|
|
|
|
New Year's Resolutions - Using the Power of One
Each year at this time, many of us "resolve" to do something to improve our life, our neighborhood, our community, our world. Before you finish your list, we invite you to consider becoming a Community Connector with the power to change someone's life for the better. Isolation and loneliness for those around us can grow as health or financial concerns mount, and yet showing kindness and compassion for one other person can have real and profound positive impacts in two lives. It can also provide inspiration and encouragement for others to do the same.
Whether you do this as part of an organized program, or just make it your business to help reweave community for a friend, neighbor, or family member, we promise your year will be enriched and enlivened.
Not sure how to start? Signing-up for a future Connections for Health Aging Workshop (see below) can be a good place to start.  Or contact us to set up a Tyze Network, an on-line tool to inspire and to guide individuals in building personal networks. No matter how you start, remember
 To Do: Build a network of support for someone I care about... |
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Cliffs? - Think Globally - Act Locally
Congress final took action at the 11th hour with a tax package, leaving Social Security mostly intact (for now). I'm sure all the letters and San Francisco's Social Security Flash Mob and video that went far and wide
 | |
Tax the Top 2% Flash Mob 7 Dec 2012
|
helped keep the pressure on. So let's celebrate... and thank our elected representatives who helped hold the line. But the larger issue of reducing the deficit while the preventing cuts to safety net programs has been kicked down the road. We need to be vigilant and keep the pressure to protect funding for the Older Americans Act, Medi-Cal and other important programs and services. To stay current on the issues and be ready to act, follow the California Alliance for Retired Americans at www.californiaalliance.org.
Our recent Connections for Healthy Aging classes brought home the realiity of how many San Francisco seniors (and people with disabilities) lack basic financial security. You can read more about this in our most recent SF Healthy Aging Blog post. We need to help individuals avoid their own personal fiscal cliff with the appropriate levels of formal services and informal support so that we can age with health and dignity.
|
|
Laguna Honda Computer Club Rocks!
While waiting for BTOP computers to be deployed, CLC started visiting Laguna Honda, offering to do computer tutoring in the library. The effort quickly evolved into a Computer Club that meets twice a month, thanks to the leadership of Paul Hendrickson (below left) and the interest of a growing number of club members (like Todd Stone pictured with Judy Auda below) at a recent session. Paul is a gifted writer and blog enthusiast (with more than 30 blogs over time) and was one of the Presenters about the joys of blogging at the Aging and Disability Technology Summit last May. To learn more about what is happening and who is helping at Laguna Honda, check out Paul's Laguna Honda Computer Club Blog.   And sign-up for our SF HealthyAging blog to recieve an up-coming post to see how involvement in the computer club helped build a bridge between artists at Laguna Honda's Arts with Elders Program and a current show at SOMArts Cultural Center, Speak Your Peace.
|
|
Building Connections at Curry Senior Center
CLC really got to spend some quality time with folks at Curry Senior Center, in the heart of the Tenderloin. We just concluded a four week Connections for Health Aging
series at Curry. Besides offering participants practical information and support to be an "empowered elder", we also learn about issues that seniors face. Some issues
 included the lack of accessible van service to and from the hospital, the importance of offering assisted listening devices and make sessions more accessible for those with hearing impairments, the large number of folks who feel they have no one who could be their medical decision-maker, and the importance of fun and celebration (we kind of knew this one already). Michael McGinley of Curry (above) is providing some information about how to get services and support when being discharged from the hospital.
The Celebration of Curry's new Computer Center was another
 highlight of the month that included a short presentation by Shireen McSpadden of DAAS, Marqui Lapoe of Curry, Kami Griffiths (posing with CTN Computer Cafe colleagues Crystal Schmipf and Arielle Helffrich) and Marie Jobling of CLC (being stalked by an "angry birds"?) Seniors got to try out the computer, meet Center staff, volunteers, board members and in general have a fun afternoon. You will find the schedule of open labs and classes at Curry Senior Center and scores of other BTOP funded sites at http://www.sfconnected.info   |
|
CLC Community Connectors and Trainers Spread Happiness & Hope
 CLC Community Connectors are a wonderful team of committed, compassionate and fun folks who enjoy the work and each other. A few of them were available for Holiday pics. You will meet others in the months ahead. At right, we offer proof that our "seeds of hope" do grow.  Pictured (top) Marie Jobling,
and (left to right) Deloris McGee, Linda Silver, Janis Kaempfe, Jennifer Walsh, Lee Ellen Shoemaker, Rick Simon, Marcia Peterzell, Augusta Hopkins, Karla Jimenez, Joan Teter, Lenny Reiter and Judy Auda. Other cheerful Connectors and Trainers (not pictured) include Margaret Gray, Karen Holt, April Coleman, Constance Smith, Bethany Schwarz, Rob McBride, Anastasia Conrad, Glenda Hope, Michael Perkins, and Paul Grant. |
|
CLC and OMI Neighbors Makes Holiday Turkeys Fly, Thanks to Glide and Local Churches
 Again this year, Glide has contributed bags of grocieries and a plump frozen turkey and those 250 turkey "flew" into the neighborhood and over 250 flew throughout the neighbor spreading cheer and neighborly goodwill. Community Connector Deloris McGee probably said it best in her thanks to those that helped: "I can not thank you enough for your help through the years and this holiday season for the love shown to the seniors and people with disabilities in the OMI. This is what happens when we make a mature conscience decision to make things happen in our neighborhoods. I thank you for doing the work all year making our community a "No Hunger Zone" for everyone with your caring spirit. The seniors and people with disabilities send their thanks to all of you for what you do for them. They appreciate the fact that they are not invisible to you.  And that you care. I have never seen such joy and love among community member as I saw on December 20, 2012. Neighbors came out of their homes to see if they could be of any help to us. This type of togetherness is what happens when a community work together to make things happen for the good of the neighborhood. "
A special thank-you to Glide Memorial Church, and the local faith community - Pilgrim Community Church, Temple United Methodist Church, Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Catholic Charities CYO, OMI Family Resource Center, OMI Food Delivery Network and the Park Merced/University Park Food Delivery Network. |
S. F. Long Term Services and Supports Planning
 San Francisco Long Term Care Coordinating Council Thursday, January 10, 1:00 to 3:00, 1 South Van Ness Ave., 2nd Floor Agenda will include a discussion of: * A vote on the Council's Policy Agenda for the coming year; * Progress on S.F.'s Long Term Care Integration Project * Reports from the working groups. For more information, contact bill.haskell@sfgov.org or call 355-6782.
