Inside This Newsletter
• 2… Message from the Executive Director
• 3-4 ...Centers of Attention
• 5...Technology at the Senior Centers
• 6…Carol Hunt Announces Retirement
JAMAICA SERVICE PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS, INC.
Winter 2010
Volume 10 Issue 1
JSPOA Honors “Those Who Serve”
Friends and supporters
celebrated JSPOA’s Annual Gala
honoring “Those Who Serve” on
November 5th at Russo’s On The
Bay. The evening began with
cocktails in a beautiful setting
overlooking the Bay and
proceeded to dinner and the
program where the honorees
were recognized for their
contributions to the community.
JSPOA was proud to honor:
The Greater Queens Chapter of
the Links Inc. for their excellent
volunteer service in the Queens
community including members
who have participated in many
JSPOA activities; Queens
County Bar Association for the
pro bono service they provide to
people in need of legal services,
including their recent program to
help Queens residents with
foreclosure prevention; Zeta Phi
Beta Sorority, Inc., the Phi Zeta
Zeta Chapter for their volunteer
work with nonprofit organizations
in Queens and for providing
scholarships to graduating high
school seniors; and Drs. Leon
Valbrun and Eugenio Tassy for
their commitment to working with
JSPOA Board Chair Ann Wilkinson, President William Collins, Jr.,
Links Inc. President Renee Bluford and JSPOA Executive Director
Carol Hunt.
the mentally frail seniors (some
in the early stages of Alzheimer’s
disease) at JSPOA’s Friendship
Center.
JSPOA’s Immediate
Past President Marcia Gibson
was also recognized with a bouquet of flowers for her many
years of dedicated service on the
Board of Directors.
JSPOA thanks corporate
sponsors Bloomberg, Emigrant
Savings Bank, EmblemHealth,
Jamaica Hospital Medical
Center and Trump Pavilion, The
Pickman Foundation, and the
Visiting Nurse Service of NY.
JSPOA also sincerely thanks
donors to the raffle including
JetBlue Airways, Bill Cosby,
New York Jets, New York Giants, Marion Webber and the
Rochdale Quilters, Mohegan
Sun, Baily Jackson and Rod
Kennedy, Jr.
Left:
Ann Wilkinson,
Zeta Phi Beta
President Stacie
NC Grant,
William Collins,
Jr., and Carol
Hunt.
Right:
Leon Valbrun,
MD and Eugenio
Raffle winner Carol Tassy, MD
Page 2
JSPOA
From the
Executive
Director:
Carol J. Hunt
MOVING FORWARD
Services at the community based level for older adults in New
York City has undergone a sea change over the last year.
This change has brought many challenges to JSPOA. The
change in the economic climate has aggravated what was
already a limited pool of financial resources particularly from
government.
All levels of government.
Support from
corporations and foundations became limited as corporations
changed their priorities from supporting on-going community
based programs providing on-going services, to partnering
with government in efforts of economic development, broad
based health initiatives for children and families, employment
for young adults and education. As you can see benefits for
older adults would be limited except for some health initiatives.
Individual giving remains a definite challenge in the outer boroughs of New York City. A mentor of mine once told me that
every annual budget for an agency should be in thirds, a third
from government, a third from corporations and foundations
and the final third from individuals. Take an agency with a $4
million yearly budget. The amount the agency would need to
raise from individuals, corporations and government each
would be $1.33 million. This sounds like a formidable amount
from individuals, but not unachievable.
A new paradigm is taking shape in the not-for-profit environment particularly regarding services for older adults. This must
happen because the weight of millions of adults living longer
will demand it. No one source of funds can sustain what will
be needed for those of us who will need meals, housekeeping,
shopping, personal care, companionship and a host of other
services not even thought of.
