October 2021
From the Foundation [From the October 14, 2021 Laguna Woods Globe]
Old Mother Hubbard revisited
“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard, To fetch her poor dog a bone. But when she got there the cupboard was bare … What happens when a Village resident finds their cupboard bare with almost no money to buy food? Unfortunately, this does happen to some of our neighbors, particularly now with the recent rise in food prices and inflation. But unlike Old Mother Hubbard, Village residents can get help through the Foundation which provides grocery gift cards. All they have to do is contact Social Services at 949-5974267 to see if they qualify. Foundation assistance can also mean keeping the electricity on, continuing telephone service, paying for a needed prescription, or paying for medical care.
Another source of help is the South County Outreach Food Pantry, located at 7 Whatney B, Irvine, CA 92618, which reopened this July with client-choice shopping. Local residents can receive a week’s worth of food once a month, and the Pantry is operated Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. For eligibility information, please call 949380-8144, ext. 207.
If a Village resident needs transportation to the South County Outreach Food Pantry, the Foundation provides free transport on the second Tuesday of each month. To register, please contact Social Services in the Village at 949597-4267.
AgeWell Senior Services operates the Meals on Wheels Program in the Village for residents at least 60 years of age who are homebound because of disability, illness, or lack of mobility. While no one who is eligible is turned away for inability to pay, a $9 per day contribution is suggested. Three meals per day are provided Monday through Friday, and for the “food insecure” a special program is available on weekends and holidays, funded by the Foundation. For further information and to apply, please contact the Florence Sylvester Senior Center at 949380-0155.
—Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
Old Mother Hubbard revisited
“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard, To fetch her poor dog a bone. But when she got there the cupboard was bare … What happens when a Village resident finds their cupboard bare with almost no money to buy food? Unfortunately, this does happen to some of our neighbors, particularly now with the recent rise in food prices and inflation. But unlike Old Mother Hubbard, Village residents can get help through the Foundation which provides grocery gift cards. All they have to do is contact Social Services at 949-5974267 to see if they qualify. Foundation assistance can also mean keeping the electricity on, continuing telephone service, paying for a needed prescription, or paying for medical care.
Another source of help is the South County Outreach Food Pantry, located at 7 Whatney B, Irvine, CA 92618, which reopened this July with client-choice shopping. Local residents can receive a week’s worth of food once a month, and the Pantry is operated Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. For eligibility information, please call 949380-8144, ext. 207.
If a Village resident needs transportation to the South County Outreach Food Pantry, the Foundation provides free transport on the second Tuesday of each month. To register, please contact Social Services in the Village at 949597-4267.
AgeWell Senior Services operates the Meals on Wheels Program in the Village for residents at least 60 years of age who are homebound because of disability, illness, or lack of mobility. While no one who is eligible is turned away for inability to pay, a $9 per day contribution is suggested. Three meals per day are provided Monday through Friday, and for the “food insecure” a special program is available on weekends and holidays, funded by the Foundation. For further information and to apply, please contact the Florence Sylvester Senior Center at 949380-0155.
—Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
September 2021
FROM THE FOUNDATION
7 ways to celebrate Good Neighbor Day From the Laguna Woods Globe, Sept. 16, 2021
The outstanding feature of Laguna Woods Village is its sense of community, and that sense of community is built upon the good neighbor philosophy of the Village.
Being a good neighbor became particularly important during the pandemic, when feelings of isolation made reaching out to our neighbors more important than ever.
Do you know your neighbor’s name? When did you chat with them last?
In September we have a special opportunity to celebrate the importance of being a good neighbor. Sept. 28 is National Good Neighbor Day.
The original proclamation in 1978 designating Sept. 28 each year as National Good Neighbor Day states in part: “For most of us, this sense of community is nurtured and expressed in our neighborhoods where we give each other an opportunity to share and feel part of a larger family.”
Here are some “neighborly” suggestions for celebrating Good Neighbor Day this year: 1. Drop off homebaked goodies to your neighbor as a treat.
2. Offer to pick up groceries for an older neighbor or one without transportation.
3. Leave a small bouquet of flowers at their doorstep.
4. Exchange contact information with your neighbor in the event of an emergency.
5. Provide a “hello” and pause for conversation.
6. While not technically your neighbor, leave a note or refreshment for your mail carrier since they have often been the connection during the pandemic.
7. Donate to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, whose motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” A foundation “tribute” donation to honor a neighbor’s
special event or to remember a neighbor who is no longer with us is a way to celebrate the message of Good Neighbor Day.
Last year, the foundation distributed $30,000 in grocery cards to ensure no “neighbor” went hungry during the pandemic.
This year, the foundation has provided funds for over 40 emergency response devices to prevent serious injuries caused by falls for needier Village residents.
The foundation would not have been able to do this without the support of our many neighbors, and we thank you for being good neighbors.
For more information about specific programs helped with foundation funds, please contact us at thefoundation@comline. com or 949-268-2246.
Please also visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
FROM THE FOUNDATION
7 ways to celebrate Good Neighbor Day From the Laguna Woods Globe, Sept. 16, 2021
The outstanding feature of Laguna Woods Village is its sense of community, and that sense of community is built upon the good neighbor philosophy of the Village.
Being a good neighbor became particularly important during the pandemic, when feelings of isolation made reaching out to our neighbors more important than ever.
Do you know your neighbor’s name? When did you chat with them last?
In September we have a special opportunity to celebrate the importance of being a good neighbor. Sept. 28 is National Good Neighbor Day.
The original proclamation in 1978 designating Sept. 28 each year as National Good Neighbor Day states in part: “For most of us, this sense of community is nurtured and expressed in our neighborhoods where we give each other an opportunity to share and feel part of a larger family.”
Here are some “neighborly” suggestions for celebrating Good Neighbor Day this year: 1. Drop off homebaked goodies to your neighbor as a treat.
2. Offer to pick up groceries for an older neighbor or one without transportation.
3. Leave a small bouquet of flowers at their doorstep.
4. Exchange contact information with your neighbor in the event of an emergency.
5. Provide a “hello” and pause for conversation.
6. While not technically your neighbor, leave a note or refreshment for your mail carrier since they have often been the connection during the pandemic.
7. Donate to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, whose motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” A foundation “tribute” donation to honor a neighbor’s
special event or to remember a neighbor who is no longer with us is a way to celebrate the message of Good Neighbor Day.
Last year, the foundation distributed $30,000 in grocery cards to ensure no “neighbor” went hungry during the pandemic.
This year, the foundation has provided funds for over 40 emergency response devices to prevent serious injuries caused by falls for needier Village residents.
The foundation would not have been able to do this without the support of our many neighbors, and we thank you for being good neighbors.
For more information about specific programs helped with foundation funds, please contact us at thefoundation@comline. com or 949-268-2246.
Please also visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
August 2021
FROM THE FOUNDATION
Sometimes the unexpected happens and we need help but are unsure what to do or where to turn.
For example, would you know what to do if you experienced a financial crunch and could not pay your electric bill? If you ran out of money in the middle of the month and only had food to last a week?
If you keep falling but are unable to afford an emergency response device? If your spouse was experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia, but you couldn’t afford a caregiver? What if you simply needed to go to the doctor but couldn’t leave your spouse alone? If you were in the “donut hole” and your doctor prescribed an expensive medication? If you were released from the hospital and were unable to prepare your own meals? What if you needed caregiver services you could not afford?
In the Village, these difficulties can be handled because the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village stands ready to help residents. This financial assistance can help buy food, pay for utilities, purchase medications, arrange for caregiver services, purchase an emergency response device and provide for transportation, among others.
The first step for getting such help is to contact Social Services at 949-597-4267, where the staff will verify the need and arrange for assistance. During the process, residents’ identities are not disclosed, and payment is made directly to the vendor.
For Meals on Wheels, please contact Age Well Senior Services directly at 949-380-0155. For assistance getting help from the local food pantry, where a week’s worth of food can be obtained once a month, please contact South County Outreach at 949-380-8144. If you need transportation to get to the food pantry, please contact Social Services at 949-5974267 for special assistance. Foundation financial assistance for day care services for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s is available by contacting South County Adult Day Services at 949-855-9444.
For information about specific programs, please contact the foundation at thefoundation@comline. com or call 949-268-2246. Please also visit our website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org, to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
Sometimes the unexpected happens and we need help but are unsure what to do or where to turn.
For example, would you know what to do if you experienced a financial crunch and could not pay your electric bill? If you ran out of money in the middle of the month and only had food to last a week?
If you keep falling but are unable to afford an emergency response device? If your spouse was experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia, but you couldn’t afford a caregiver? What if you simply needed to go to the doctor but couldn’t leave your spouse alone? If you were in the “donut hole” and your doctor prescribed an expensive medication? If you were released from the hospital and were unable to prepare your own meals? What if you needed caregiver services you could not afford?
