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Dear Clients, Partners, Donors, Volunteers, and Staff:
Are we ready to send off 2022 with a bang? There are so many things that happened this year, and there are so many more things coming in 2023, our 50th Anniversary!
Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the need for our services has not gone down even an iota. Just the opposite – 2022 tested us with the “new” normal – returning back to more and more in-person activities, while constantly monitoring CDC guidelines and Covid cases. With a focus on our clients, we managed to accomplish so much but there are a few remarkable milestones that I want to share will all of you:
- Through our partnership with AARP TaxAide Foundation, more than 200 older adults received tax returns from both the $850 Maine Relief Check and Property Tax Fairness Credits. 36 of the clients were New Mainers. Such an impact would not have been possible without the volunteers who took time away from their summer to help older adults file their taxes.
- After re-opening the Adult Day Program in August 2021, the number of program members tripled between January and October 2022, and answering new inquiries has become a daily routine for the Program’s staff.
- We held the first multilingual Tai Chi class with simultaneous translations in French, Kinyarwanda, and Arabic. The positive feedback participants provided encouraged us to continue seeking partnerships with organizations working with diverse ethnic communities and in the fall we completed another class that was taught in Arabic.
- We initiated The Exchange: Southern Maine Alliance for Older Adults Networking events with the goal to bring providers, organizations, businesses, and individuals who work towards improving the quality of life of the older adults in our communities together. We shared experiences, ideas, resources, knowledge, concerns, and hopes with others working in the same area. We had over 250 attendees total in those first three meetings!
These are just a fraction of what we have accomplished in 2022. Our Meals on Wheels program reaches thousands of home-bound individuals to provide them with nutritious food every week and our Resource Specialists connected thousands of older adults with life-saving resources. It feels good to look back and know that we have made a difference in the life of so many older members of our communities. Yet, what is coming is what makes us feel hopeful and energized!
In 2023, as we mark our 50th, we will take time to reflect on past years, plan strategically for the next 50, and, of course, celebrate with all of you! We want to invite you to be a part of every moment of this special year! Connect with us at marketing@smaaa.org and tell us how you want to be a part of it – share a story, a picture, a memory, or sponsor the anniversary activities – your involvement is appreciated and will be recognized!
Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season, and a Happy New Year!
Megan Walton
CEO
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ADULT DAY PROGRAM at the Sam L. Cohen Center
2022 has been a great year of growth for our Adult Day Program. With the start of the year, we implemented a growth plan that would allow us to bring in-person programming back while providing the safest environment for our members, volunteers, and staff. We are happy to report that our census has grown three times since January. None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our Adult Day Program team, both staff and volunteers. We are excited about 2023 and look forward to continued growth and increased programming availability! |
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AGEWELL Wellness Classes
We had over 25 virtual and in-person classes with classes varying between 4 and 10 weeks in length. 375 individual worked towards improving their health and overall well-being. |
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MEDICARE COUNSELING
During Medicare Open Enrollment (10/15-12/7), we projected 500 consultations. With 6 days left, we are already at 620 consultations! Way to go Medicare volunteer team! |
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May your days be merry and bright. Happy holidays from all of us!
Renee Longarini, Interim Program Director
Adult Day Program team: Marilyn Durgin, Marykate Heston, Peggy Wilson, Carol Lamontagne, Kathleen Koles, Jacqueline Baker, Linda DeLapp
and Kathy Jodoin, Medicare Coordinator |
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COMMUNITY SERVICES
Community Services is part of a larger team at Southern Maine Agency on Aging and we are humbled to support older individuals and adults with disabilities during a year of uncertainty, rising costs, and unprecedented housing and home care shortages.
- We connected with over 6,000 individuals and over 500 caregivers to provide resource information.
- Caregivers received over $200,000 in respite funds, as well.
- Through a partnership with AARP, we provided assistance with Property Tax Fairness credit forms to assist 215 individuals with accessing the $850 stimulus check and tax credits.
- In this past year, staff has attended training on language access, cultural humility, inclusivity for LGBT older adults, anti-ageism, biases, and the resettlement process with the goal of learning how to be an even safer and more inviting place for underrepresented groups.
