May 3, 2011
For immediate release
Additional information: David Gamse, dgamse@AccessJCA.org, 301.255.4255
JCA AND INTERAGES TO MERGE ON JULY 1, 2011
Rockville, MD -- On July 1, 2011, Interages®, a local charity, will merge into the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington (JCA®), the region’s largest direct-service organization for community dwelling seniors. Interages’ 200 volunteers, six staff and many programs will form the basis of the Heyman Interages Center that JCA will establish in July, named to honor Interages’ leader and founder, Austin Heyman.
For 25 years, Interages has pioneered intergenerational programs that work collaboratively and creatively with schools and a wide range of human service organizations. Some programs have active older adults tutoring and mentoring at-risk students and others enrich the lives of health impaired seniors through their active participation with children and youth. Also, Interages holds meetings, workshops and provides training to ensure that each generation will have the opportunity to learn and benefit from the other.
Since 1973, the Jewish Council for the Aging® (www.AccessJCA.org) has been providing a full range of free and low-cost services to seniors and family caregivers of all faiths, ethnicities and income levels. Its programs, which are likely to serve 30,000 older men and women this year alone, include senior transportation, adult day centers, job-search support, computer training, and information and referral. All enable older adults to remain in the homes of their choice as long and as independently as possible.
"There are many natural synergies between JCA and Interages," said David Gamse, JCA’s Chief Executive Officer. "Given the number of current and emergent human needs and given tough economic realities, those synergies will enable us to accomplish more with less. We are planning to combine volunteer recruitment and training initiatives, mount a significant public outreach campaign, and expand programs that improve communication and understanding between younger and older persons who far too often are segregated from one another." Both Interages and JCA are long time partners with the Montgomery County government in delivering services. County Executive Leggett praised the merger saying, "Montgomery County residents have been well served by each of these organizations separately. What a promising future is ahead as they combine in their efforts to promote intergenerational understanding and enhanced services for senior citizens. Their restructured organization is a fine example of innovation and efficiency for other nonprofit organizations."
One out of every four Americans is 60 or older. Locally and nationally, the senior population is growing fast, and many of its members have limited opportunity to interact with children.
"Future generations will live even longer and perhaps even more isolated lives," said Carol Croll, Interages Executive Director. "Aging impacts families as well as every facet of our community. Young and old alike will benefit greatly from the resources of the new JCA Heyman Interages Center."
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INTERAGES,
INC.
3950 Ferrara
Drive
Wheaton, MD
20906
301-949-3551
Interages Celebrates 25 Years of Serving
Montgomery County
County
Executive Isiah Leggett Honors Interages
Event
Mistress of Ceremonies: JC Hayward,
Anchor of WUSA 9
Wheaton, MD (March, 2011) – Interages celebrates 25 years of service to Montgomery
County residents as the
local leader in intergenerational programming.
On May 5th, Interages will host a 25th Anniversary
Celebration from 6 to 9 pm at VisArts Center in downtown Rockville. County
Executive Isiah Leggett will honor Austin Heyman, founder of Interages, for his leadership and
commitment to providing outstanding programs throughout the County.
“This celebration will be the biggest and most momentous
event since our founding” says Interages Executive Director, Carol Croll. An exciting lineup of community supporters
and public officials will join Leggett in honoring Interages and Mr. Heyman
including Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen. Executive Director of
Generations United and internationally sought-after speaker Donna Butts will be the keynote speaker. To
highlight the evening, one of Washington’s
most respected and award-winning broadcast journalists, JC Hayward of WUSA 9, will emcee the
event.
The anniversary celebration will honor Interages and its
founder for 25 years of excellent programming and accomplishments in
intergenerational activities. Responsible
for connecting older adult volunteers with children and youth since 1986,
Interages improves a child’s chance for success and provides community
engagement for seniors. With programs
impacting over 30,000 local children and older adults in 100+ schools and 50
senior facilities, there is much to celebrate.
Please join Interages for a delightful evening
on May 5th from 6 to 9 pm at VisArts Center in Rockville, Maryland.
For event
and sponsorship information, please contact Carol
Croll at 301-949-3551.
