Counseling Center
Los Angeles, CA | www.opica.org
OPICA Adult Day Program and Counseling Center will provide dementia care services to an underserved community in Southwest Los Angeles. We will offer care management, support groups, training/education, and individual/family counseling to 40 caregivers. We will also offer engagement activities to the caregivers’ 40 loved ones with dementia including OZ virtual adult day programing or companionship phone calls and/or home visits. We will assign 15 volunteer MFT/social work interns to deliver services, supervised by licensed professionals. This program will increase caregiver self-efficacy, decrease caregiver stress, and provide engagement for older adults with dementia to improve their quality of life.
Proyecto Juan Diego
Brownsville, Texas | www.proyecto-jd.org
Proyecto Juan Diego (PJD) will build on two existing programs for low-income, primarily Spanish-speaking senior adults and adults with disabilities. PESAS (Prevencion y Exercicio Suave Activa su Salud! "Prevention and low-impact exercise activates your health") and Generation WE are programs aimed at improving health, mental health, and social connections. These interventions include health and nutrition education, low-impact exercise, social support, and interactions with youth from the Tutorial Program. PJD will recruit and train volunteers to provide these services, interact in a supportive way with the participants, and follow up on issues that may arise.
Senior Services of Island County (dba Island Senior Resources)
Freeland, Washington | www.senior-resources.org
Island Senior Resources of Island County, Washington, will expand the reach and scope of its “ISR HELPS” Aging and Disability Resources (ADR) program providing a broad range of social services to seniors 60+, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers. We will do this by launching our “ISR CONNECTS” social engagement model to move ADR work closer to seniors in their homes. Sixty trained volunteers will form 15 neighborhood teams supported by ADR Specialists to provide social engagement opportunities for 1,000 individuals. We aim to reduce the health risks associated with social isolation and increase equitable access to services.
Shepherd's Centers of America
Kansas City, Missouri | www.shepherdcenters.org
The Shepherd’s Centers Network will provide volunteer driver companions to older adults 65+ needing transportation to and from nonemergency medical appointments and outpatient screenings. The purpose is to provide assistance and support before, during, and after a clinical appointment. This volunteer assistance addresses access barriers for solo agers by offering personalized door-through-door support. More than 80 volunteers will be trained as volunteer driver companions to foster empowering experiences that help an estimated 200 older adults age in place with dignity.
South Alabama Regional Planning Commission
Mobile, Alabama | www.sarpc.org
The South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (SARPC) will address a core, unmet need of lower income adults aged 60 and older in Southwest Alabama through an innovative volunteer Silver Sweepers homemaker program that recruits professional housekeepers among other volunteers. Assistance with housekeeping is an essential support for independence for seniors and can reduce caregiver burden. SARPC will recruit and train 75 volunteers to provide cleaning services to 50 seniors, who will also benefit from referral to our resource center for other supportive services. Our goal is to improve quality of life, health and mental well-being, and maintain independent living.
The Providence Village of RI dba The Village Common of RI
Providence, Rhode Island | www.villagecommonri.org
The Village Common of RI will continue to grow and diversify. We will create and assess three unique models (Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Geographically Isolated), increase diversity within existing villages, and increase membership by 110 and volunteers by 55 within the state-wide network. Volunteers assist members in myriads of ways: transportation, help with home tasks, friendly visits, running errands, technology support, exercise, recreation programs, social events, and caregiver support groups. Anticipated outcomes include reduced isolation and loneliness, increased sense of belonging and recognition of their needs, improved sense of mental and physical well-being, increased confidence in ability to live independently and more.
Travelers Aid Society of Birmingham, Alabama Inc
Birmingham, Alabama | www.travelersaidbirmingham.com
Travelers Aid Birmingham will provide free ambulatory nonemergency transports coupled with volunteer escorts/chaperons for older and disabled adults who live alone and need supportive assistance in attending medical appointments. We will create a pool of 50-75 trained volunteers to provide this service. The goal is to decrease missed appointments, hospital admissions, and ER visits while improving the overall quality of health and ability to live independently. With the addition of these services to our existing programs we can help this population continue to live independently, feel valued in the community, and contribute to their overall well-being.
University of Kansas Center for Research Inc
Lawrence, Kansas | www.ku.edu
The University of Kansas Transition to Postsecondary Education (TPE) will provide KU TPE students (who have ID/D) with well-trained peer volunteers (Peer Navigators) to facilitate social relationships with other students in academic and social activities on campus. The goal is to decrease social isolation of TPE students and help them expand their social networks through academic and personal interests. Forty-five (45) Peer Navigators will be trained through courses that each require 30 volunteer hours. We believe better well-trained peers will decrease TPE students’ social isolation and increase their social networks now and in the future.
Virginia Down Syndrome Association
Richmond, Virginia | www.virginiadsa.org
VDSA will provide wrap around peer support for family caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome that includes peer mentoring, peer facilitated support groups, and peer facilitated educational programs. The goal is to increase the social connectedness among family caregivers. This support will also include meal preparation, lawn mowing, and handyman services for caregivers to reduce the stress in caregiving for individuals with Down syndrome to remain at home; and respite events for family caregivers to reduce the stress of caregiving. We believe adding these services to our existing programming will reduce isolation, build social connections, and reduce caregiver stress.