Let’s become creative and enter into areas previously not
thought of as viable ways to sustain the community based notfor-profit. We know some of these ways already, but the creativity will come when we actually BELIEVE these new ways will
work. Some of these are partnership with unlikely suspects,
such as a consortium of businesses to lower costs. Another
avenue is entering the for-profit world to support nonprofit services. Another path is developing broad based collaborations
with non aging entities, and creating more and more age irrelevant service delivery systems that factors aging, not as an afterthought, but a forethought.
This is a continuing conversation. I would like to hear your
thoughts and will write more about this in the next issue. You
can email me at [email protected].
Thank You To
Our Recent Donors
Rudolph & Cindy Alexander
Gloria Allen
Renee Arrington
Sallie Bailey
Louis & Muriel Baldwin
Reuben Bankhead
Linda Barley
Sonia Barrett
Thomas & Sara Beague
Sandra Beasley
Sibert & Yvonne Beatty
Anthony Benfatti
Arthur Benjamin
Albert Benjamin
Daisy Bernard
Patricia Bishop
Rowshana Biswas
Yvonne Blackwell
Robert & Thelma Blanc
Renee Bluford
R. Boone
Samuel Boyce
Robin Brooks
Norma Brown
Ann Brown
Evelyn Brown
Patricia Brownell
Clery Bullen
Lorraine Bullock
Winston & Florence Cadogan
Sarah Capers
Vivian Chestnutt
James Christian
Dolly Christian
Ormand Clarke
Kathy Cohen
Robert and Grace Cohen
Dorothy Coleman
William Collins
Howard Cooper
Helen Cureton
Rebecca Currant
Maureen Curry
Herbert Dallas
Richard and Flo Davis
Minnie Davis
Betty DeBaptiste
Lawrence Deckinger Foundation
Benjamin DeCosta
Catherine DeMarinis
Lucille DeMarinis
Carl & Sybil Dennis
Nellie Duncan
Ernest Ellis
Herbert Enoch
Ronald Fatoullah
Christine Ferro
Melissa Fisher
Caroline Ford
Gladys Frederique
Kathleen Freeman
Paul & Denise Gamble
Charles Gammal
Walter George
Tommy Giannapoulos
Richard & Brenda Gibbs
Olive Gibbs-Knight
Liz Cox and David Gibson
Paul & Marcia Gibson
Sarah Gnecco
Kenneth & Helaine Grabowski
Thelma Greaves
Syed Haque
Carl & Katherine Harrison
Woodie Head
Thelma Headley
Elaine Henderson
Rennyson Howell
Bonnie Huie
Carol Hunt
Lewis Hurst
Harry & Comfort Itoka
Anne Jacobsky
Halvor James
Shirley Jenkins
Martha Johns
Vivian Johnson
Houston Johnson, Jr.
Miguel & Shelia Jones
Daniel & Ruby Joy
Ann Kahwaty
Barbara Kellum
Alana Kennedy
Lennon Kennedy
Barbara Kent
Jean & Elcie Kernizan
Marie Kersant
Suzanne Kessler
Gertrude Kihara
Elizabeth King
Richard Kramer
Carole Lee
Barbara Littlejohn
Litwin Foundation
Audrey Love
Eddy and Florence Marc-Charles
Sean Martyn
Donna and William Matson
John Matthew, D.D.S.
Joseph and Mary Ann Mattone
Evelyn McKim
Emma Medlock
Irene and Irwin Mignott
Mary Mills
Marla Milne
Ada Mitchell
S. Morris
Patricia Mosley
Dr. & Mrs. Paul Nacier
Delores Nethersole
New Hope Lutheran Church
Steven Newman
Laura and Kenneth Nicholas
Verdia Noel
Joseph Nolan
Marjorie Nunes
Edward& Patricia O'Brien
Carol Osbourne
Max & Sandra Osse
Allan Palzer
Avi Pandey, MD
Lincoln Pascal
Father Bryan Patterson
Marion Peay
Regina Peruggi
Neal and Carole Phillips
Cardell Phillips
Continued on page 5
Page 3
JSPOA Newsletter
“Centers” of Attention
Assemblywoman Barbara Clark at Foster Laurie Senior
Center with Center Director Rosemary Vann and JSPOA
Chairperson of the Board Directors, Ann Wilkinson.