About Austin Heyman: Austin Heyman
founded and served as the Director of Interages and the Montgomery County
Intergenerational Resource Center from 1986-1997. Governor Parris Glendening appointed Austin as a delegate to
the 1995 White House Conference on Aging.
Senator Paul Sarbanes appointed Austin as a delegate to the 2005 White House
Conference on Aging. Congresswoman
Constance Morella nominated Austin and Interages for the Public Services Round
Table Award. Austin was a member of the
Leggett Administration Transition Team and was appointed in 2007 as a Senior
Fellow in the Office of the County Executive, Office of Community Partnerships. In 2010, Austin was inducted
into the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.
He continues to serve as a member of the Board
of Interages.
About Interages: Interages is
regarded as a national leader, assisting professionals and organizations in
developing intergenerational programs for Montgomery County communities. The mission of the
organization is to create a more age-integrated community by promoting improved
communication, understanding, and quality of life for older adults and
youth. Interages serves the community by
championing mutually beneficial volunteer opportunities for older adults and
youth to interact and learn from one another while fostering respect between
generations and appreciation of diversity. Some of Interages’ programs
include: Dialogues Across the Ages,
Grandreaders, Intergenerational Bridges, Project Share and Makeover Madness.
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PRESS RELEASE: March 26, 2010
INTERAGES, INC.
3950 Ferrara Drive
Wheaton, MD 20906
301-949-3551 ext. 28 Contact: Betsy Roush
Interages Celebrates 20 Years of Mentoring Immigrant Youth
Over one hundred people of all ages, whose names and faces represented the United States, Latin America, Africa and Asia, gathered at Eastern Middle School on March 23rd to celebrate the 20th reunion of the Interages’ Intergenerational Bridges (“Bridges”) mentoring program. Interages recruits older adult mentors to work one-on-one with recent immigrant students in six Montgomery County public schools.
Participants sported black and silver t-shirts emblazoned with a stylized “20” and the program name. Smiling and speaking in sometimes halting English, mentors and students enjoyed visiting with each others’ families over a tasty pot luck dinner of foods from the varied cultures represented at the event.
Interages staff recognized dozens of older adult mentors for their dedication to the program, including many who have volunteered for five, ten, and even 15+ years. Patricia Cramer, a former teacher for MCPS, explained her motivation to mentor: “I think it’s important that people who first come to this country learn our language, our customs, and what America is all about.” She added, “It doesn’t mean they will or should ever forget their own country. I enjoy learning about their cultures and meeting their families.”
Christopher R. Merkle, chair of (ESOL) English for Speakers of Other Languages at Eastern Middle School, has collaborated with Interages on Bridges since its inception. “There is a moment when I sit at my desk at the end of the day, and I look out (on the Bridges group). The kids don’t speak English; the mentors do not speak Spanish, so there’s very little verbal communication, yet they are sitting there smiling at each other. I know (the mentors) are doing something for these kids that I can never do, because the classroom doesn’t lend itself to that kind of one-on-one attention.”
The anniversary celebration featured several county officials, including Councilmember Philip Andrews, who applauded the efforts of Interages’ volunteers. Andrews’ own mother, Margaret Levchenko, has served as a Bridges volunteer for 14 years. She maintains contact with her first-ever Bridges student, who joined Ms. Levchenko at the anniversary celebration, and is now employed with the County’s Housing Opportunities Commission.
Board of Education Vice-President Christopher Barclay thanked Interages’ volunteers for helping youth adjust to life in a new country, and presented a Declaration from the Board commending Interages for providing role models. It reads, in part, “…Children exposed to positive adult role models learn from the knowledge and experience their elders have to offer and direct involvement with children helps older adults stay active and connected to the community.” Board member Shirley Brandman, reiterated this message as she mingled in the crowd.
Karen McManus represented Congressman Chris Van Hollen, and shared a Congressional Citation recognizing Interages’ “dedicated and caring seniors” for helping “the students transition to their new life in their new community.”