In the Village, these difficulties can be handled because the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village stands ready to help residents. This financial assistance can help buy food, pay for utilities, purchase medications, arrange for caregiver services, purchase an emergency response device and provide for transportation, among others.
The first step for getting such help is to contact Social Services at 949-597-4267, where the staff will verify the need and arrange for assistance. During the process, residents’ identities are not disclosed, and payment is made directly to the vendor.
For Meals on Wheels, please contact Age Well Senior Services directly at 949-380-0155. For assistance getting help from the local food pantry, where a week’s worth of food can be obtained once a month, please contact South County Outreach at 949-380-8144. If you need transportation to get to the food pantry, please contact Social Services at 949-5974267 for special assistance. Foundation financial assistance for day care services for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s is available by contacting South County Adult Day Services at 949-855-9444.
For information about specific programs, please contact the foundation at thefoundation@comline. com or call 949-268-2246. Please also visit our website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org, to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
FROM THE FOUNDATION From the Laguna Woods Globe, July 22, 2021.
Alzheimer’s OC reopens to serve Village residents
The pandemic may have been particularly difficult for you if your spouse or a family member is experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia, since it caused the temporary closing of South County Adult Day Services (SCADS), a licensed adult day center in Laguna Woods operated by Alzheimer’s Orange County (AlzOC).
AlzOC is a longtime partner of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village and has a 20-plus-year track record of providing exemplary social and health care programs to south Orange County’s older adults with disabilities. At the same time, the center offers family caregivers much needed respite from caregiving duties, knowing their loved ones are in a safe place.
With the all-clear recently sounded, SCADS reopened its doors July 1.
The center will be following all the protocols to ensure the safety of seniors and staff, so programs will be modified. General services include a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack; comprehensive health care, including nursing, supervision, medication management and care as needed; activities and exercise tailored to meet everyone’s needs, including arts and music programs; comprehensive therapy; medical supervision for those with physical or cognitive impairment; opportunities for social interaction with peers; and transportation.
The center is inside an expansive facility at 24260 El Toro Road. It accepts private pay or Medi-Cal through CalOptima. Sliding scale payments or scholarship arrangements can be made. In particular, Village residents with financial difficulties can receive financial assistance to attend the center through the foundation.
To schedule a tour or to see if someone is eligible for financial assistance and to enroll, call 949-855-9444. The AlzOC helpline is 844-373-4400.
As Jim McAleer, CEO of AlzOC, recently pointed out, “Without the support of the foundation, our friends from the Village would not be able to receive these vital services, and many would no longer be able to stay in their homes. Caregivers are also able to receive respite from providing care. Our partnership has been a true blessing for the families we serve and the program itself. Dozens, if not hundreds, of Laguna Woods Village residents have benefi ted over the years.”
The foundation is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Orange County. For more information, contact the foundation at 949-2682246 or email thefoundation@ comline.com.
Please visit our website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org, to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
July 2021
June 2021
From the Foundation From the Laguna Woods Globe, June 17, 2021.
Single women, average age 79, need aid most, foundation research shows
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is dedicated to helping residents maintain their quality of life by providing temporary emergency assistance. That assistance can provide help with medical and dental bills, medication costs, caregiver services, utility costs, emergency response devices, and grocery cards, among other items.
With the support of the Village, the foundation has been doing this for nearly 25 years, and last year, it provided more than $100,000 in financial assistance to Village residents, but we wanted to get a better understanding of whom we help in a general sense since resident confidentiality is ensured. We also wanted to get a better understanding of the needs being addressed.
As a result, the foundation began a research/data collection effort this year, and the preliminary findings for the first four months are illuminating. We hope these findings will also assist us in our outreach efforts. While the number of people assisted by the foundation is a very small percentage of the Village, the overwhelming number of those receiving assistance are single women. The average age is 79, and the average number of years lived in the Village is 13.4 years.
There were 13 residents between the ages of 80 and 90, and four older than 90, with the oldest recipient age 97. Not only are we beginning to get a better idea of whom we are helping, we are learning how our assistance is being used.
During the first four months of the year, the single most funded item was ERD, or emergency response device. The importance of these devices cannot be overstated, since falls account for nearly 1 in 2 ambulance calls to MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center
involving Village residents.
Clearly, fall prevention continues to be an important need in the Village, but unfortunately, many residents cannot personally afford an emergency response device, and this is where the foundation is meeting a need in the Village. Temporary emergency caregiver services also was a significant need in the Village, as well as utility assistance.
However, we welcome suggestions as to how the foundation can be more responsive to needs in the Village. Please contact us at foundation@comline. com or call 949-268-2246. For questions concerning eligibility for assistance, please contact Social Services at 949-597-4267.
Please visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
Single women, average age 79, need aid most, foundation research shows
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is dedicated to helping residents maintain their quality of life by providing temporary emergency assistance. That assistance can provide help with medical and dental bills, medication costs, caregiver services, utility costs, emergency response devices, and grocery cards, among other items.
With the support of the Village, the foundation has been doing this for nearly 25 years, and last year, it provided more than $100,000 in financial assistance to Village residents, but we wanted to get a better understanding of whom we help in a general sense since resident confidentiality is ensured. We also wanted to get a better understanding of the needs being addressed.
As a result, the foundation began a research/data collection effort this year, and the preliminary findings for the first four months are illuminating. We hope these findings will also assist us in our outreach efforts. While the number of people assisted by the foundation is a very small percentage of the Village, the overwhelming number of those receiving assistance are single women. The average age is 79, and the average number of years lived in the Village is 13.4 years.
There were 13 residents between the ages of 80 and 90, and four older than 90, with the oldest recipient age 97. Not only are we beginning to get a better idea of whom we are helping, we are learning how our assistance is being used.
During the first four months of the year, the single most funded item was ERD, or emergency response device. The importance of these devices cannot be overstated, since falls account for nearly 1 in 2 ambulance calls to MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center
involving Village residents.
Clearly, fall prevention continues to be an important need in the Village, but unfortunately, many residents cannot personally afford an emergency response device, and this is where the foundation is meeting a need in the Village. Temporary emergency caregiver services also was a significant need in the Village, as well as utility assistance.
However, we welcome suggestions as to how the foundation can be more responsive to needs in the Village. Please contact us at foundation@comline. com or call 949-268-2246. For questions concerning eligibility for assistance, please contact Social Services at 949-597-4267.
Please visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org to learn how the foundation lives up to its motto, “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
— Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
May 2021
On Legacy Giving From the May 20, 2021 Laguna Woods Globe
April 2021
SOCIAL WORKERS ARE ESSENTIAL Laguna Woods Globe, April 8,2021
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” (Helen Keller). That message reflects the ongoing partnership between the Foundation of LWV and the Village’s Social Services staff. For nearly 25 years, that partnership has strived to meet the needs of Village residents by providing temporary financial aid to Village residents facing financial crises. Help has been provided for electricity bills, caregiver services, medication and doctor costs, dental care, taxi vouchers, and with grocery cards. Today that partnership has expanded to include the purchase of emergency response devices and ambulance contracts, distribution of earthquake kits, and support services during the pandemic.
The month of March was national Social Workers Month, and the Foundation’s partnership with the Village’s Social Services staff made us realize the reality of the national motto, ”Social Workers Are Essential,” particularly for fostering community well-being.
For the Village’s Social Services staff does much more than just provide a link to the Foundation. It is a valuable resource connecting residents with caregiver services, meal delivery progress, mental health programs, dementia care, and Adult Protective Services. Comprehensive bio-psychological assessments can be performed by trained staff, and the team of trained social workers can also help residents with an unexpected crisis.
The Friendly Visitor Program is also part of the Social Services Department which during the pandemic became a ”Phone Buddy” Program. It trains residents to develop the compassion and skills necessary to become welcome companions to less active residents.
To request help from Social Services or the Foundation, a resident only has to contact Social Services at 949-597-4267.
You can also reach the Foundation by phone, 949-268-2246, or by email, thefoundation@comline.com. Please visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org to learn how the Foundation lives up to its motto, “NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.”
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” (Helen Keller). That message reflects the ongoing partnership between the Foundation of LWV and the Village’s Social Services staff. For nearly 25 years, that partnership has strived to meet the needs of Village residents by providing temporary financial aid to Village residents facing financial crises. Help has been provided for electricity bills, caregiver services, medication and doctor costs, dental care, taxi vouchers, and with grocery cards. Today that partnership has expanded to include the purchase of emergency response devices and ambulance contracts, distribution of earthquake kits, and support services during the pandemic.
