Council on Aging Martin starts new Mobile Service with Impact100 Martin grant
Council on Aging President & CEO Karen Ripper, Chief Philanthropic Officer Michele Jacobs, Board Chair Nicki Schoonover, Case Manager Navigator Brian Sullivan, and Director of Case Management & Meal Services Annette Lopez.
The Council on Aging’s Elder Care Mobile Outreach program will soon be available to help seniors throughout Martin County neighborhoods who need assistance with the challenges of aging.
Thanks to a $100,000 Impact Grant from the generous members of Impact100 Martin, Council on Aging will be able to hire a second Case Manager Navigator to go directly to underserved seniors throughout Martin County who face social isolation and loneliness, and then connect them with essential services.
“The pandemic taught us that there is a reluctance among seniors to contact us to ask for help,” said Council on Aging Martin County CEO Karen Ripper. “Yet there are seniors in our affluent county who live in the shadows, possibly even in our own neighborhoods, who would benefit from our services. Now we will be able to go directly into the community to find them and offer the assistance they need.”
Funds from the Impact 100 grant will help to purchase a new high-top van, which will ultimately be converted into a mobile office. A Case Manager Navigator will use this office to go into mobile home parks and various neighborhoods throughout Martin County to help seniors find ways to minimize expenses so they can better afford to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible. The navigator will help with securing affordable housing, make referrals to Meals on Wheels or the Adult Day Club located at the Kane Center, offer assistance with utility bills, link seniors for medical consultation and screening with the Day Medical primary care office, and provide support to caregivers.
“By meeting people in their own neighborhoods,” Ripper said, “we will relieve some of the stigma of asking for help and overcome any transportation challenges. Our community will be healthier as we address problems before they become catastrophes for seniors and their families.” The Elder Care Mobile Outreach program will be operational by later this summer.
Impact100 Martin is a membership driven nonprofit organization that enables women to leverage their individual philanthropy and create positive, lasting change in the community. Each member contributes $1,000 a year and participates in choosing nonprofit projects to receive a $100,000 grant that will have true impact and sustainability. With 422 members in 2024, Impact100 Martin was able to award four $100,000 grants in April.
“The Council on Aging Martin and all of those we serve are grateful to Impact100 Martin,” Ripper said. “Everyone deserves a quality life at every age, and we’re eager to continue our mission to make this a reality for seniors in our community.”
About the Council on Aging of Martin County
The Council on Aging of Martin County is the community’s hub for senior resources and the county’s Lead Agency on Aging. Founded in 1974, the organization offers expertise, programming and support for older adults and their families to help seniors maintain lives of quality and purpose. Services include: Day Primary Care Center, Memory Enhancement Center, Adult Day Club, Meals on Wheels, care management, caregiver support, and a robust offering of educational, cultural, fitness and wellness programs.
The Kane Center located at 900 SE Salerno Road in Stuart is the Council on Aging of Martin County’s headquarters and is also an event venue available to the public. It serves as a special needs hurricane shelter when necessary. The Council on Aging of Martin County also operates senior outreach facilities in Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, East Stuart and Indiantown. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Council on Aging receives funding from state and federal agencies and relies on philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors. For more information, visit www.coamartin.org.
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