1. Caring Together, Living Better

2. Outline The Weinberg Foundation AgeOptions Project
Regional Improvements
Local Projects
Tying it all Together
Progress to Date
Next steps
Lessons Learned

3. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
National grant-making organization
Located in Maryland
Dedicated to assisting the poor, especially elderly poor
Issued a national Request for Proposals to fund Caregiver Support Projects

4. Weinberg’s Family and Informal Caregiver Support RFP
First issued in March, 2008
360 Letters of Inquiry received last June
51 selected to submit proposals in October
14 projects selected ($8.1 million) March 2009

5. AgeOptions Project $515,357 awarded Total project cost $1,139,165
South Suburbs chosen as target area
Partners:
Catholic Charities
Metropolitan Family Services
CJE SeniorLife

6. Twelve Focus Communities
Blue Island
Calumet City
Calumet Park
Dixmoor
Dolton
Harvey
Markham
Phoenix
Posen
Riverdale
Robbins
South Holland

7. Target Area

8. Why the South Suburbs? Weinberg grant is an opportunity to…
Focus on services in the south suburbs
Develop culturally-appropriate services
Develop new partnerships
AgeOptions is committed to this area

9. Demographics
Unemployment in some of these towns is over 5% higher than national average
Median income for older adults as low as half the national average ($12,000 per year in Robbins)
Two-thirds of residents are African-American

10. Caregiver Support Who are caregivers? Family, friends or neighbors who
care for an older adult
What support is already available?
Caregiver Specialist
Respite
Training
Support groups

11. Caring Together, Living Better Goals
Local (innovative, responsive) programs
Expansion & improvement of regional supports
Continuous evaluation and sustainability activities
Replication/dissemination

12. Regional Improvements
Access (outreach and capacity)
Respite
Training

13. Local Projects
Church is often the caregiver’s main/only community link
Local churches understand local needs
7 churches, 1 organization to develop innovative caregiver support programs
AgeOptions provides guidance and small stipend to each local partner

14. Local Project Partners
Bethel AME
Covenant UCC
Kizer Memorial
Metropolitan Family Services
Shekinah Lutheran
Valley Kingdom
Victory Christian
Word Made Flesh

15. Target Area

16. What is a Faith-based Caregiver Support Program?
Getting the word out
Volunteer respite or transportation
Support Teams
Caregiver Training/Fellowship Groups
Benefits assistance
Matching ideas from caregiver focus groups to church’s strengths

17. Tying it All Together Community Organizing Specialist Americorps VISTA
Culturally competent, familiar with area
Recruiting additional community partners
Americorps VISTA
Trained in capacity-building

18. Tying it All Together, cont.
Leadership Council Members
Four original regional partner agencies
Leaders from local church projects
Older adults, caregivers, businesspeople
Duties
Project guidance
Sustainability

19. Progress to Date Project Kickoff Dinner Asset-mapping
Caregiver focus groups

20. Kickoff Dinner Built on the connections made during proposal-writing
30 organizations represented
Prayer
State Rep. Will Davis
Keynote Apostle Carl White, Jr.
Call to action, collaboration

21. Asset-mapping Strengths-based approach
Looking at individuals, associations, organizations
Congregants & community members
Foundation for project design
Database for future use

22. Focus Groups At least one per local partner
Phone interviews, surveys as needed
Questions to inform local project design
Feedback on draft outreach materials
Questions to inform regional service improvements

23. Next steps Newsletter Toolkits Local project plans
Leadership Training (faith component)
Appreciative Inquiry
Webpage

24. Lessons in Building Faith Partnerships
Start early!
Gain local credibility through networking
Align with community priorities
Educate: “Who is a caregiver?”
Balance is key:
Recruiting capable partners while keeping a selective application process
Having clear expectations for partner churches while encouraging input

25. Countywide Caregiver Coordinator
Questions or Comments?
Sarah Stein
Countywide Caregiver Coordinator
AgeOptions
(708)