The month of March was national Social Workers Month, and the Foundation’s partnership with the Village’s Social Services staff made us realize the reality of the national motto, ”Social Workers Are Essential,” particularly for fostering community well-being.
For the Village’s Social Services staff does much more than just provide a link to the Foundation. It is a valuable resource connecting residents with caregiver services, meal delivery progress, mental health programs, dementia care, and Adult Protective Services. Comprehensive bio-psychological assessments can be performed by trained staff, and the team of trained social workers can also help residents with an unexpected crisis.
The Friendly Visitor Program is also part of the Social Services Department which during the pandemic became a ”Phone Buddy” Program. It trains residents to develop the compassion and skills necessary to become welcome companions to less active residents.
To request help from Social Services or the Foundation, a resident only has to contact Social Services at 949-597-4267.
You can also reach the Foundation by phone, 949-268-2246, or by email, thefoundation@comline.com. Please visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org to learn how the Foundation lives up to its motto, “NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.”
March 2021
FROM THE FOUNDATION Laguna Woods Globe, March 4, 2021
Emergency funds help ensure residents’ safety, save lives
If nothing else, during the past year we have learned that emergencies happen. At the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, several years ago we received a sizable bequest from a resident who had passed away, and we decided to set aside those monies in an emergency fund — what we called a “disaster” preparedness fund.
When the foundation board made that decision, we thought of possible emergencies such as severe rains, earthquake or fire. At no time did we ever consider the possibility of a pandemic.
Thankfully, however, we have had those funds to use during the pandemic. In addition to ensuring food access for all residents, we have recently used those funds to provide lunches and snacks for the many Saddleback Memorial Hospital staff volunteering to provide vaccinations in the Village.
While buying lunches is not how we originally envisioned using our emergency funds, it is part of the Village’s way of saying thank you to the many hospital volunteers.
While a small part of the overall effort, the foundation is also glad to be able to do this since it helps provide a direct benefit to the entire Village.
The foundation is also here to help with some other “emergency measures” that benefit residents, ensuring safety and in some instances life-saving. The first are emergency response devices; the second are CARE ambulance policies to ensure affordable ambulance transport when a medical crisis occurs; and the third are earthquake kits.
We all know that as we age, accidents can become an increasing problem, but an emergency response device can provide that measure of security to maintain independence. If someone falls at home, it can provide emergency assistance.
In turn, multiple ambulance transports can be very expensive. Ambulance transport can exceed $200 for a single transport for a Medicare beneficiary. While limited to only emergency transport, a CARE ambulance policy can potentially help with deductibles and copays.
If an earthquake should occur, a kit would be an invaluable help. It contains such essentials as water, a nutrition bar, flashlight, radio and blanket, among other items.
Unfortunately, there are some residents in the Village who cannot afford these measures. However, the foundation believes strongly that access should be provided even to those with financial difficulties.
If a resident cannot afford to secure one of these, but clearly needs help to maintain their independent lifestyle and they have been screened by Social Services as requiring financial assistance, the foundation will pay for a medical alert system, arrange for a CARE ambulance policy or provide an earthquake kit.
If you need help in this regard and you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact the Social Services staff at 949-597-4267 to see if you qualify.
For more information about the foundation, please go to foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or call 949-268-2246.
Emergency funds help ensure residents’ safety, save lives
If nothing else, during the past year we have learned that emergencies happen. At the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, several years ago we received a sizable bequest from a resident who had passed away, and we decided to set aside those monies in an emergency fund — what we called a “disaster” preparedness fund.
When the foundation board made that decision, we thought of possible emergencies such as severe rains, earthquake or fire. At no time did we ever consider the possibility of a pandemic.
Thankfully, however, we have had those funds to use during the pandemic. In addition to ensuring food access for all residents, we have recently used those funds to provide lunches and snacks for the many Saddleback Memorial Hospital staff volunteering to provide vaccinations in the Village.
While buying lunches is not how we originally envisioned using our emergency funds, it is part of the Village’s way of saying thank you to the many hospital volunteers.
While a small part of the overall effort, the foundation is also glad to be able to do this since it helps provide a direct benefit to the entire Village.
The foundation is also here to help with some other “emergency measures” that benefit residents, ensuring safety and in some instances life-saving. The first are emergency response devices; the second are CARE ambulance policies to ensure affordable ambulance transport when a medical crisis occurs; and the third are earthquake kits.
We all know that as we age, accidents can become an increasing problem, but an emergency response device can provide that measure of security to maintain independence. If someone falls at home, it can provide emergency assistance.
In turn, multiple ambulance transports can be very expensive. Ambulance transport can exceed $200 for a single transport for a Medicare beneficiary. While limited to only emergency transport, a CARE ambulance policy can potentially help with deductibles and copays.
If an earthquake should occur, a kit would be an invaluable help. It contains such essentials as water, a nutrition bar, flashlight, radio and blanket, among other items.
Unfortunately, there are some residents in the Village who cannot afford these measures. However, the foundation believes strongly that access should be provided even to those with financial difficulties.
If a resident cannot afford to secure one of these, but clearly needs help to maintain their independent lifestyle and they have been screened by Social Services as requiring financial assistance, the foundation will pay for a medical alert system, arrange for a CARE ambulance policy or provide an earthquake kit.
If you need help in this regard and you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact the Social Services staff at 949-597-4267 to see if you qualify.
For more information about the foundation, please go to foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or call 949-268-2246.
February 2021
How would you reduce stress in Village? Foundation would like to hear suggestions [Laguna Woods Globe, February 4, 2021]
Have you noticed that the stress level in the Village has gone up? Have you heard concerns about how long the pandemic has lasted? Have you heard fears about the spread of COVID-19? Have you heard people concerned that not everyone is using masks? Or have you heard concerns about the vaccine — whether it’s safe and will there be enough?
Stress seems more prevalent. The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is not exempt from these concerns. But we have also learned some simple truths during the past 10 months that show positive changes and ways to deal with stress.
First, people truly care about their neighbors. We all know about neighbors shopping for neighbors or periodically checking on each other. In particular, the foundation was the recipient of that caring during its recent donation appeal — the response was more than we hoped for and will help sustain the foundation in the months ahead. We have also learned that simply helping others reduces stress.
Second, people have developed new ways of communicating to ensure we stay in touch. Who would have believed that we would go to church or synagogue via Zoom, that we would attend Emeritus classes virtually, or that we would celebrate each other’s birthdays with Zoom parties and cocktails. If you haven’t already, you should learn to Zoom.
Third, we are learning new ways to handle stress. We have increasingly become “outdoor” creatures, meeting for meals and discussions in courtyards and on patios to prevent the virus spread, but still staying in touch.
Fourth, through the internet and Zoom, we have the time to explore new subjects and experiences. Movies have become a new way to travel and experience events previously unavailable, while also providing a needed escape from the news.
The foundation does not have all the answers. We try to ensure no resident in the Village experiences stress because of financial problems, but we are also encouraged by the positive signs we see around us.
Do you have a suggestion for reducing stress in the Village? We would like to hear from you. We are in this together, and together we can make a difference. Please contact us at thefoundation@ comline.com or 949-268-2246.
Have you noticed that the stress level in the Village has gone up? Have you heard concerns about how long the pandemic has lasted? Have you heard fears about the spread of COVID-19? Have you heard people concerned that not everyone is using masks? Or have you heard concerns about the vaccine — whether it’s safe and will there be enough?
Stress seems more prevalent. The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is not exempt from these concerns. But we have also learned some simple truths during the past 10 months that show positive changes and ways to deal with stress.
First, people truly care about their neighbors. We all know about neighbors shopping for neighbors or periodically checking on each other. In particular, the foundation was the recipient of that caring during its recent donation appeal — the response was more than we hoped for and will help sustain the foundation in the months ahead. We have also learned that simply helping others reduces stress.
Second, people have developed new ways of communicating to ensure we stay in touch. Who would have believed that we would go to church or synagogue via Zoom, that we would attend Emeritus classes virtually, or that we would celebrate each other’s birthdays with Zoom parties and cocktails. If you haven’t already, you should learn to Zoom.
Third, we are learning new ways to handle stress. We have increasingly become “outdoor” creatures, meeting for meals and discussions in courtyards and on patios to prevent the virus spread, but still staying in touch.
Fourth, through the internet and Zoom, we have the time to explore new subjects and experiences. Movies have become a new way to travel and experience events previously unavailable, while also providing a needed escape from the news.
The foundation does not have all the answers. We try to ensure no resident in the Village experiences stress because of financial problems, but we are also encouraged by the positive signs we see around us.
Do you have a suggestion for reducing stress in the Village? We would like to hear from you. We are in this together, and together we can make a difference. Please contact us at thefoundation@ comline.com or 949-268-2246.