Assemblywoman Clark helped serve the seniors lunch
and received an award from the senior center for her
steadfast efforts to gain funding to keep the center open .
Brilliant First Attempts gallery exhibit at Burden Center for
the Aging. Above Willie Bell Purifoy from Friendship Center
with self portrait. Other JSPOA artist exhibiting were Lacey
Richardson, Evelyn Wallace, Julia Dorrell & Jeannette Henry.
Friendship Center visits the Museum of Modern Art.
In honor of Veterans Day, Friendship Center veterans were
recognized for their service to our county.
Back row: Veteran Walter Roberts with Friendship Center
Director Arthur Patsiner. Front row: Veterans Mason
Richardson and Harold Williams.
Rockaway Boulevard Senior Center celebrating a day at
“The Savoy”
Page 4
JSPOA Newsletter
“Centers of Attention”
Laptop Class at Rockaway Boulevard Senior Center
Foster Laurie Senior Center’s excursion to City Island.
Kathy Cohen (l), Director of JSPOA’s Senior Employment
Program, receives an award at Workforce1 Queens’s
Community Partners Appreciation Awards Luncheon.
Halloween at Conlon Community Center
Rockaway Boulevard Senior Center’s Fashion Extravaganza of African Attire
Winter 2010
JSPOA Newsletter
Technology at the Senior Centers
If you’re someone who thinks that
older adults are not up to date when it
comes to technology - read on!
Technology companies are realizing
that older adults are a big market for
technology and are creating products
specifically targeted to them. Jamaica
Service Program For Older Adults has
begun using advances in technology
in our programming to exercise the
mind and body.
Technology is playing an important
role at JSPOA’s Friendship Center for
the mentally and physically frail,
including seniors in the early stages of
Alzheimer’s Disease. Have you ever
looked at YouTube online? The
seniors at Friendship Center are using
this video-sharing website that is
changing
how
people
share
information
and
communicate
worldwide. It is part of Friendship’s
Handprints Program. As an example,
one member of the center, who is in
the early stages of dementia hadn’t
shared very much about his
occupation. He was a printer, in the
days of linotype machine. The staff
looked up a video of linotype machine
on YouTube and he was able to
immerse himself in the sounds and
images of the linotype machine. His
life as a printer came back to him and
with a big smile he said “my memories
are in my fingertips….my fingers
remembered and I can go back to my
original self.” This work was a starting
point for him as he increased his
confidence and became significantly
more engaged with other people at
the center.
Older adults with Alzheimer’s have
trouble remembering recent events.
who wish to
maintain a vital,
agile and vigorous mind. The
program
has
individually
designed entertaining exercises that will help improve
short-term memory, reaction
times, memory recall, eyehand coordination and much
more! “My brain had a good
workout and I didn't get tired,”
said another senior in the program.
Who knew 20 years ago that
seniors would be some of the
Members of the Theodora G. Jackson Adult
most avid video game players
Center using MindFit Program.
and that it would help them stay
healthy at the same time? Wii
When some of the seniors at
Friend(pronounced “we”) is a game console
ship Center took a trip to the Museum of
that relies on players making motions
Modern Art, they also had someone
rather than pushing buttons on a
videotaping the trip including the bus
controller. The system has become
ride, presentations by a museum reprevery popular because it brings a form
sentative and viewing the exhibits. The
of gentle, low-impact exercise to older
videos were used afterwards to help the
adults. Among the many activities they
seniors remember the trip and their
enjoy at JSPOA’s senior centers are
experiences of the day.
bowling, golf and tennis.
“Since using MindFit, I remember
Technology is being used to help
where I left my keys!” said one senior at
older adults stay physically and
mentally fit. It can also play an
important role in
helping
people who have
dementia
remember things that happened a few days ago or many
years ago to spark
recognition and development. “As we
enter into a new decade, we
look forward to continuing advances in technology to help
older adults stay healthy and
Seniors bowling with Wii at Jackson Center.
active both physically and
mentally” says JSPOA
Executive
Theodora G. Jackson Adult Center.