We wish you the happiest of holidays from the bottom of our hearts.
Meredith Anderson, Community Services Manager
and the Community Services team: Robyn Berry, Lori Campbell, Stefanie Fairchild, Michele Grivois, Becky Hadiaris, Sylvia Harkins, Melissa Paquet, Bela Reiger, Zyanya Shorey, and Angie Vargas |
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NUTRITION
The past year in the Nutrition department has been filled with growth and rebuilding. We have reopened a number of Community Cafe sites and have gained several new locations throughout the communities we serve for both Community Cafe and As You Like It programs. We served 83,491 meals to over 1,600 clients participating in the two programs. Meals on Wheels volunteers delivered 225,442 meals to over 2,000 clients and we continue to see those numbers grow as we work to extend our reach into the community. In reflecting on the past year, our hearts are full as we think about each individual whom we have been able to provide for.
We wish you all a holiday season filled with peace and happiness (and full bellies)!
Gratefully yours,
Ashley Perrone, Nutrition Manager
and the Nutrition Team: Ann Vigeant, Elizabeth Varga, Maureen Harlan, Jeanne Walton, Deborah Ellis-Ricker, Deborah Condello, Holly Bresnahan, Melissa Dixon, Amanda Ouellette, Deborah Almeida, Sherry Campbell, Lilly Lavoie-Sirois |
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VOLUNTEER SERVICES
SMAA Volunteers have been tremendously busy over the course of the past year. Following are just a few of the highlights from Volunteer Services:
- SMAA staff and volunteers, along with our colleagues at Catholic Charities, were successfully able to offer the first session of multi-lingual Tai Chi to older immigrants residing at 100 State Street in Portland as well as other participants from the community.
- We were able to host our first in-person Volunteer Luncheon in 3 years. The theme was “Together Again!” with over 77 volunteers and staff attending. The event was a tremendous success and recognized volunteers across all SMAA programs!
- AARP Tax-Aide volunteers, staff, and RSVP Volunteers were able to assist 215 clients to receive State and Federal refunds in addition to stimulus payments.
- We had the honor of hosting a visit from AmeriCorps CEO, Michael Smith, and were able to share the successes and challenges of the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program.
This year's Charting the Future showed us that the only way to make a difference in the life of the older adults in our communities is when we - volunteers, providers, community partners, businesses, donors, and staff - are charting the future together. The event was an opportunity to recognize Barbara Bock as SMAA's Volunteer of the Year and the importance of our more than 600 volunteers and their efforts, commitment, and the thousands of hours of volunteer work they have devoted to SMAA's mission.
We are truly thankful for all of our volunteers whether delivering meals, providing companionship over the phone, assisting members at the Cohen Center, or sharing your talent, expertise, and knowledge with our Medicare, Money Minders, and Agewell clients.
We appreciate your efforts and wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season!
Sincerely,
Mary Hadlock, Director of Volunteer Services & Paul Hofelich, VS Coordinator
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Happy Holidays
from the SMAA admin team:
Margaret Callan, Stacey Smart, Candyce Jamerson, Luke Trottier, Daniel Knox, Kathy Heggeman, Carolyn Pruiksma, Wendy Phillips, Bistra Nikiforova |
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PROGRAMS AND SERVICES UPDATES |
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Heating Assistance Program
The Home Energy Assistance Program assists qualified homeowners and renters to pay for their heating and energy costs. Benefits may include assistance with current and emergency energy costs; an eligible HEAP application may also qualify you for other energy-related services, such as furnace repair and heat pump installation. |
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Two organizations accept applications for the HEAP program:
- Cumberland County - Opportunity Alliance, (207) 553-5900
- York County - York County Community Action, (207) 459-2950
Income eligibility:
- One-person household: $2,572 per month.
- Two-person household: $3,363 per month.
Just a few days ago, Maine Housing has launched an online application process. If you do not have access to a computer, please, call us at 207-396-6500 and we will help you apply.
