Pew Announces $4.5M in Grants Supporting Philadelphia Region’s Frail Elderly

PHILADELPHIA—The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that it will provide nearly $4.52 million over the next three years to 28 Philadelphia-area organizations that work to preserve the dignity, independence, and quality of life of the region’s frail seniors, many of whom are struggling with economic hardship, social isolation, and health and mobility challenges. Approximately 44,000 elderly people will be assisted annually.

Pew’s support will help agencies fulfill four core objectives:

• Assist seniors in meeting their basic needs by helping them obtain available public benefits, nutritious meals, financial counseling, and housing-related legal assistance.
• Significantly reduce social isolation and symptoms of depression among the elderly.
• Maintain or increase seniors’ ability to live securely and independently in their homes by providing services such as personal care assistance, help with chores, friendly visiting, and home repairs to enhance personal and physical safety.
• Help informal caregivers, such as family members, through respite, training, and other supportive services.

“Over one-quarter of the Philadelphia region’s 621,000 seniors age 65 or older are living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, representing an income of up to $24,000 for an individual, with many facing health issues and social isolation while struggling to make ends meet,” said Frazierita Klasen, the vice president overseeing Pew’s work in Philadelphia. “Pew is very pleased to support local nonprofits that are helping to preserve this vulnerable population’s dignity, independence, and overall quality of life.”

For over 25 years, Pew has supported health and social services nonprofits in the five-county region through the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia. In addition to helping the frail elderly, the program assists two other vulnerable populations: disadvantaged children, youth, and their families; and adults with multiple, complex issues including homelessness, extended unemployment, and behavioral health problems.

A list of the 2018 grantees follows. For more information about the program, please visit pewtrusts.org/pewfund.

2018 Grants for Programs Serving the Frail Elderly in the Philadelphia Region,
Categorized by Funding Goal

Unless otherwise noted, award amounts are totals over three years.

Goal 1: To assist elderly people in meeting their basic needs by helping them obtain available public benefits or services such as nutritious meals, financial counseling, and housing-related legal assistance.

Benefits Data Trust—$187,000

For continued support of the Pennsylvania Benefits Center to assist low-income elderly residents in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.

Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE)—$243,000

For continued support of the CARIE Line, a free telephone service providing information and counseling for vulnerable elderly people in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties.

Clarifi (Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Delaware Valley)—$140,000

For continued support of financial education and counseling for seniors in the five-county Philadelphia area.

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia—$174,000

For continued legal assistance that helps low-income elderly Philadelphians secure financial and health benefits as well as home-based services.

Family Service Association of Bucks County—$150,000

For continued support to provide information as well as referral and case management services to elderly public housing residents in Bucks County.

Golden Slipper Center for Seniors—$130,000

For continued support to assist vulnerable seniors, including elderly Russian immigrants.

KleinLife—$165,000

To help low-income elderly residents in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties obtain needed social services such as home repairs, meals, and long-term care.

Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP)—$163,000

To continue to provide services to low- and moderate-income elderly people in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.

Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA)—$128,000

For continued support to provide nutrition counseling and meals for the elderly in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.

Pennsylvania Health Law Project—$144,000

To support education and legal counseling for seniors moving into Community HealthChoices, Pennsylvania’s new managed care plan for long-term services.

SeniorLAW Center—$184,000

For continued support of the Homeowners Assistance Program, which addresses housing-related legal problems for low-income elderly residents in Philadelphia and the four suburban counties.

Surrey Services for Seniors—$160,000

For continued support of the Surrey Cares program for older adults in Chester and Delaware counties.

Goal 2: To significantly alleviate the symptoms of depression among elderly individuals and decrease their social isolation.

Central Behavioral Health—$137,000

For continued support of the Senior Outreach Services program, providing in-home mental health assessments and treatment for the elderly and assisting their caregivers.

Family Services of Montgomery County—$150,000

For continued support of Project HEARTH to provide in-home mental health counseling and support services to frail seniors in Montgomery County.

Intercommunity Action—$160,000

For support of peer specialist counseling for elderly Philadelphians who are at risk of or are experiencing depression.

Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation—$142,000

For continued support to provide mental health counseling to elderly Korean-Americans in the Philadelphia region.

Supportive Older Women’s Network (SOWN)—$121,000

For continued operating assistance for support groups to reduce the incidence of depression among low-income elderly women in Philadelphia.

Goal 3: To maintain or increase seniors’ ability to live securely and independently in their homes by providing services such as personal care assistance, volunteer help with chores, friendly visiting, and home repairs to enhance personal and physical safety.

Drexel University—$125,000 (over 33 months)

For continued support to provide geriatric care and social services for low-income, frail seniors in Philadelphia.

ElderNet of Lower Merion and Narberth—$60,000

For continued operating support to provide information as well as referral and in-home services to the elderly.

Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia—$242,000

For continued support to provide in-home services to frail elderly people in Philadelphia.

Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia—$165,000

To continue to strengthen and expand volunteer services for isolated seniors in Northeast Philadelphia.

Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life—$249,000

To continue to provide in-home support to frail elderly residents of Northeast Philadelphia.

Penn Asian Senior Services—$198,000

For continued support to help low-income Asian-American seniors adhere to their medication and home care plans.

Senior Community Services—$185,000

For operating support for a range of services for low-income elderly residents who participate in the organization’s in-home programs and senior centers in Delaware County.

Visiting Nurse Association Community Services—$150,000

For continued support of the in-home care program to provide low-income elderly people in Montgomery County with personal care and homemaker services such as housekeeping, meal preparation, grocery shopping, and help with medications.

Goal 4: To help informal caregivers through respite, training, and other supportive services.

Lutheran Settlement House—$150,000

For continued support of the Caregivers Reducing Stress (CARES) program in Philadelphia.

Temple University—$225,000

For support of the Intergenerational Center’s Time Out program to provide respite for caregivers of frail seniors in Philadelphia.

Thomas Jefferson University—$91,000

For continued support of the Jefferson Elder Care dementia service program.

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