The Village Movement Neighbors Helping Neighbors
(Margate, NJ – January 19, 2012) – Sometimes the environment is just right for a bold social undertaking to thrive. An innovative idea can take hold in a local community and be nurtured by people who are passionate about its potential. JFS is seeking individuals who are enthusiastic about starting the grassroots movement to bring a Village to our community.
More than 50 communities throughout the United States have embraced one such phenomenon to create a movement – The Village Movement. With passion and persistence, these residents developed a “village” to assist the aging population. There are approximately 72 million baby boomers in the United States. As this group continues to age over the next 15 years, the needs of the elderly community are going to grow exponentially.
Villages are based on the needs of the community. People are uniting in groups whose purpose is to reach out to the elderly in the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors. The Village Movement assists America’s communities prepare for the aging population and to become places that are good to grow up, live in and grow old. In the process, older people are integrated within their community and able to stay safely and securely in their own homes as they – and millions of their peers –grow older. As the concept matures and reproduces in one community after another, a national movement is born.
The villages are membership driven grass roots organizations that, through volunteers and paid staff, coordinate access to affordable services including transportation, health and wellness programs, home repairs, social and educational activities and other day to day needs enabling individuals to remain connected to their community throughout the aging process.
For many older adults struggling to live independently in their own homes, a little assistance makes all the difference in their lives. How can an elderly neighbor who is stuck in their homes get help following a snowstorm? What should be done for a person who recently lost a loved one and needs companionship? What are the needs of seniors in our community and how can we match them with affordable, reliable and trustworthy aid?
JFS is asking our local residents to contribute their professional talents and expertise creating just such a movement in our local community. Of course, organization, leadership, and grass roots commitment are necessary for any community to function smoothly. The investment of time and labor, we believe, is well worth the effort. Desire and need for community are well ingrained in our genes and our heritage. Once established, a Village gains momentum by doing exactly what it is intended to do: Serve one another in ways which keep the neighborhood intact. Why not help each other to accomplish this goal?
For more information on becoming a part of the conversation or the Village Movement concept, please contact BJ Pinnock at 822-1108 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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About Jewish Family Service
Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties is a multi-service family counseling agency dedicated to promoting, strengthening and preserving individual, family, and community well-being in a manner consistent with Jewish philosophy and values. For more information regarding Jewish Family Service contact 609-822-1108 or visit www.jfsatlantic.org.