Habitat for Humanity and AARP Foundation launch Here to Stay: Home Upkeep for All workshops for older adults to learn home repair and maintenance tips
Riverside, CA – Habitat for Humanity today announced it received a grant of nearly $557,000 from AARP Foundation to launch its Here to Stay: Home Upkeep for All™ home maintenance workshop series for low-income older adults. As a part of Habitat’s Aging in Place program, Here to Stay: Home Upkeep for All will be tested by local Habitat organizations invested in serving older adults in their community.
Riverside Habitat for Humanity will be one of the three pilot locations to offer the workshops, starting in June 2019. The other pilot locations include Palm Beach County Habitat in West Palm Beach, Florida and Choptank Habitat in Trappe, Maryland. At the start of 2020, four additional local Habitat organizations, which are not yet determined, will tweak the workshop based on lessons learned and reimplement it in their communities.
“AARP Foundation and Habitat for Humanity are each guided by a mission to build strength, stability and self-reliance, and together have a successful history of collaborating to increase access to safe, affordable and healthy homes for low income older adults,” said Emily Allen, senior vice president of AARP Foundation programs. “Here to Stay: Home Upkeep for All makes it easier for older adults to safely remain in their homes and in their communities for as long as possible.”
“We are thrilled to be working with AARP Foundation in piloting the Here to Stay workshops,” said Julie Laird Davis, vice president of corporate and foundation relations at Habitat. “From Habitat’s experience with Aging in Place, we know that many older adults struggle with maintaining their homes for a variety of reasons. Some older homeowners may be widowed and not sure of the routine tasks that are needed or where to go for help if there is a problem. The workshops will walk through different scenarios, provide hands-on training and share practical information on resources available within each community.”
Habitat’s Aging in Place program aims to improve quality of life for older Americans through home repair and modifications that foster a safe, livable and lasting environment to age in their homes and communities.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries.
About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation works to end senior poverty by helping vulnerable older adults build economic opportunity and social connectedness. As AARP’s charitable affiliate, we serve AARP members and nonmembers alike. Bolstered by vigorous legal advocacy, we spark bold, innovative solutions that foster resilience, strengthen communities and restore hope.
