Community Living Campaign

Cultivating connections to help seniors and people with disabilities age and thrive at home.

Cultivating connections to help seniors and people with disabilities age and thrive at home.

Healthy Aging

Inner Sunset Community Connectors Reflect on a Successful Year

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group photo of Inner Sunset participants

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Neighbors and Always Active Instructors celebrate one year of Inner Sunset Community Connectors

Before we opened the doors last October 22nd at St. Anne of the Sunset, we had hoped 15 people might attend our our Monday and Thursday afternoon exercise/community building program.  Instead 35 appeared, ready to enjoy the Always Active exercise program. Though most of us lived in the neighborhood, few of us knew one another. The number of participants, and our friendships have only grown from those early days. 

 
One day last summer, when 53 people tried to fit into our summer space at St. John of God, we were in the awkward position of turning away people at the same time we were committed to building community. After several weeks of this, the Community Living Campaign convinced the SF Department of Aging and Adult Services (the city agency that provides the primary funding for this program), to send a second Always Active instructor, allowing us to serve up to 60 people a session.   More recently, CLC convinced DAAS to earmark extra funding for a third day of classes.  On Tuesdays, beginning November 5, we will offer chair yoga and creative dance on alternative weeks.
 
Note from a participant

MAKING FRIENDS: “I feel healthier which is great but I feel most excited about meeting my neighbors. I don’t feel like a stranger out here anymore.” (Note from a participant)

But we don’t only exercise when we come together. About a month into the program, Marina Lazarra, the community connector from the Community Living Campaign, began offering after-exercises activities. The first classes were on gardening and healthy herbs – Marina’s interests – an ongoing memoir writing class, classes on “finding your style,” earthquake safety, how to get most out of your cell phone, a three-session series on Stroke Awareness, and an evening meeting on Loneliness and Social Isolation engaged participants and brought in new members. More than 10 of us participated in a letter exchange with the fifth graders at the SF Friends School, and were thrilled to attend the children’s dramatization of our life stories.

 
It’s all coming together, the way we had hoped. The Always Active exercise program and the after-class workshops have led to the development of new friendships. People arrive before class and stay after to exchange gossip. The more able-bodied members look out for those of us who move slower or are less steady on our feet. We are no longer strangers working out, we’re becoming friends. Thanks to this program, retirement and aging are taking on new meaning in the Inner Sunset.  
 
Want to help? Right now, we have a matching gift of up to $10,000. Please donate now to double your impact!
 
(Enjoy a few pictures from the November 4th Anniversary Celebration and Thank You Event)
 
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Good Neighbors Gather To Celebrate and To Honor

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The Annual Good Neighborhood Event brought together an even bigger group of leaders on Saturday, June 8 as we gather at the ARC. Each year, staff and participants in each of the CLC programs picks a community member who has gone above and beyond to help their neighbors and provide leadership to the community. We are pleased to present this year’s list of honorees. They include:

  • Mary Crenshaw, Bayview
  • Deb Padilla, Cayuga Community Connectors
  • Esselene Stancil, Computers & Access
    Marlene Olivencia , Inner Sunset Community Connectors
  • Reiko Hatakayama, Merced Extension Triangle Community Connectors
  • Evernease Cook, Midtown Terrace Community Connectors
  • Guido Van Rijn, Miraloma Community Connectors
  • Leroy Lindo, OMI Food Network
  • Judy Goddess, Community Catalyst
  • Rose Sharkey, St. Francis Square Network
  • Alice Guidry, Sunnyside Community Connectors
  • Michael S. Silver, Vision & Hearing Program 
  • Robin Evans, SF ReServe / Senior Beat 

See these and other “good neighbors” in the photo album below. 

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Breast Cancer Support Pink Luncheon 2018

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Breast Cancer Groups Celebrate

On Oct. 11, the Breast Cancer Group of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, and the Bayview Imani Breast Cancer Support Group held their annual celebration luncheon.

Though African-American and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at roughly the same rate, African-American women are 42 percent more likely to die from the disease. There seem to be several reasons for this: African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of the disease, and experience delays in treatment. They are also more likely to be diagnosed with a triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype that is linked to poorer survival.

