$500 Grants Awarded to Four Groups that Help Local Seniors
Open Your Heart to a Senior has awarded mini-grants of $500 each to four groups that will implement volunteer recruitment and outreach projects that help senior citizens in the local community. The recipients are:
- Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh (Homestead) – The grant will be used to provide mileage reimbursements to volunteers who drive senior clients to appointments and activities, thereby increasing the number of volunteers available to help seniors and enabling more senior clients to participate in programs.
- KnitHope (McCandless) will create “KnitHope Knit-Alongs,” recruiting senior and non-senior volunteers to knit together, teach each other new skills and make scarves for seniors in need.
- North Hills Senior Services (McCandless) will build a Faith Community Nurse volunteer nurse program, providing general health and spiritual health help to the senior community.
- St. Joseph Parish (O’Hara) will implement intergenerational projects and activities that reach out to homebound seniors in the community for fun and fellowship.
Proposals were evaluated based on the soundness of the plan and project activities, especially the potential to engage both volunteers and seniors in response to an identified community need. Twelve applications were received for the four grants.
Open Your Heart to a Senior is a joint initiative of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania’s Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers program (IVC) and North Hills Community Outreach, designed to ensure that every senior in Allegheny County who needs a caring volunteer has one. Volunteers provide nonmedical assistance (e.g., rides to the doctor, assistance with grocery shopping, friendly visits and phone calls, yard projects, etc.), helping the seniors to remain safe and independent in their own homes. This initiative is funded by the United Way of Allegheny County.
For more information, visit www.openyourhearttoasenior.org or call 412-307-0071
