Area seniors have rallied to help their neighbors through a new charity effort called the Greatest Generation Reaches Out.
The idea to start a partnership between senior living communities in Fairport and Perinton came from Shirley Jones, who was inspired by the words of Tom Brokaw.
He first coined the term “The Greatest Generation” to refer to people raised during the Great Depression who lived through World War II.
Brokaw wrote in his book: “A common lament of the WWII generation is the absence today of personal responsibility.”
Jones saw an opportunity for members of this generatoin to respond to needs in society through simple efforts like food and clothing drives.
So, she reached out to places like The Northfield, Maplewood Estates, Rose Hollow, Fairport Apartments, Jefferson Park Apartments, The Highlands, and the Perinton Senior Center.
Her mission? To help end the cycle of poverty and violence in the Greater Rochester region by getting seniors to participate in a larger effort to hold a charitable activity of their choice.
Several months later, she is amazed at the response from those who have taken part.
“They’ve been so enthusiastic about it, and I’m very pleased,” said Jones. “We can do a lot.”
Seniors at The Northfield, for example, collected enough food to feed 12 Rochester families at Thanksgiving and collected winter hats, scarves and knitted slippers for the needy. Residents of Rose Hollow also collected clothing and non-perishables for the Perinton Food Shelf.
At Maplewood Estates, residents raised enough money to buy food, personal items and presents for three different families through the Catholic Family Center of Rochester at Christmastime — an experience that visibly touched the recipients.
“The people were were crying, they were so overwhelmed,” said Maplewood’s activities director, Ravan Pierce. She added that the residents who donated were touched, too. “They said that was the best Christmas gift they ever got.”
Representatives from each senior living community meet quarterly to talk about what they’ve already done and brainstorm ideas for future outreaches. They key is getting people to participate, no matter how large or small their contribution.
“We’re looking for things that don’t require money outlay,” said Pat Smith, volunteer coordinator at Fairport Apartments, which provides income-based housing for seniors.
But whether it’s knitting a hat or giving a can of food, Jones said the smallest bit of help goes a long way.
“Do you have any idea how many people this little group is reaching?” she exclaimed. “It blows my mind.”
Area seniors have rallied to help their neighbors through a new charity effort called the Greatest Generation Reaches Out.
The idea to start a partnership between senior living communities in Fairport and Perinton came from Shirley Jones, who was inspired by the words of Tom Brokaw.
He first coined the term “The Greatest Generation” to refer to people raised during the Great Depression who lived through World War II.
Brokaw wrote in his book: “A common lament of the WWII generation is the absence today of personal responsibility.”
Jones saw an opportunity for members of this generatoin to respond to needs in society through simple efforts like food and clothing drives.
So, she reached out to places like The Northfield, Maplewood Estates, Rose Hollow, Fairport Apartments, Jefferson Park Apartments, The Highlands, and the Perinton Senior Center.
Her mission? To help end the cycle of poverty and violence in the Greater Rochester region by getting seniors to participate in a larger effort to hold a charitable activity of their choice.
Several months later, she is amazed at the response from those who have taken part.
“They’ve been so enthusiastic about it, and I’m very pleased,” said Jones. “We can do a lot.”
Seniors at The Northfield, for example, collected enough food to feed 12 Rochester families at Thanksgiving and collected winter hats, scarves and knitted slippers for the needy. Residents of Rose Hollow also collected clothing and non-perishables for the Perinton Food Shelf.
At Maplewood Estates, residents raised enough money to buy food, personal items and presents for three different families through the Catholic Family Center of Rochester at Christmastime — an experience that visibly touched the recipients.
“The people were were crying, they were so overwhelmed,” said Maplewood’s activities director, Ravan Pierce. She added that the residents who donated were touched, too. “They said that was the best Christmas gift they ever got.”
Representatives from each senior living community meet quarterly to talk about what they’ve already done and brainstorm ideas for future outreaches. They key is getting people to participate, no matter how large or small their contribution.
“We’re looking for things that don’t require money outlay,” said Pat Smith, volunteer coordinator at Fairport Apartments, which provides income-based housing for seniors.
But whether it’s knitting a hat or giving a can of food, Jones said the smallest bit of help goes a long way.
“Do you have any idea how many people this little group is reaching?” she exclaimed. “It blows my mind.”