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FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM |
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Shout out to the Family Caregiver Support program team for bringing on 22 caregivers to the new Respite for ME program so far!
We are also gearing up for the December 13th Memory Cafe (details below).
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Amanda Ouellette Receives the 2022 Virginia Billings Award
The Virginia Billings award is given out annually to the Nutrition team member that exemplifies our mission at SMAA and our goals in Nutrition. The 2022 Virginia Billings award recipient is Amanda Ouellette. Amanda has been with SMAA for almost 5 years. She has served the Agency and the Nutrition department in various capacities. Currently, she is tasked with overseeing 3 meal sites, 2 Community Cafes, 3 staff people, and approximately 400 clients between MOW and congregate programming.
Amanda steps up and takes on extra work and responsibility in a time of transition for the team, all while continuing to manage everything that was already on her plate. Her caring and compassion for her teammates, volunteers, and clients are palpable. She is constantly looking at ways to serve our clients better and make sure the community knows who we are and what we’re about. She has successfully supported her team to bring back two Community Café luncheons, which are now fully operational with a core group of clients attending each month. She has taken new staff under her wing and made sure that they feel welcome and have the tools they need for success. All this has been done with a positive attitude and a smile on her face. SMAA staff, volunteers, and clients are fortunate to have her as part of the team.
Congatulations, Amanda!
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Make a Difference in Somebody's Life: Be a Volunteer!
Below are only a few of our open volunteer positions. Explore all SMAA volunteer opportunities.
1. Southern Maine Agency on Aging is teaming up with Southern Maine Health Center to assist with volunteer aid within the Hospital Elder Life Program. Some of the volunteer responsibilities include:
- Daily Visitor: helping with orientation, communication and social support
- Feeding Assistant: helping set up trays, providing companionship during meals or feeding patients
- Therapeutic Activities: making sure patients have something to do while in bed or providing activities to encourage active participation and socialization
2. HIAS Refugee Resettlement Program at the Jewish Community Alliance is seeking volunteers to assist with grocery shopping for new and established refugee families in the greater Portland area. Volunteers should have a general level of experience shopping in both large superstore-type supermarkets as well as small, local specialty shops. Some of the volunteer options include:
- Pre-Arrival Grocery Shopping
- Recurring Grocery Shopping (with Refugees)
Mary Hadlock and Paul Hofelich are looking forward to hearing from you and what your interests are as a volunteer. Get in touch with them at volunteer@smaaa.org
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DECEMBER 7th, 2- 3pm
Resources for Mainers with Disabilities:
Debra Bare-Rogers
Disability Rights Maine
Debra Bare-Rogers of Disability Rights Maine will talk about two Disability Rights Maine Programs for Maine residents who have difficulty using the standard telephone:
1. The Telecommunications Equipment Program (called TEP) was established by state law to provide ‘no’ or ‘low’ cost adaptive telecommunications equipment to any Maine resident who cannot use their home’s conventional telephone due to a physical or cognitive disability. The program was established to assist low-income residents, and most clients pay nothing for the phone equipment they need.
2. Maine Relay is a free service that allows those with hearing, vision and/or speech disabilities to access telecommunications services. The service allows text-telephone (TTY) or special equipment users (such as captioned telephone, TTY, VCO or HCO) to communicate with standard voice telephone users through specially trained relay operators (captioners).
Register
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DECEMBER 13th, 11:30am- 1pm
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EVERY FRIDAY at 3:30pm over Zoom
A welcoming place to hold interesting discussions, meet new friends and celebrate life in general. Join us for laughter and learning as we explore topics that impact us as we age!
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SOUTH PORTLAND COMMUNITY CAFE
at the American Legion Post on 12/19!
RSVP by calling 730-9572 no later than Wednesday 12/14
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To learn more about each position and apply, visit our Careers web page. |
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If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you wish to join our mailing list, sign up here |
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How do you feel about Southern Maine Agency on Aging?
- You or a loved one received meals at your doorsteps
- We partnered to provide programs and services that improved the well-being of the older members in our communities.
- You are the caregiver of a member of our Adult Day Program.
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