The OMI breast cancer group meets the third Thursday of the month, from 11 a.m.– noon. The group takes on different projects – murals, paintings and placemats – some of which were on display at the church. Their primary task, explained Barbara Tate, program director at the LCOS, is supporting one another and the newly diagnosed. “When we hear of someone who’s been newly diagnosed, we try to visit and talk with them. We go with them to the doctor if they want us to do that. We listen to their story and tell our own. Whatever the person wants, we’re available.”

October 11, however, was a day to greet old friends, enjoy good food, celebrate and listen to inspirational speeches from Pastor Evered Cohen of the Lutheran Church and the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Ransom-Scott

If you are looking for support or want more information, call Barbara Tate, 415-586-7890.

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Passport Program Brings Digital Literacy to More Seniors and People With Disabilities

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CLC and the SF Tech Council are rolling  out the Passport to the Digital World – a way to increase digital literacy among seniors and people with disabilities .  The project gathers links and tips from experienced technology trainers into guides for both learners and teachers. With these guides, participants can learn  some of the many ways they can connect and find valuable information  online. Read our earlier blog post for more detail on this initiative. 

Digital Literacy Passport Launches with Overflow Crowd

We officially launched this project with a Digital Passport Party during the library’s Connect with Tech Week. The Launch Party drew an overflow crowd (as we scrambled to get  more chairs, more chairs)!  Participants, some of whom came by bus from Visitacion Valley, enjoyed lunch and picked up their passports (available in English, Spanish and Chinese).  They got an overview of how the Passport can guide their learning, and even played Passport Bingo for tech-related prizes.    

Bring the Passport to the Digital World to Your Neighborhood

To learn more about the Digital Passport project, contact us at passport@sftechcouncil.org or go to  www.sftechcouncil.org/passport/. There are digital literacy partners throughout the San Francisco who are helping seniors and people with disabilities embark on their digital journeys.  And if you’d like to use the passport to teach folks in your community, please let us know!

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Speaking Out to Our Supervisors for Better Employment Opportunities

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Urgency came through in the voices of those who spoke at the May 9  Board of Supervisors hearing on employment.  Seniors and adults with disabilities both spoke of the economic need in this increasingly expensive City.  But more than that, they shared how they were seeking respect,  purpose, and the ability to contribute their lifetime of experience to improve their communities.

Rebecca Shotwell, pictured left, shared that finding a job “saved her life.”  A graphic artist in the days before Photoshop, Rebecca retired two years before the 2008 financial crisis. Two years ago, after she and her husband had almost depleted their savings, Rebecca started looking for a job, “but who was going to hire an old lady?” Through CLC’s SF ReServe program. Rebecca began working at Aquatic Park Senior Center. They were so thrilled with her skills and contribution, that when a position opened up, they hired her directly.

Increasing Focus on Senior and Disability Employment Challenges

Supervisor Norman Yee, who called for the hearing following CLC’s recent Work Matters! event, recruited Supervisor Sheehy, Rohan, Fewer and Kim as co-sponsors.  

A presentation by SF City Departments introduced the set the stage for the testimony that followed, with data, program overviews and recommendations – linked here.

The hearing was broadcast on SFGov TV – if you missed, you can view the Employment Hearing there (the Employment Opportunities for Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities section starts at 1:23).  Thanks to everyone who came and who spoke.  We are hopeful that this will lead to more scrutiny and more funding to address this pressing issue.  

Stay tuned!!

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Loneliness Really Is a Public Health Issue

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Google Community Space and the Global Shapers hosted a thoughtful discussion on loneliness and increasing awareness of how bad it is for your health.   The panelist included:

Kasley Killam, event organizer (and CLC Board member) facilitated a  solution-focused discussion about loneliness among seniors, raising awareness about this issue and  highlighting  efforts of each organization to address it.  The session closed with suggestions for how the more than 70 people who attended might take steps to contribute. The panel discussion is featured on the CLC Facebook page.  You can learn more about the issue in Kasley’s article in Scientific American.  

Loneliness: A Public Health Crisis Livestream

Posted by Global Shapers – San Francisco Hub on Wednesday, March 21, 2018

 

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Housing, Food Security, and Reducing Isolation Are Priorities in Budget Advocacy

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The Dignity Fund measure – Prop I –  laid a foundation for more dependable funding and planning, but it is just that, the foundation.  Now we must build support for a budget that more equitably addresses the needs and aspiration of old San Franciscans and those with disabilities.  This year’s May 16th Budget Rally was part of the building blocks for the future.  The Rally, co-sponsored by Senior & Disability Action (SDA), the Coalition of Agencies Serving the Elderly (CASE) and the Community Alliance of Disability Advocates (CADA), were joined by representatives of a number of organizations and neighborhood groups to highlight this year’s priorities.