|
Connections for Healthy Aging Grow Over the Holidays
The holiday season provided an opportunity to bring together participants in our first two Connections  for Healthy Aging Workshops - for food, friendship and general networking across neighborhoods. These workshops create a supportive place for participants to work on their goals to be a empowered elder and to get information and advice about how to address some of the challenges, both personal and systemic. For those that complete the 4 part workshop series, we offer 3 follow-up "Salon" sessions. Thanks to Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Service for providing meeting space for these sessions and for their hospitality. The next scheduled series will be held in partnership with openhouse and will focus on building networks of support for LGBT seniors. If you would like more information about this next series or general information about the Connections for Healthy Aging Workshops, contact Marcia Peterzell at marcia.peterzell@comcast.net or by calling (415) 359-1816.
 
|
Bethany Center Enjoys Diverse Classes
Bethany Center at 580 Capp Street in the heart of the Mission District has always provided an interesting and diverse collection of programs and activities for building residents and the wider community. The Computer Center here is just an extension of that philosophy. The ever popular Anastasia Conrad, when not running her business Natural Nannies, is available to teach about how to have fun and save money using Coupons. She shows how to find coupons and discounts on line and also brings quite an assortment of items she has gotten with her efforts for folks to sample. July Auda provides weekly individual tutoring to those learning the computer, and most recently James Luo from Self-Help for the Elderly with assistance from Mr. Deng, has been providing training and tutoring in Cantonese. Most activities occur Thursday morning, but for a full schedule, go to www.sfconnected.info. To learn more about Bethany Center and the Center for Creative Learning that is located there, go to Ruth's Table.
 
|
 Just Say "YES" - Come Engage with Us
Computer Training and Special Activities
Community Living Campaign (CLC) shows you how technology and social media are new tools to help individuals, neighborhoods and organizations reduce isolation and reweave community. For an up-to-date schedule as new CLC computer classes and activities are added, go to www.clcsocial.org. For all BTOP classes, go to www.sfconnected.info. These classes are provided in part with a grant from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. Our training partner, the Community Technology Network (CTN), offers a great orientation to volunteers and helps match you with a site and topic that interests you. You can find more info on up-coming volunteer orientations at www.ctnbayarea.org.
|
30th Street Senior Center
|
Every Wed.
10 to 12
|
Social Media - 1 to 1 tutoring, classes
|
225 30th St.
| |
Bethany Center
|
Every Thurs.
9 to 12
|
One on one training
|
580 Capp
| |
Centro Latino
|
Every Tues & Thurs.
10 to 11:30
|
Social Media - 1 to 1 tutoring, classes
|
1656 15th St.
| |
Curry Senior Center
|
Every Mon.
1 to 3*
|
One on one training
|
315 Turk Street
| |
Dr. Davis Senior Center
|
Every Wed.
1:30 to 3:30
|
One on one training
|
1706 Yosemite
| |
IT Bookman Center
|
Every Friday
12 to 2
|
Social Media - 1 to 1 tutoring, classes
|
446 Randolph
| |
Laguna Honda Hospital
|
1st & 3rd Wed
1:00 to 3:00
|
One on one training
|
375 Laguna Honda
| |
Mission Neighborhood Center
|
Every Wed.
10 to 11:30
|
Social Media - 1 to 1 tutoring, classes
|
362 Capp
| |
San Francisco Senior Center
Aquatic Park
|
Every Wed.
1 to 3
|
Social Media - 1 to 1 tutoring classes
|
890 Beach
| |
San Francisco Senior Center Downtown
|
Every Thurs.
1 to 3
|
Social Media - 1 to 1 training
|
481 O'Farrell
| |
Stonestown YMCA
|
Every Wed.
9:30 to 11:30
(starting 1/16)
|
One on one training
|
3150 20th Avenue
| |
Telegraph Hill Center
| Every Wed
9 to 12 | One on one training | 660 Lombard |
|
Valencia Gardens **
|
Every Mon. 9 to 3
| One on One training and
social media |
360 Valencia
| |
** Special Meet-Up Jan 14 **
| Noon to 3 | Lunch and Tmebank Presentation and Swap Meet | 360 Valencia |
|
|
1360 Mission Street, 4th Floor
(415) 821-1003
|
|
|
 Recieve A Gift of Time |
| Sign up for the Bay Area Community Exchange Timebank and join the Community Living Campaign group. You will recieve the gift of an hour, which we will credit to your account so you can begin using it right away. Share this offer with friends and family for the gift that keeps on giving. | |
| |
Offer expended to January 31, 2013
|
|
|