January 2021
Kindness Flourishes in the Village [Laguna Woods Globe, January 14, 2021]
The beginning of the New Year presents a challenge for all of us, including the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. This special time gives us an opportunity to look back, assess our efforts, and resolve to do better as we go forward.
I think we all agree the past year has been unusual — the pandemic turned our lives upside down, altered our daily routines, separated us from family and friends, and changed how we communicate with others.
But this upheaval has also brought positive changes. Kindness has flourished in the Village, and “Neighbors helping Neighbors” is real: neighbors have shopped for neighbors, neighbors made telephone checks to ensure everyone is well, volunteers sewed and distributed masks, musical performers entertained, and residents carefully followed safety guidelines to protect everyone’s well-being. I
In particular, the Foundation is grateful for the kindness of residents who made donations to the Foundation so it could continue its work during the past year. With those donations, the Foundation helped distribute nearly $30,000 in grocery cards, ensured 138 Village residents had the opportunity for a good holiday meal, provided a telephone based shopping service for those without computers or internet, and continued to provide assistance to those facing financial hard times. During 2020, such financial assistance totaled over $100,000. The Foundation also continued to support Meals-on-Wheels in the Village. Two other initiatives were also continued, the purchase of earthquake kits and medical alerts. In all, the focus was on resident safety and ensuring access to food during this strange year.
Please help us to improve. If there are additional needs the Foundation should be addressing, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
The Foundation wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year. Thank you for your support, and please note that donations can always be made using PayPal on the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org.
The beginning of the New Year presents a challenge for all of us, including the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. This special time gives us an opportunity to look back, assess our efforts, and resolve to do better as we go forward.
I think we all agree the past year has been unusual — the pandemic turned our lives upside down, altered our daily routines, separated us from family and friends, and changed how we communicate with others.
But this upheaval has also brought positive changes. Kindness has flourished in the Village, and “Neighbors helping Neighbors” is real: neighbors have shopped for neighbors, neighbors made telephone checks to ensure everyone is well, volunteers sewed and distributed masks, musical performers entertained, and residents carefully followed safety guidelines to protect everyone’s well-being. I
In particular, the Foundation is grateful for the kindness of residents who made donations to the Foundation so it could continue its work during the past year. With those donations, the Foundation helped distribute nearly $30,000 in grocery cards, ensured 138 Village residents had the opportunity for a good holiday meal, provided a telephone based shopping service for those without computers or internet, and continued to provide assistance to those facing financial hard times. During 2020, such financial assistance totaled over $100,000. The Foundation also continued to support Meals-on-Wheels in the Village. Two other initiatives were also continued, the purchase of earthquake kits and medical alerts. In all, the focus was on resident safety and ensuring access to food during this strange year.
Please help us to improve. If there are additional needs the Foundation should be addressing, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
The Foundation wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year. Thank you for your support, and please note that donations can always be made using PayPal on the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org.
November 2020
HOW YOUR DONATION CAN HELP
Many residents have recently received a request for donations from the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, and it is only natural to wonder how your donation will be used. Your donations make a difference in the lives of needier residents. During the pandemic donations are particularly helpful because some residents have lost their jobs, or their family members have lost jobs and can no longer help them, and as a result these residents need assistance. It is important to stress Foundation funds are used only to help Village residents.
Please consider the following when you respond to the Foundation’s recent appeal:
Thank you for your generous support of the Foundation — it is truly “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” For more information, please go to our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or foundation@comline.com. Please note that donations can also be made using PayPal on the Foundation website.
HOW YOUR DONATION CAN HELP
Many residents have recently received a request for donations from the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, and it is only natural to wonder how your donation will be used. Your donations make a difference in the lives of needier residents. During the pandemic donations are particularly helpful because some residents have lost their jobs, or their family members have lost jobs and can no longer help them, and as a result these residents need assistance. It is important to stress Foundation funds are used only to help Village residents.
Please consider the following when you respond to the Foundation’s recent appeal:
- For example, a $100 donation can provide two grocery cards to ensure access to food or two earthquake kits for residents who can’t afford them on their own.
- A $200 donation can fund approximately 30 meals delivered via the Meals on Wheels Program in the Village which the Foundation funds.
- A $300 donation can fund a medical alert system for a fall prone resident.
- A $400 donation can pay 8 electricity bills for needy residents during the colder months.
- A $500 donation can provide days of caregiver services after a hospital stay of a resident facing financial challenges.
Thank you for your generous support of the Foundation — it is truly “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” For more information, please go to our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or foundation@comline.com. Please note that donations can also be made using PayPal on the Foundation website.
October 2020
2020 NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR!
OCTOBER 13TH CEREMONY HONORS 2020 NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR
On October 13th, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village was one of six non-profits honored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris in a special virtual ceremony, one organization from each of the six cities in her district. More than 70 organizations were nominated, and the Assemblywoman recognized the organizations being honored for stepping up to help ensure our community has the resources they need to get through these unprecedented times.
Since 1997, Laguna Woods Village has been the home of its very own charity, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, created by and serving only Village residents. The Foundation’s primary mission is to provide needy Village residents with temporary financial assistance using funds donated by individuals and clubs. This financial assistance funds caregiver services, utility bills, medical copays, grocery cards, taxi vouchers, dental care, and medication costs, among other items, when financial emergencies arise. Over two million dollars has been distributed since 1997 with over $300,000 distributed just last year and with over 95% of donations being used for services.
Supported solely by donations with no government assistance, the Foundation’s motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” providing an essential safety network in the Village. It provides reassurance during this time of uncertainty, and one resident phrased it best when she called the Foundation “the giving heart”of the Village.
In addition to emergency financial assistance, today the Foundation also funds Meals on Wheels in the Village (serving 150 to175 residents each month), provides financial support for adult day care services for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s, supplies residents with medical alert systems, participates in offering a fall prevention program, and purchases CARE Ambulance contracts and earthquake kits as needed. Operating now for over 22 years, the Foundation has become integral part of Laguna Woods Village — the Village’s safety net when residents are faced with emergency financial needs.
Donations to the Foundation help your neighbors and can be sent to Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, or can be made via PayPal at the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Thank you for your support.
2020 NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR!
OCTOBER 13TH CEREMONY HONORS 2020 NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR
On October 13th, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village was one of six non-profits honored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris in a special virtual ceremony, one organization from each of the six cities in her district. More than 70 organizations were nominated, and the Assemblywoman recognized the organizations being honored for stepping up to help ensure our community has the resources they need to get through these unprecedented times.
Since 1997, Laguna Woods Village has been the home of its very own charity, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, created by and serving only Village residents. The Foundation’s primary mission is to provide needy Village residents with temporary financial assistance using funds donated by individuals and clubs. This financial assistance funds caregiver services, utility bills, medical copays, grocery cards, taxi vouchers, dental care, and medication costs, among other items, when financial emergencies arise. Over two million dollars has been distributed since 1997 with over $300,000 distributed just last year and with over 95% of donations being used for services.
Supported solely by donations with no government assistance, the Foundation’s motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” providing an essential safety network in the Village. It provides reassurance during this time of uncertainty, and one resident phrased it best when she called the Foundation “the giving heart”of the Village.
In addition to emergency financial assistance, today the Foundation also funds Meals on Wheels in the Village (serving 150 to175 residents each month), provides financial support for adult day care services for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s, supplies residents with medical alert systems, participates in offering a fall prevention program, and purchases CARE Ambulance contracts and earthquake kits as needed. Operating now for over 22 years, the Foundation has become integral part of Laguna Woods Village — the Village’s safety net when residents are faced with emergency financial needs.
Donations to the Foundation help your neighbors and can be sent to Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, or can be made via PayPal at the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Thank you for your support.
September 2020
PROVIDING A BRIDGE
Sometimes residents are faced with what seems to be an insurmountable problem such as an immediate need for caregiving services without the funds to pay for it. They don’t know where to turn to or who to contact. The first step should be to contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 who works with the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village to provide temporary short term help while a longhorn solution is explored..
While the Foundation is not a welfare agency which can fund extended care, it can provide a short-term bridge to a long term solution. For example, through Social Services, the Foundation recently helped a 92 year old resident who has lived here nearly 20 years. With limited resources, her children were trying to provide caregiver services but it was causing extreme burnout. The Foundation provided funds for short term caregiver respite, and the children finally had a chance to find a longterm placement.
The Foundation also recently helped a couple where the husband were suffering the beginning signs of demential. While in Rehab for a fractured pelvis, the husband fell again breaking his hip. His wife transferred him to a skilled nursing facility but had to pay for caregiver services personally, draining her savings. The Foundation stepped in on a limited basis so the wife could find another option.
Your donations to the Foundation help your neighbors in these important ways — it is truly “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” Donations can be sent to Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, or can be made via PayPal at the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org.
