It is official. Today (July 12, 2010) Ashby Village is open for business! After years of hard work, it is actually a realty. Judy Boe and I have only been working for about two years, but others, notably Shirley Haberfeld, Pat Sussman and Jane Selby started years earlier. The launching of Ashby Village represents a major commitment of many people in our community.
This morning Judy and I delivered our Ashby Village Provider Network binder to the office. We have been recruiting providers for almost a year and are quite proud of our results. The providers have come from our own real estate networks and from Ashby Village members’ recommendations. We have providers for most of the categories we need and will continue working on getting more providers to join the network. The providers in our network have completed applications, been interviewed, had references checked and licenses verified.
Today was so exciting! Shirley Haberfeld and Tami Blaj (the volunteer coordinator) were working at the office today while Judy and I were there. I am so proud to be a part of this effort and think that programs like Ashby Village are critical for the future.
Below is a brief summary of Ashby Village prepared by the Board of Directors.
What is Ashby Village?
Ashby Village is a membership organization that provides the practical means, social connections and resources that enable people to stay both independent and supported as they age. Villages provide opportunities for residents to share resources, information, and social events, while also accessing vital health and social services in the community. With one call or online query, you can arrange help with grocery shopping, transportation to a concert, get a referral for home healthcare, or offer your time to help another Village member.
Ashby Village is part of a movement of virtual communities that began with Boston’s Beacon Hill Village in 2001. Today, hundreds of Villages are operating or forming across the country. The Village movement fosters individual independence and safety and strengthens neighborhoods. Ashby Village serves the East Bay communities of Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito, Emeryville and Rockridge.
Villages provide an alternative to current models of living as we age: members stay in their own homes as they develop a wider net of community relationships. Ashby Village is not a physical village, but rather a community built of members throughout the greater Berkeley area. Annual membership in Ashby Village will provide a broad range of personalized assistance and services that, taken together, create a safety net of support that enable members to stay in their own homes. And because we are in our start up phase, charter members will help determine how we grow Ashby Village.
Ashby Village is a nonprofit organization, currently under the umbrella of LifeLong Medical Care, and has an annual budget of $175,000. We are self-sustaining through membership fees. Our challenge is to grow a membership base that enables the staffing and infrastructure to support our growth. Foundation grants and individual donations will underwrite subsidized memberships to low income members.
If you are interested in joining Ashby Village, would like to volunteer or want more information, check out our website at www.ashbyvillage.org.
Leave a Reply