Director, Carol Hunt.
MindFit is a computer program that has
been specifically designed for seniors
Thank You To Our Recent Donors (cont’d)
JSPOA Newsletter
A Regular Publication of the
Dorothy Pierce
Ida Pollack
Ralph Porter
Sandra Povman
Earline Price
George & Sondra Pugh
Karla Rampey
Dorothy Ramsey
Norma Rawlins
Mr. & Mrs. Isaac Reid
Shirley Richard
Lela Richardson
Joseph Richardson
David Robinson
Gladys Ross
Margaret Rowley
Clifton Rutherford
William Samber
Emma Sawchenko
Gladys Scoggins
Mary Shepherd
Ellen Singletary
Arleen Simmons
Mary Simon
Gladiola Simpson
Michael & Chhaya Sobotka
Eleanor Speer
Archie & Leslie Spigner
Carlisle St. Martin
Alex & Marie Solange St. Urbain
Rita Stark
Susan Strong
Yolonda Thompkins
F. Delano Thompson
Joseph & Joan Trocchia
Queenabelle Turman
Leslie Turner
Vivian Turner
Alton Waldon
Karl Walkes
Milton & Marion Webber
Robert & Ann Wilkinson
Frank & Hazel Wilson
Ruth Winfree
Hazel Woodley
Patricia Wyatt
Dora Young
Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults, Inc.
162-04 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, NY 11432
718-657-6500 Fax: 718-523-7746
Ann Wilkinson
Chairperson
William Collins, Jr.
President
Carol J. Hunt
Executive Director
Melissa Fisher
Editor and Director of Development
Page 6
JSPOA Newsletter
JSPOA Executive Director, Carol Hunt, Announces Retirement
Carol Hunt recently announced
that she will retire in 2010 after 20
years as JSPOA’s Executive
Director and has asked the Board
of Directors to begin a search for
her replacement.
Ms. Hunt has been dedicated to
helping older adults age with dignity
for over 40 years. She firmly
believes that involving seniors in
the decisions that effect them is key
to developing successful programs. When Ms. Hunt
became Executive Director, JSPOA had 4 senior centers
and under her leadership it has grown to 6 centers today.
During that time she has involved older adults in the Senior
Action Coalition, which reviews legislation affecting older
adults and meets with local politicians to advocate on
behalf of older adults. She has twice organized a regional
White House Conference on Aging and was the 2005
delegate to the White House Conference on Aging from
the sixth Congressional District in Queens. Ms. Hunt has
been a visionary in developing new programs such as
Seniors Educating Seniors: HIV/AIDS Awareness
Campaign, Respite Services, and Civic Engagement. The
Theodora G. Jackson Center was the first nationally
Jamaica Service Program for Older
Adults, Inc. (JSPOA)
162-04 Jamaica Avenue, Third Floor
Jamaica, NY 11432
accredited senior center in New York State and subsequently all six senior centers have become accredited.
Ms. Hunt is Chairperson of the National Institute of
Senior Centers, and is also a Member of the National
Leadership Caucus of the National Council on Aging,
Immediate Past President of the State Society on Aging
and Past President of the New York State Coalition for
the Aging.
Reflecting on her career, Carol Hunt said, ”My
serendipitous career in the aging field has enriched my
life professionally and personally beyond anything I
could have planned. Promoting and maintaining the
contributions of older people in the fabric of our society
has been a privilege. Leading an organization like
JSPOA has sparked so many creative ideas, I know the
best life of the organization has only just begun.”
Thanking her for her contributions, Chairperson of
JSPOA’s Board of Directors, Ann Wilkinson said,
“Throughout her career, Carol Hunt has been a powerful
spokesperson on behalf of older adults. We have been
fortunate to have her as our Executive Director and
thank her for the leadership she has provided in support
of the seniors in our community.”