Thank you for your support.
PROVIDING A BRIDGE
Sometimes residents are faced with what seems to be an insurmountable problem such as an immediate need for caregiving services without the funds to pay for it. They don’t know where to turn to or who to contact. The first step should be to contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 who works with the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village to provide temporary short term help while a longhorn solution is explored..
While the Foundation is not a welfare agency which can fund extended care, it can provide a short-term bridge to a long term solution. For example, through Social Services, the Foundation recently helped a 92 year old resident who has lived here nearly 20 years. With limited resources, her children were trying to provide caregiver services but it was causing extreme burnout. The Foundation provided funds for short term caregiver respite, and the children finally had a chance to find a longterm placement.
The Foundation also recently helped a couple where the husband were suffering the beginning signs of demential. While in Rehab for a fractured pelvis, the husband fell again breaking his hip. His wife transferred him to a skilled nursing facility but had to pay for caregiver services personally, draining her savings. The Foundation stepped in on a limited basis so the wife could find another option.
Your donations to the Foundation help your neighbors in these important ways — it is truly “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” Donations can be sent to Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, or can be made via PayPal at the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org.
Thank you for your support.
August 2020
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Donations to the Foundation of LWV make a difference in people’s lives. Donations usually permit the Foundation to help with medical bills, grocery cards, pharmacy copays, utility costs, caregiver services, and other matters when residents face financial emergencies. The pandemic, however, has forced the Foundation to “think outside the box” to fulfill its motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”. Here are two recent examples:
The first is a 66 year old single man who moved here 12 years ago with his brother who had purchased the manor and has since passed away. As a result, to augment Social Security this resident has struggled to make ends meet with a part-time job. Unfortunately that job is no longer due to the pandemic, and with the lockdown the resident no longer has access to the Community Center computer lab to find another. In May, however, the resident received a donated computer, and the Foundation stepped in to pay for internet installation and access for five months so that this resident can once again look for employment.
The second example is a 75 year old woman who moved to the Village 4 years ago. Suffering from hearing loss, she depended on a wireless phone clip to communicate. Unfortunately the phone clip was taken, and she was financially unable to purchase a new one. With the “stay-at-home” policy, she became increasingly depressed because she could no longer communicate with family and friends. The Foundation purchased a new phone clip which she says “made a huge difference” and “I can’t be grateful enough.”
If you would like to continue the Foundation’s mission of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” donations can be sent to Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, or can be made via PayPal at the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Thank you for your support.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Donations to the Foundation of LWV make a difference in people’s lives. Donations usually permit the Foundation to help with medical bills, grocery cards, pharmacy copays, utility costs, caregiver services, and other matters when residents face financial emergencies. The pandemic, however, has forced the Foundation to “think outside the box” to fulfill its motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”. Here are two recent examples:
The first is a 66 year old single man who moved here 12 years ago with his brother who had purchased the manor and has since passed away. As a result, to augment Social Security this resident has struggled to make ends meet with a part-time job. Unfortunately that job is no longer due to the pandemic, and with the lockdown the resident no longer has access to the Community Center computer lab to find another. In May, however, the resident received a donated computer, and the Foundation stepped in to pay for internet installation and access for five months so that this resident can once again look for employment.
The second example is a 75 year old woman who moved to the Village 4 years ago. Suffering from hearing loss, she depended on a wireless phone clip to communicate. Unfortunately the phone clip was taken, and she was financially unable to purchase a new one. With the “stay-at-home” policy, she became increasingly depressed because she could no longer communicate with family and friends. The Foundation purchased a new phone clip which she says “made a huge difference” and “I can’t be grateful enough.”
If you would like to continue the Foundation’s mission of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” donations can be sent to Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, or can be made via PayPal at the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Thank you for your support.
July 2020
SOCIAL DISTANCING SHOULD NOT MEAN SOCIAL ISOLATION, Laguna Woods Globe, July 16, 2020
When the “stay at home” guidance for the pandemic started, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village was most concerned that all residents have access to food. We thought “food insecurity” was going to be the biggest concern. But a new problem has emerged: social isolation.
Addressing “food insecurity” is much easier to do. With the assistance of Social Services, the Foundation is ensuring that no resident is without access to food. But the second problem created by the pandemic is harder to solve. Clubhouses are closed, clubs have stopped meeting, and religious observance is limited to Zoom sessions. These are social “lifelines” for many residents. And given that a vaccine may be months away, there is no clear end to the issue of social isolation which can cause anxiety, loneliness, and apathy.
As a result, the Foundation is asking for suggestions on how we can help address the increasing problem of social isolation. We know that many clubs and groups have started telephone call efforts, but we want to know if there are additional efforts to take. For example, is there a way for neighbors to identify someone having problems? Do all residents know that if they suspect someone is having problems that they can contact Social Services to do a telephone welfare check? Do residents know the warning signs of scams preying on more isolated residents?
Please share your suggestions with the Foundation at thefoundation@comline.com or call 949-268-2246. We are all in this together. We have successfully tackled social distancing, wearing face masks, hand washing, and staying at home. Now let’s tackle this new challenge.
In essence, Covid-19 has created a double pandemic — risk of illness and social isolation.
SOCIAL DISTANCING SHOULD NOT MEAN SOCIAL ISOLATION, Laguna Woods Globe, July 16, 2020
When the “stay at home” guidance for the pandemic started, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village was most concerned that all residents have access to food. We thought “food insecurity” was going to be the biggest concern. But a new problem has emerged: social isolation.
Addressing “food insecurity” is much easier to do. With the assistance of Social Services, the Foundation is ensuring that no resident is without access to food. But the second problem created by the pandemic is harder to solve. Clubhouses are closed, clubs have stopped meeting, and religious observance is limited to Zoom sessions. These are social “lifelines” for many residents. And given that a vaccine may be months away, there is no clear end to the issue of social isolation which can cause anxiety, loneliness, and apathy.
As a result, the Foundation is asking for suggestions on how we can help address the increasing problem of social isolation. We know that many clubs and groups have started telephone call efforts, but we want to know if there are additional efforts to take. For example, is there a way for neighbors to identify someone having problems? Do all residents know that if they suspect someone is having problems that they can contact Social Services to do a telephone welfare check? Do residents know the warning signs of scams preying on more isolated residents?
Please share your suggestions with the Foundation at thefoundation@comline.com or call 949-268-2246. We are all in this together. We have successfully tackled social distancing, wearing face masks, hand washing, and staying at home. Now let’s tackle this new challenge.
In essence, Covid-19 has created a double pandemic — risk of illness and social isolation.
June 2020
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Laguna Woods Globe, June 11, 2020
Hand washing, keeping at least six feet apart, how to wear a mask — are these the only things we have learned during the pandemic. The pandemic has created an unusual hiatus in our usually busy lives and given us the time to reflect: what have we really learned?
First, we have all realized the importance of personal contact in our lives. Zoom is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. Personal interaction adds that special dimension to our lives.
Second, big events cause big changes. The pandemic has altered the way we communicate, restructured how we plan our day, and even changed the way we shop.
Third, the pandemic has changed what we worry about. The health risks for older
people have overshadowed many petty concerns.
But most important, the pandemic has shown a spotlight on the importance of kindness in our daily lives. During this often difficult time in the Village, residents have shopped for neighbors, made telephone checks on well-being, provided entertainment, and made masks, among other efforts.
Of particular note, many residents have made donations to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village so that it can continue its essential work in the Village. While it did not make a formal appeal this Spring for assistance, given the upheaval caused by the pandemic, the Foundation is grateful that many residents provided financial support on their own. This support permitted the Foundation to set up a special food assistance and shopping fund for particularly vulnerable residents, purchase masks for the Village, financially support Meals on Wheels, and continue financial assistance for residents still experiencing financial hardships.
Kindness does make a difference. To donate, please go to the Foundation website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246. Thank you.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Laguna Woods Globe, June 11, 2020
Hand washing, keeping at least six feet apart, how to wear a mask — are these the only things we have learned during the pandemic. The pandemic has created an unusual hiatus in our usually busy lives and given us the time to reflect: what have we really learned?
First, we have all realized the importance of personal contact in our lives. Zoom is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. Personal interaction adds that special dimension to our lives.
Second, big events cause big changes. The pandemic has altered the way we communicate, restructured how we plan our day, and even changed the way we shop.
Third, the pandemic has changed what we worry about. The health risks for older
people have overshadowed many petty concerns.
But most important, the pandemic has shown a spotlight on the importance of kindness in our daily lives. During this often difficult time in the Village, residents have shopped for neighbors, made telephone checks on well-being, provided entertainment, and made masks, among other efforts.
