Making a Difference

Anyone who ever started a non-profit organization would be aware of the desire to make a difference. I am not sure of the statistics, but it is my guess that not even 50% of non-profits or "charities" even succeed or stay in business past the first year. They depend on grant money or donations, and fundraisers are held for so many organizations, the money donated is spread very thin.

Family and Friends of the Aging is a non-profit organization begun as an online support group for caregivers of the aging. Since its conception, my dreams and goals for the group have shifted to more realistic avenues. Many caregivers, like me, find themselves with additional responsibilities and expenses, yet lack of work in this slow economy. Family caregivers don't just need to vent to other caregivers, they need to be educated in a way to give loving care while still being able to earn a living! There must be a way...and I am dedicated to finding it and delivering the education to members of FFAI.

Grant Search

Funding for a non-profit can be quite an undertaking. During incorporation and obtaining the 501(3)c status, my time and money were the ONLY time and money. I've spent the last 6 months learning website building and internet marketing in the hopes of getting the support group website up and running. It simply isn't as easy as it sounds.

To supply the necessary ongoing funding, I've over extended my credit and really must look to outside sources, such as grant money. Now, that is another whole new animal! I've another sharp learning curve ahead of me, but, you know what? I'm up to the challenge! I am committed to the development of this support group that is much more than just a "support group". As a caregiver myself, I realize
how much I need the advice and support of other people in my situation. I realize how much other people just like me, need to vent as well as hear what others have to say. So, let's get to it! I'll let you know how it's going.

Can't Sleep

Once in a while my mother will talk about waking in the night and not being able to go back to sleep. Her mind just keeps going from one thing to another, she says. Tonight is my night.
With so many things going through my mind, what better time to get up and work!

I am making my first attempt at putting a website together and have found learning piecemeal is not easy. The website is for this blog's namesake, Family & Friends of the Aging. We're a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, newly organized and funded, so far, by me. Now, that was alright until the bottom fell through in the housing market, which in turn, affected my "real job". Being self employed, plus my clients in some part of the construction industry, equals very little work for me since July of 2007. Thus, the reason I am doing the website!

I invested in Microsoft Expression Studio, thinking it would magically put a site together for me. I was so wrong! I think I may be making it harder than it has to be, and while I AM making some progress, it just isn't coming together fast enough to suit me.

I admit, I have another motive for successfully getting FFAI online. As a caregiver, a 9 to 5 job is out of the question. I must have flexibility in my hours and being self employed has worked beautifully to this point. For myself and other caregivers who need to pay the bills, I am investigating internet marketing. Making money online has taken a pretty bad wrap from what I've read, but there are some legitimate ways out there. Once I sift through a few more "opportunities", I hope to use what I've found for myself as well as pass on the information to the caregiver community. If anyone out there has any information on online money making scams, please let me know so I can avoid them in my search. On the other hand, if you know of any legitimate ways to make money online, please let me know that as well.

I'm going back to bed.

Senior Co-op Neighborhood

I have often met older people who are alone. Some are estranged from their families and others had never married or married but never had children. Their immediate families of brothers or sisters have predeceased them and they are alone. Yet, they want to remain in their own homes as the majority of seniors do, even with family all around them.

While many organizations exist to support seniors who wish to age in place at home, one of the newest of these is the senior co-op concept. What is a senior co-op? Taken from the CSA Journal 37 2007, "it's as simple as a group of people agreeing to make their neighborhood a comfortable place to grow old."

The Northeast area was first to begin a senior co-op at Boston's Beacon Hill Village in 2001. The scene goes something like this; a community forms a non-profit organization and members pay dues for services ranging from transportation to home repair, and security to companionship. The idea is to ensure older people can remain in their homes as long as possible. It would be a comforting concept that predetermined chefs, carpenters, or a home health aid is just a phone call away.

Services offered by a non profit membership organization may be able to offer the prearranged services more cost efficiently than individual hire for the same services. The co-op concept is still in its infancy and critics of the idea say it's only for the wealthy. It seems to me that taking proposals from subcontractors works the same for everyone. It depends on the level of service to determine what cost is assigned to that service. After all, it's about keeping the seniors in their homes and maintaining dignity and independence as long as possible. I think I'd like to get a testimonial from a co-op member before I form an opinion. It's an interesting concept and I'll be watching this one.