Each Bridges’ site has planned a special project at their host school to honor the 20 year partnership with MCPS. Rolling Terrace Elementary students are raising funds to support a garden courtyard renovation, and were selling herbs planted in hand-painted pots they designed for the event. Eastern MS students and mentors are working with Kevin Sockwell from the Musical Theatre Center to produce an orientation video – from the student viewpoint - for new immigrant students at their school. Guests at the celebration were treated to a brief clip from the film, prefaced by Eastern student Caroline Cruz who asked the audience to remember their first day in school. “Were you scared, lost, lonely?” The 3-minute clip showed footage of loud, crowded hallways that students negotiate to get to class, figuring out how to open a locker, and where to go to find help.
The event was brought to a close with a two songs from the Argyle Middle School students and their mentors, who performed Jack Johnson’s hit, Upside Down, on homemade drums. The audience chimed in at the end to sing Woody Guthrie’s, This Land is Your Land.
The Intergenerational Bridges mentoring program, started by Interages’ founder Austin Heyman, currently partners with six schools in the county. Eastern Middle and Rolling Terrace Elementary have each hosted the program since 1990; joining more recently are Gaithersburg and Sligo Creek Elementary, Argyle Middle, and Northwood High Schools, reflecting the increased diversity in the county.
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Carol Trawick For Immediate Release
Company Name: Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation
Telephone: 301-654-7030
Email: ctrawick@trawick.org
Web site: www.trawickfoundation.org
TRAWICK FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES FIRST $150,000 TEAM UP AWARD
Four Montgomery County, Md. Non Profits Team Up to Serve
Adopted and Foster Care Children
The Trawick Foundation has awarded the first TeamUp grant to the Leadership Empowerment Action Program that will serve middle school youth who have been adopted or are in foster care. The lead partner is the Center for Adoption Support and Education with the following partners: VisArts, Through the Kitchen Door and Interages. The award is for $150,000 with two option years funded at the same level if the prior year’s
objectives are met.
“We are so pleased that six teams comprised of four non-profits each submitted proposals”, said Carol Trawick, President. “The programs were so impressive in their creativity and scope as they targeted the needs of middle school age children in after school programs that integrated the arts and social service.”
“It is the objective of the Trawick Foundation TeamUp grant to encourage non-profits to work in partnership in order to maximize the utilization of their resources and encourage best business practices.” said Gail Nachman, Executive Director. The Foundation required team members to participate in a briefing session as well as seminars on budget and outcomes. During the proposal development phase, all teams met with a Foundation provided consultant who worked with each team to facilitate their collaborative process.
This project will provide a year-round, comprehensive, youth development, leadership empowerment, and educational support program for 20 middle school youth who are adopted or are in foster care, with a family component as well. The youth will be building life skills in areas such as nutritional diet planning, cooking, and photography as well as developing competence in communication and leadership.
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MetLife Foundation and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Honor Exemplary Programs Engaging Older Volunteers
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) has announced the recipients of the 2007 MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Program Awards. The program, now in its second year, recognizes organizations nationwide for effective recruitment and engagement of volunteers age 50 and older. Administered by n4a in partnership with MetLife Foundation, the awards build on the two organizations’ shared commitment to healthy aging and volunteerism by strengthening the capacity of service organizations to successfully capitalize on the knowledge, skills and time of older adults.
Award selections were made from nominations submitted by volunteer programs and agencies across the country. Awards of Excellence in Older Volunteer Program Management are being given to three outstanding volunteer programs whose practices in recruitment, training, retention and recognition of older volunteers set a standard of practice for others. Each of these programs receives a monetary award to help further its work. In addition, ten exemplary programs are being recognized with Awards of Achievement in Older Volunteer Program Management. All of the award-winning programs will be profiled in a promising practices publication shared with volunteer programs nationwide.
“The growing older population represents a valuable, but largely untapped volunteer resource,” said Sibyl Jacobson, president of MetLife Foundation. “We are pleased to join n4a in recognizing 13 programs for excellence in engaging older volunteers to build healthy communities.”
Sandy Markwood, CEO of n4a, agreed. “With the aging and retirement of baby boomers, it is vital that volunteer programs develop responsive and enhanced organizational supports to maximize the ability of these older adults to address community needs. We are delighted to partner with MetLife Foundation to disseminate the promising practices of outstanding volunteer programs.”