Thanks to Supervisors Norman Yee, Hillary Ronen, Jeff Sheehy, and representative for Sandra Fewer for coming and showing their interest and support!  

See key priorities for the budget process here.  

Remember, the big annual budget hearing at City Hall is June 19, starting at 9:00 a.m. and running until all have spoken. 

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Dignity Day Helps Build Momentum for Prop I

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I for Independence and Interdependence! Vote Yes to invest in seniors and people with disabilities.

September 23 was Dignity Day and the community of supporters and elected leaders gathered to show their support for Proposition I – The Dignity Fund.  Mayor Lee and members of the Board of Supervisors spoke of the importance of supporting seniors and adult with disabilities.  Community leaders shared their stories about how Prop I will make a difference.  And around the city, Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers distributed information about this November 8 ballot measure to meal sites.  Hundreds of seniors, adults with disabilities and their supporters showed their enthusiastic support by pledging to help get the word out with house signs, phone banking and outreach engagements.  You can learn more about how you can help here.  Enjoy the pictures and remember to vote Yes on Prop I!

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Annual Event Shines with Friendship and New Connections

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Dr. Patrick Arbore was the special guest as this year’s honoree for the Norma Satten Community Service Innovation Award, held ondsc_7653 September 22 at the Marine’s Memorial in San Francisco.  Once again, the community of individuals and organizations who believe in the importance of helping seniors and people with disabilities age in community came together.  Highlights included CLC Board member Colt Stander, who introduced a special, intergenerational hip hop performance by Bert Houle and Rebecca Fazio, information about the award by Norma’s daughter Debby Satten, introductions of CLC Good Neighbor Awardees, chosen by their community earlier in the year.   These good neighbors include Paul Hendrickson, Mel Noguera, Jimmye Mae Bynum, Ned Reese,  Vernice Ross, Donna Wilmott, and Jim Stevenson.  Another highlight dsc_7287was Anne’s introduction of Dr. Patrick Arbore and his heartfelt call to help reduce isolation and create connections.   Jim Illig closed the evening with a toast and a call to keep working hard to make this a better city in the year ahead.  Enjoy the pictures and mark your calendar to come next September.

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St. Francis Square Shows the Way

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Article by Betty Traynor, Convenor

Since 2010, the Community Living Campaign has been active at St. Francis Square (SFQ), a 50 year plus residential cooperative founded by the ILWU with close to 300 units in the Western Addition, across from Japantown. Our CLC group founded by Marcia Peterzell and Linda Silver was a very welcome addition to the Square as there are many seniors living here, who moved in when they were “kids” in the ‘60s and ‘70s and are now aging in place. Many seniors welcomed the chance to join the CLC committee to learn about issues important to them, to exercise together, and to just have fun.

The CLC sponsors birthday parties through the year where everyone is invited to celebrate those with birthdays in the past four months, with party favors, music and gifts. We have Coffee and Conversation three Friday mornings a year with breakfast snacks and relevant speakers on hearing, the vial of life, health issues, and aging empowerment to name a few. One of our members, Jimmy Bynum, started up a weekly Walking Group on Wednesday mornings to get around our delightful neighborhood from the Fillmore to Japantown and in between. To specifically help those in need at SFQ, the CLC group formed “Neighbor to Neighbor” soliciting volunteers from all our residents who could be called on to give a hand: give a drive to the grocery store or medical appointment, move a couch, walk a dog. The volunteers are on-call and not far away. Our monthly meetings on second Tuesday mornings in our Social Hall are when we plan all that is coming up and look back on what we’ve done to improve for next time.

We decided recently that we needed to add some enjoyable “outside the Square” activities, so we’ve met for happy hour at a local club, Sheba Lounge on Fillmore, and one of our Square members who owns Picnic on Third restaurant in SOMA invited us to check it out for lunch a few months ago. We not only had a great meal but were treated as honored elders by the owner and her staff. So for now that is the Community Living Campaign at St. Francis Square Cooperative—ready, willing and able to be there for each other and to have fun along the way.   For more information, contact Betty Traynor at btraynor@att.net.

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