Of particular note, many residents have made donations to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village so that it can continue its essential work in the Village. While it did not make a formal appeal this Spring for assistance, given the upheaval caused by the pandemic, the Foundation is grateful that many residents provided financial support on their own. This support permitted the Foundation to set up a special food assistance and shopping fund for particularly vulnerable residents, purchase masks for the Village, financially support Meals on Wheels, and continue financial assistance for residents still experiencing financial hardships.
Kindness does make a difference. To donate, please go to the Foundation website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246. Thank you.
May 2020
THE SPIRIT OF KINDNESS, Laguna Woods Globe, May 21, 2020
It appears that not only a virus is contagious during a pandemic, but also the spirit of kindness. In a recent column in the Globe, the Foundation asked residents to share information about acts of kindness in the Village, and we learned that there are many — in fact too many to enumerate and describe in detail so we decided to highlight just two who exemplify the “spirit of kindness” which is spreading throughout the Village. A crisis does bring out the best in people.
The first is Susan Smallwood who called me on the morning that the Foundation’s last column appeared to tell me that she was donating the entire proceeds of $670 she made through the sale of cloth masks that she sewed herself to the Foundation. Using fabric remnants she accumulated over the years and donating the cost of other supplies, Susan sold over 300 masks on the “Nextdoor” app and wanted to donate the money to the Foundation.
As she explained, when she “first moved here 10 years ago, I was stunned that we had to have a Foundation to help our residents. I learned how naive I had been. While going through a Variance Appeal with Third, I met a resident who was waiting for an appeal hearing for being in arrears. Turned out that his wife had passed away and now he was just down to his Social Security, he was also disabled with having lost his leg. I realize how many must go through this same financial blow each time they lose a spouse.”
Ana Shu also exemplifies the spirit of kindness. She too became involved in the making of cloth masks early on both as part of a church project and for her neighbors providing them free of charge. She told me that she actually enjoys mask making as a creative project and is proud of her “creations.” But that is not all that Ana is doing. She is busy entertaining Village residents in an effort to keep spirits up. She and Phil Silverman have been busy performing for residents in outdoor areas adhering to social distancing guidelines. They recently performed at the creek and celebrated Cinco de Mayo with residents.
These two residents along with all the others we learned about who are shopping for others, calling to check on well-being, creating group Zoom experiences, and keeping clubs going also exemplify the spirit of kindness — making the Foundation motto, Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a reality. While kindness is not a cure for the coronavirus, it helps all of us cope with the pressures of the pandemic lockdown.
We are all in this together. With social distancing, wearing face masks in public, hand washing, staying at home, and particularly kindness, this challenge is one the Village will meet successfully. The Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246. To donate, please go to the Foundation website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Thank you.
* * *
19,000 and counting: Laguna Woods Village mask distribution shifts into high gear
Orange County Register, May 13, 2020, By DANIELLA WALSH
Village Management Services staff and volunteers distributed more than 3,000 free face masks to residents during a drive-thru service at Clubhouses Three and Five on April 29. To date, more than 19,000 masks have been given out.
With Laguna Woods Village clubhouses closed due to COVID-19, the epic April 29 traffic jams around clubhouses 3 and 5 might have surprised anyone but residents who had gotten word that ceVillage Management Services, in conjunction with the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, were giving out free N95 masks to residents that day.
“We passed out at least 3,000 that day, and that’s a conservative estimate,” said Eileen Paulin, director of media and communications for Village Management Services. With drivers lining up for one mask per car, the turnout evidenced how many residents still needed face masks. Later, masks were also distributed throughout various Laguna Woods neighborhoods with the help of block captains and clubs, said Marcy Sheinwold, Foundation president. The Foundation provides food and other sustenance to Village residents in need. “We have an emergency disaster fund for catastrophes like earthquakes and fires — never did we dream of a pandemic,” she said.
To date, Village employees and volunteers passed out more than 19,000 masks — many many more, actually, if one counts Village groups such as the Sewing Supers, individual residents, clubs and local church groups that are distributing cloth masks to seniors, either free of charge or for a nominal materials fee.
Diverse volunteer groups, including a group of UCI Medical Center personnel, are joining in mask productions primarily for medical workers but also for other frontline workers as well as seniors and shut-ins throughout Southern California.
Paulin and Sheinwold recently told the Register how the N95 mask drive, funded by The Foundation, came into being. Paulin directed the packaging and distribution process, which included VMS employees, security staff and volunteers from MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center stuffing masks into plastic bags.
“First we wanted to do a community sewing project but quickly found out that sewing machines had become the new toilet paper,” Sheinwold noted.
“We tried to get eight sewing machines but only one showed up,” Paulin added. The Foundation settled on purchasing disposable masks and, in conjunction with VMS, went to work. Paulin credits The Foundation for underwriting the project and praised VMS CEO Jeff Parker, executive assistant Becky Jackson and Laguna Woods Social Services for their unflagging support. The operation also got an unexpected boost: During the first week in April, residents got wind of the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ plans to convert the Ayres Hotel, adjacent to the Laguna Woods community center, into housing for homeless COVID-19 patients. Village residents staged vociferous protests due to the Ayres’ proximity to residences and vital services.
However, the mask drive also found a sympathetic ally in CBS broadcast journalist Stacey Butler. She recognized Laguna Woods’ seniors’ vulnerability to the pandemic and connected Paulin with her friend Dana McElroy, who, with business partner Jimmy Song, owns Integrated Connections, a cosmetics and personal-care products manufacturing firm.
With factories based in South Korea, the firm had begun producing hand sanitizers and masks as soon as the COVID-19 hit Asia, said McElroy, who was born and raised in Orange County. Integrated donated 10,000 paper masks and also offered more than 700 reusable masks at cost. City Manager Chris Macon expedited payment for those and has them in case of a later surge, Paulin said. McElroy added that the firm does not retail masks and that its wholesale clients have also donated them to frontline workers. “We are looking to donate hand sanitizers and masks where they are needed.” “The K-CAL TV report touched me because people were so high risk and without masks. We wanted to donate because that’s where our hearts are, with people standing up for themselves, letting people know they need masks,” she said. Residents needing a mask should call Social Services at 949-597-4267 and one will be mailed to them on a first-come, first-serve basis, said department manager Susan McInerney.
* * *
SHARE AN ACT OF KINDNESS
The coronavirus pandemic has preempted the news, and the news is often disquieting and scary. But there is also another side of the news — this other side tells of the many kind acts Villagers have extended to each other to help during this time of crisis.
We do not have to go far to learn about neighbors shopping for neighbors, of volunteers sewing face coverings for the Village, or of clubs conducting telephone chains to check on their members to make sure everyone is doing well during these unsettled times. For me personally, it was a neighbor who took care of my garbage cans when I was ill recently, a friend who made sure I had matzah during Passover when I couldn’t shop, and also a neighbor who wanted to donate part of their stimulus check to the Foundation.
Since the Foundation’s motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” we think this is a special time to collect and share stories of kindness. We would like to hear of your stories of kindness so we can share them with the Village. Please email them to thefoundation@comline.com. Let’s share good news.
For the Foundation this has been a special time when we have actually tapped into our emergency”disaster” fund, something we thought might be triggered by earthquake or fire, never dreaming of a pandemic. We have provided extra funds fo Social Services to ensure no one in the Village goes hungry because of financial need, and we have also assisted with the purchase of face coverings as a first step in ensuring Village safety. Regular Foundation financial support is still available for those in need. You can support these efforts by going to the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org, to donate via PayPal.
We are all in this together. With social distancing, wearing face masks in public, hand washing, and staying at home, this challenge is one the Village will meet successfully. The Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
THE SPIRIT OF KINDNESS, Laguna Woods Globe, May 21, 2020
It appears that not only a virus is contagious during a pandemic, but also the spirit of kindness. In a recent column in the Globe, the Foundation asked residents to share information about acts of kindness in the Village, and we learned that there are many — in fact too many to enumerate and describe in detail so we decided to highlight just two who exemplify the “spirit of kindness” which is spreading throughout the Village. A crisis does bring out the best in people.
The first is Susan Smallwood who called me on the morning that the Foundation’s last column appeared to tell me that she was donating the entire proceeds of $670 she made through the sale of cloth masks that she sewed herself to the Foundation. Using fabric remnants she accumulated over the years and donating the cost of other supplies, Susan sold over 300 masks on the “Nextdoor” app and wanted to donate the money to the Foundation.
As she explained, when she “first moved here 10 years ago, I was stunned that we had to have a Foundation to help our residents. I learned how naive I had been. While going through a Variance Appeal with Third, I met a resident who was waiting for an appeal hearing for being in arrears. Turned out that his wife had passed away and now he was just down to his Social Security, he was also disabled with having lost his leg. I realize how many must go through this same financial blow each time they lose a spouse.”