The recipients of the 2007 Awards of Excellence in Older Volunteer Program Management are:
· Interages, Inc. is an intergenerational program that links older adult mentors and tutors with children in the Montgomery County, MD public schools in order to build bridges across generations and cultures;
· Legacy Corps of San Diego County, a program of the San Diego County Area Agency on Aging, is a multi-generational program that provides free respite care to the caregivers of frail and homebound seniors through the use of teams of at-risk youth and older adults; and
· Stroke of Hope Club, Inc., in North Palm Beach, FL, an organization in which 95% of the work is done by volunteers, offers support, information and education in many forms to individuals who are stroke “victors” and their caregivers.
Recipients of the 2007 Awards of Achievement in Older Volunteer Program Management are:
- Centers for Healthy Aging, Senior Friendship Centers, Sarasota, FL
- Volunteer Services Program, Ethos, Jamaica Plain, MA
- Experience Corps Literacy Project, Generations Incorporated, Boston, MA
- Faith In Action Care Program, Shepherd’s Center of Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem, NC
- Foster Grandparent Program, New York City Department for the Aging, New York, NY
- Senior Services Program, Interfaith Community Services, Tucson, AZ
- Light Up Chicago Volunteer Program, Chicago Department on Aging, Chicago, IL
- Volunteering for the Elderly, Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly, Hancock, MI
- Senior Adults for Greater Education, Ivyland, PA
- Senior Companion Program, Audubon Area Community Services, Inc., Owensboro, KY.
The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is the leading voice on aging issues for Area Agencies on Aging across the country and a champion for Title VI – Native American aging programs in our nation’s capital. For more information about n4a, visit www.n4a.org. MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife in 1976 to carry on its longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants support health, education, civic and cultural programs throughout the United States. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.metlife.org.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, October 8, 2007
Wheaton, MD -based
Interages Chosen for New 2007-08 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
Wheaton, MD -based Interages has been selected as a featured charity in the 2007-08
Catalogue for Philanthropy.
Interages mission is to build bridges across generations and cultures. They are dedicated to developing interactive, intergenerational programs that are mutually beneficial to seniors and children and that meet community needs. Interages’ has programs that bring older adult volunteers to work with children on a range of educational projects in the Montgomery County Public Schools. Volunteers are trained as tutors and mentors for many different programs. Intergenerational Bridges builds relationships between older adults and at-risk immigrant children (ages 10 - 14). Outcomes are to facilitate a child's transition into a new school and community; to improve English communication skills; and, to foster self-confidence. Dialogues Across the Ages presents opportunities for older adults and high school students to engage in cross-age discussions involving various social studies topics that are of interest to both groups. Project SHARE enriches the lives of health-impaired seniors in adult day care centers and assisted-living facilities by linking them with children from pre-school through high school in a number of interactive ways. Global Wizards is an after school academic enrichment program for second, third or fourth graders. Geography is the base subject area where children learn how to use maps, become more conscious of environmental issues, and improve reading and math skills.
Teamwork, enhanced curiosity, and an overall joy of learning is encouraged and developed. Grandreaders is a literacy program for children in second grade. The program is designed to increase a child's ability to read, enhance reading skills and encourage a love of reading; all facilitated by a caring and nurturing older adult. Make Over Madness brings adults from senior facilities to the Edison High School of Technology, School of Cosmetology for serious pampering and friendly conversation
Interages’ was selected from a competitive field of over 250 candidates. "Charities were selected for excellence, innovation, and cost-effectiveness--and for what they can teach us about the extraordinary ways that philanthropy works,” Harman said. “These are certainly among the best small charities in the Washington, DC region.”
According to Barbara Harman, Executive Director of the Harman Family Foundation, "The Catalogue is designed to be a showcase for DC region philanthropy and an inviting way for individuals and families to participate in charitable giving." A single check can be sent to the Catalogue 's DC office, or an online donation at its website, www.catalogueforphilanthropy-dc.org. Donors may also contact charities directly. "Because the Catalogue is fully paid for by its philanthropic partners," Harman notes, "100% of every donation goes to the designated nonprofits."
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