Last month, The Beacon began a multi-part series highlighting the organizations selected by Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) as this year’s Title III grant recipients. As you may recall, MVES is awarding over $211,000 to 13 organizations in the 11 communities we serve.
“The Title III grants are an important part of how we meet the changing needs of our older adults and our communities,” explains Meg von Lossnitzer, MVES Director of Community Programs. “This complements our core mission at Mystic Valley Elder Services. We strive to empower older adults – all older adults – to live independently in the setting of their choice.”
In this edition of The Beacon, we continue our series by profiling Greater Boston Legal Services, Chinese Culture Connection, Medford Council on Aging and Immigrant Learning Center. (If you’re interested in participating in one of these programs, please contact the organization directly.)
Greater Boston Legal Services: Elder Legal Advocacy Project
Since the turn of the 20th century, Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) has focused on providing civil legal services and advocacy for lower-income residents. The Title III grant from MVES helps the GBLS Elder Legal Advocacy Project to target at-risk adults aged 60 and up, including those with limited or no income and those who are socially isolated. In some cases, these older residents may have recently become unhoused or may be dealing with elder abuse, including financial exploitation.
The project has two key focus areas: advice and information, such as eviction prevention, and direct legal representation. In addition, GBLS uses its grant funding to partner with Councils on Aging and other local groups to provide community education to older residents in the community and to support staff members in providing referrals to older adults who need legal assistance.
More info: www.gbls.org, 617-371-1234
Chinese Culture Connection: East Meets West
Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) plays an important role in supporting the region’s thriving community of Chinese and Chinese-descended people, helping them to develop bicultural fluency and celebrate their heritage and culture. The group also builds bridges between local AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) residents and the larger community.
CCC is using its Title III grant to provide East Meets West, a program that offers monthly hands-on, educational and social activities such as cooking, storytelling and Tai Chi for low-income seniors, both Chinese and non-Chinese, who live in the three housing sites in Malden. In addition, grant funding will allow CCC to continue serving Chinese-speaking older adults through its popular WeChat group, which enables sharing of events and information while also connecting older residents to engage socially, ask questions and share their concerns. The grant will also help CCC to introduce weekly English languages classes for older adults who request help in this area.
More info: www.chinesecultureconnection.org, 781-321-6316
Medford Council on Aging: Mental Health in a Changing World
MVES enjoys a close partnership with the Councils on Aging in the 11 communities we serve. These organizations are often the first place that older adults turn for advice and assistance. We awarded the Medford Council on Aging (COA) a Title III grant to help launch a new three-part initiative, “Mental Health in a Changing World.” All three parts of this program, described below, are offered free of charge to all residents aged 60 and up from Medford as well as surrounding communities.
• The Caregiver Support Group serves individuals struggling with the various challenges of caring for and supporting a loved one dealing with memory loss. This monthly support group will offer tools and resources to help face the day-to-day challenges of caring for those in need.
• The Grief Support Group offers a safe environment for people experiencing loss to share, interact and learn. While the passing of a loved one is a focus, the group will also welcome those experiencing other types of loss: loss of one’s mobility, independence, economic status, and more. Group coordinators will provide coping strategies, relaxation techniques and, if needed, professional health support services.
• The LBGTQ+ Group welcomes older adults to a safe space where they can be themselves, share with others and become more educated on support services that are available to them.
More info: www.medfordma.org/departments/council-on-aging, 781-396-6010
Immigrant Learning Center: English Language Classes for Immigrant Seniors
The Immigrant Learning Center (ILC) offers a variety of language and citizenship programs. The Title III grant received from MVES focuses on the English Language Program, which provides free, year-round ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes. Based in Malden and serving people from around the region, the program aims to help adults become successful workers, parents and community members.
The grant also supports the ILC’s ongoing classes for older adults. It provides English language instruction, including conversation, reading, writing, grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. Bicultural fluency is also addressed through the curriculum, with themes such as navigation skills, American holidays, food, culture and customs, numbers and reading signs. Additional benefits of the program include social engagement, technology assistance and referrals to needed services.
More info: www.ilctr.org, 781-322-9777
If you missed part 1 of this series, you can read it here.