Ana Shu also exemplifies the spirit of kindness. She too became involved in the making of cloth masks early on both as part of a church project and for her neighbors providing them free of charge. She told me that she actually enjoys mask making as a creative project and is proud of her “creations.” But that is not all that Ana is doing. She is busy entertaining Village residents in an effort to keep spirits up. She and Phil Silverman have been busy performing for residents in outdoor areas adhering to social distancing guidelines. They recently performed at the creek and celebrated Cinco de Mayo with residents.
These two residents along with all the others we learned about who are shopping for others, calling to check on well-being, creating group Zoom experiences, and keeping clubs going also exemplify the spirit of kindness — making the Foundation motto, Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a reality. While kindness is not a cure for the coronavirus, it helps all of us cope with the pressures of the pandemic lockdown.
We are all in this together. With social distancing, wearing face masks in public, hand washing, staying at home, and particularly kindness, this challenge is one the Village will meet successfully. The Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246. To donate, please go to the Foundation website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Thank you.
* * *
19,000 and counting: Laguna Woods Village mask distribution shifts into high gear
Orange County Register, May 13, 2020, By DANIELLA WALSH
Village Management Services staff and volunteers distributed more than 3,000 free face masks to residents during a drive-thru service at Clubhouses Three and Five on April 29. To date, more than 19,000 masks have been given out.
With Laguna Woods Village clubhouses closed due to COVID-19, the epic April 29 traffic jams around clubhouses 3 and 5 might have surprised anyone but residents who had gotten word that ceVillage Management Services, in conjunction with the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, were giving out free N95 masks to residents that day.
“We passed out at least 3,000 that day, and that’s a conservative estimate,” said Eileen Paulin, director of media and communications for Village Management Services. With drivers lining up for one mask per car, the turnout evidenced how many residents still needed face masks. Later, masks were also distributed throughout various Laguna Woods neighborhoods with the help of block captains and clubs, said Marcy Sheinwold, Foundation president. The Foundation provides food and other sustenance to Village residents in need. “We have an emergency disaster fund for catastrophes like earthquakes and fires — never did we dream of a pandemic,” she said.
To date, Village employees and volunteers passed out more than 19,000 masks — many many more, actually, if one counts Village groups such as the Sewing Supers, individual residents, clubs and local church groups that are distributing cloth masks to seniors, either free of charge or for a nominal materials fee.
Diverse volunteer groups, including a group of UCI Medical Center personnel, are joining in mask productions primarily for medical workers but also for other frontline workers as well as seniors and shut-ins throughout Southern California.
Paulin and Sheinwold recently told the Register how the N95 mask drive, funded by The Foundation, came into being. Paulin directed the packaging and distribution process, which included VMS employees, security staff and volunteers from MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center stuffing masks into plastic bags.
“First we wanted to do a community sewing project but quickly found out that sewing machines had become the new toilet paper,” Sheinwold noted.
“We tried to get eight sewing machines but only one showed up,” Paulin added. The Foundation settled on purchasing disposable masks and, in conjunction with VMS, went to work. Paulin credits The Foundation for underwriting the project and praised VMS CEO Jeff Parker, executive assistant Becky Jackson and Laguna Woods Social Services for their unflagging support. The operation also got an unexpected boost: During the first week in April, residents got wind of the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ plans to convert the Ayres Hotel, adjacent to the Laguna Woods community center, into housing for homeless COVID-19 patients. Village residents staged vociferous protests due to the Ayres’ proximity to residences and vital services.
However, the mask drive also found a sympathetic ally in CBS broadcast journalist Stacey Butler. She recognized Laguna Woods’ seniors’ vulnerability to the pandemic and connected Paulin with her friend Dana McElroy, who, with business partner Jimmy Song, owns Integrated Connections, a cosmetics and personal-care products manufacturing firm.
With factories based in South Korea, the firm had begun producing hand sanitizers and masks as soon as the COVID-19 hit Asia, said McElroy, who was born and raised in Orange County. Integrated donated 10,000 paper masks and also offered more than 700 reusable masks at cost. City Manager Chris Macon expedited payment for those and has them in case of a later surge, Paulin said. McElroy added that the firm does not retail masks and that its wholesale clients have also donated them to frontline workers. “We are looking to donate hand sanitizers and masks where they are needed.” “The K-CAL TV report touched me because people were so high risk and without masks. We wanted to donate because that’s where our hearts are, with people standing up for themselves, letting people know they need masks,” she said. Residents needing a mask should call Social Services at 949-597-4267 and one will be mailed to them on a first-come, first-serve basis, said department manager Susan McInerney.
* * *
SHARE AN ACT OF KINDNESS
The coronavirus pandemic has preempted the news, and the news is often disquieting and scary. But there is also another side of the news — this other side tells of the many kind acts Villagers have extended to each other to help during this time of crisis.
We do not have to go far to learn about neighbors shopping for neighbors, of volunteers sewing face coverings for the Village, or of clubs conducting telephone chains to check on their members to make sure everyone is doing well during these unsettled times. For me personally, it was a neighbor who took care of my garbage cans when I was ill recently, a friend who made sure I had matzah during Passover when I couldn’t shop, and also a neighbor who wanted to donate part of their stimulus check to the Foundation.
Since the Foundation’s motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” we think this is a special time to collect and share stories of kindness. We would like to hear of your stories of kindness so we can share them with the Village. Please email them to thefoundation@comline.com. Let’s share good news.
For the Foundation this has been a special time when we have actually tapped into our emergency”disaster” fund, something we thought might be triggered by earthquake or fire, never dreaming of a pandemic. We have provided extra funds fo Social Services to ensure no one in the Village goes hungry because of financial need, and we have also assisted with the purchase of face coverings as a first step in ensuring Village safety. Regular Foundation financial support is still available for those in need. You can support these efforts by going to the Foundation website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org, to donate via PayPal.
We are all in this together. With social distancing, wearing face masks in public, hand washing, and staying at home, this challenge is one the Village will meet successfully. The Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
April 2020
Two years ago the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village set up a “disaster” emergency fund thinking that it might most likely, if ever, be used during an earthquake or fire. It was never imagined that it would be triggered by a pandemic.
As always, the Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. The first step in seeking help is to contact Social Services at 949-597-4367. Please remember that only telephone contact can be made at this time. Please do not try to go to the Social Services office in person.
Clearly one of the most significant needs right now is ensuring that everyone has enough food. The Foundation provided additional resources to Social Services to distribute to ensure that no resident goes without food. In addition, the Foundation is ensuring that those residents utilizing Foundation transportation to go to the food pantry have access to food as well.
Food may not be the only concern now. Due to loss of employment, there may be some in the Village who are having difficulty paying their bills, particularly utility, telephone, and pharmacy bills. Again the first step in getting help is contacting Social Services at 949-597-4267.
Finally, if you are concerned about a neighbor who you think may be having problems and you want Social Services to reach out by telephone to check on them, please contact Social Services with this information.
We are all in this together. With social distancing, wearing face masks in public, hand washing, and staying at home, this challenge is one the Village will meet successfully. The Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
Two years ago the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village set up a “disaster” emergency fund thinking that it might most likely, if ever, be used during an earthquake or fire. It was never imagined that it would be triggered by a pandemic.
As always, the Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. The first step in seeking help is to contact Social Services at 949-597-4367. Please remember that only telephone contact can be made at this time. Please do not try to go to the Social Services office in person.
Clearly one of the most significant needs right now is ensuring that everyone has enough food. The Foundation provided additional resources to Social Services to distribute to ensure that no resident goes without food. In addition, the Foundation is ensuring that those residents utilizing Foundation transportation to go to the food pantry have access to food as well.
Food may not be the only concern now. Due to loss of employment, there may be some in the Village who are having difficulty paying their bills, particularly utility, telephone, and pharmacy bills. Again the first step in getting help is contacting Social Services at 949-597-4267.
Finally, if you are concerned about a neighbor who you think may be having problems and you want Social Services to reach out by telephone to check on them, please contact Social Services with this information.
We are all in this together. With social distancing, wearing face masks in public, hand washing, and staying at home, this challenge is one the Village will meet successfully. The Foundation stands ready to help our neighbors. To reach the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
March 2020
New Public Service Announcements about the Foundation showing on television stations provided by our local cable company, including on Village TV:
New Public Service Announcements about the Foundation showing on television stations provided by our local cable company, including on Village TV:
February 2020
From the Foundation
2020 is an important year. The 2020 Census count will begin in January, kicking off a once-a-decade operation, required by the U.S. Constitution, in which every household in the United States will be asked to answer a short series of questions that will influence policymaking and planning for the next decade.
You may be wondering why the Foundation is bringing this issue to your attention. The Foundation is doing this because essential neighborhood resources throughout California rely on federal funding that is based on the information collected during the Census, including social assistance programs which impact Village residents. Census data can also affect California’s representation in the House of Representatives as well as in the Electoral College which affects Presidential elections.
You may have questions about the Census that will take place this year. For example, is it an invasion of my privacy? Will my answers affect the individual benefits I receive?
First, only statistics are collected, not individually identifiable data so personal privacy is protected.
Second, the information collected cannot be shared with immigration or law enforcement agencies.
Third, individual government benefits are not affected by answers provided during the census. The. Information collected cannot be used to determine your eligibility for government benefits.
We hope you find this explanation helpful. For more information about the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246. For more information about the Census, please go to: 2020census.gov/en.html
From the Foundation
2020 is an important year. The 2020 Census count will begin in January, kicking off a once-a-decade operation, required by the U.S. Constitution, in which every household in the United States will be asked to answer a short series of questions that will influence policymaking and planning for the next decade.
You may be wondering why the Foundation is bringing this issue to your attention. The Foundation is doing this because essential neighborhood resources throughout California rely on federal funding that is based on the information collected during the Census, including social assistance programs which impact Village residents. Census data can also affect California’s representation in the House of Representatives as well as in the Electoral College which affects Presidential elections.
You may have questions about the Census that will take place this year. For example, is it an invasion of my privacy? Will my answers affect the individual benefits I receive?
First, only statistics are collected, not individually identifiable data so personal privacy is protected.
Second, the information collected cannot be shared with immigration or law enforcement agencies.
Third, individual government benefits are not affected by answers provided during the census. The. Information collected cannot be used to determine your eligibility for government benefits.
We hope you find this explanation helpful. For more information about the Foundation or if you have any questions, please contact us at thefoundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246. For more information about the Census, please go to: 2020census.gov/en.html
January 2020
From the Foundation
The beginning of the new year presents a challenge for all of us, including the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. This special time gives us an opportunity to look back, assess our efforts, and resolve to do better as we go forward. In particular, it gives the Foundation a chance to assess how well we are meeting the needs of Village residents facing hard times and if there are needs that are not being met.
First, financial support to qualified residents who needed help increased by nearly 25% during 2019.
Second, in response to an identified need, the Foundation implemented a new Fall Prevention Project in cooperation with MemorialCare Saddleback Hospital and the Village’s Social Services Department. Ambulance data for the first part of 2019 revealed that approximately half of the ambulance calls were due to falls. Village response and participation have been excellent, and the program will continue into 2020.
Third, the Foundation increased its support of Meals on Wheels in the Village and continued its financial support of scholarships for residents participating in South County Adult Day Services because of Alzheimer’s and/ or dementia. Financial support was also continued through Braille to assist needy residents requiring special equipment.
Fourth, despite the loss of its transportation provider, the Foundation was able to find a new agency to continue providing transportation to the South County Outreach food pantry for Village residents.
Fifth, during the past year, the Foundation continued ensuring residents facing financial hard times have access to two simple emergency care measures: medical alert systems and CARE ambulance policies to ensure affordable ambulance transport.
This coming year, one of the issues the Foundation will be looking at is social isolation and what steps might be taken to address this problem, and we definitely welcome input from Village residents letting us know about needs not currently being met. Please contact the Foundation at thefoundation@ comline.com or 949268-2246. Thank you and Happy New Year!
The beginning of the new year presents a challenge for all of us, including the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. This special time gives us an opportunity to look back, assess our efforts, and resolve to do better as we go forward. In particular, it gives the Foundation a chance to assess how well we are meeting the needs of Village residents facing hard times and if there are needs that are not being met.
First, financial support to qualified residents who needed help increased by nearly 25% during 2019.
Second, in response to an identified need, the Foundation implemented a new Fall Prevention Project in cooperation with MemorialCare Saddleback Hospital and the Village’s Social Services Department. Ambulance data for the first part of 2019 revealed that approximately half of the ambulance calls were due to falls. Village response and participation have been excellent, and the program will continue into 2020.
Third, the Foundation increased its support of Meals on Wheels in the Village and continued its financial support of scholarships for residents participating in South County Adult Day Services because of Alzheimer’s and/ or dementia. Financial support was also continued through Braille to assist needy residents requiring special equipment.
Fourth, despite the loss of its transportation provider, the Foundation was able to find a new agency to continue providing transportation to the South County Outreach food pantry for Village residents.
Fifth, during the past year, the Foundation continued ensuring residents facing financial hard times have access to two simple emergency care measures: medical alert systems and CARE ambulance policies to ensure affordable ambulance transport.
This coming year, one of the issues the Foundation will be looking at is social isolation and what steps might be taken to address this problem, and we definitely welcome input from Village residents letting us know about needs not currently being met. Please contact the Foundation at thefoundation@ comline.com or 949268-2246. Thank you and Happy New Year!
November 2019
Ways to cut bills
When financial problems overtake Village residents, the Foundation of LWV can step in to help. But there are also ways that residents can help themselves and make their dollars go further. There are three important programs readily available to help residents prevent financial problems: (1) to reduce electricity costs the CARE Program offered by Southern California Edison, (2) the California Lifeline Program to help with telephone bills, and (3) CARE ambulance memberships to reduce ambulance costs. There are several ways to qualify for the CARE program, which can provide a monthly discount on electricity bills up to 30 percent. You can be eligible if you are on a public assistance program such as Medi-Cal, Medicaid, or SSI (Supplemental Security Income). You may also qualify with a total combined household income up to $32,480. To apply, please contact Southern California Edison at 1-800-4476620 or check out their website at www.sce.com/ care.
In turn, if you are having trouble paying your telephone bill, you can reduce that bill. The California LifeLine Program provides discounted homeand cell-phone services. Only one discount per household is allowed (except for teletypewriter users and for Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program participants).
You can qualify for California LifeLine if you, or another person in the household, is on one of the public assistance programs. You can also qualify if the household’s total annual gross income is at or less than $27,000. To apply, please call your phone company.
Finally, as a supplement to health insurance, an annual CARE ambulance membership ($63/ year) can potentially help with deductibles and copays and provides unlimited emergency ambulance transportation for a year. Please call 1-844-401-4732 to join.
You can reach the Foundation by phone, 949-2682246, or by email, thefoundation@ comline.com. Please visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org.
—Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
Ways to cut bills
When financial problems overtake Village residents, the Foundation of LWV can step in to help. But there are also ways that residents can help themselves and make their dollars go further. There are three important programs readily available to help residents prevent financial problems: (1) to reduce electricity costs the CARE Program offered by Southern California Edison, (2) the California Lifeline Program to help with telephone bills, and (3) CARE ambulance memberships to reduce ambulance costs. There are several ways to qualify for the CARE program, which can provide a monthly discount on electricity bills up to 30 percent. You can be eligible if you are on a public assistance program such as Medi-Cal, Medicaid, or SSI (Supplemental Security Income). You may also qualify with a total combined household income up to $32,480. To apply, please contact Southern California Edison at 1-800-4476620 or check out their website at www.sce.com/ care.
In turn, if you are having trouble paying your telephone bill, you can reduce that bill. The California LifeLine Program provides discounted homeand cell-phone services. Only one discount per household is allowed (except for teletypewriter users and for Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program participants).
You can qualify for California LifeLine if you, or another person in the household, is on one of the public assistance programs. You can also qualify if the household’s total annual gross income is at or less than $27,000. To apply, please call your phone company.
Finally, as a supplement to health insurance, an annual CARE ambulance membership ($63/ year) can potentially help with deductibles and copays and provides unlimited emergency ambulance transportation for a year. Please call 1-844-401-4732 to join.
You can reach the Foundation by phone, 949-2682246, or by email, thefoundation@ comline.com. Please visit our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage. org.
—Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
October 2019
About the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village
By Burt Baum, Board Member
It all started with a flood. No, this article isn’t about Noah and the Ark, but about the formation of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village in 1997. Some confusion exists about what the foundation does that is undoubtedly associated with its name. It is a nonprofit, all volunteer, charitable organization that provides both financial and social support to needy residents of the community. It has no connection to the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) or any other governance or management board and is not funded by them either. In fact, the foundation supplies the funds that the Village Management Services Social Services Department uses to cover the unexpected, serious expenses that our needy residents may experience. To clarify what it does, the foundation uses the phrase “Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Laguna Woods Village” in association with its name.
As for the connection to the 1996/1997 flood with the foundation, the story, which has been handed down from board to board, relates that heavy rain and flooding during that period damaged a number of manors. At the encouragement of the Social Services Department, some very caring residents arranged to give money to those in the community needing aid in packing and moving as a result of the rain. This group of donors realized that they had fulfilled a very important need in the Village and decided to formalize the arrangement. Hence, in 1997 the group established an organization and called it “The Foundation.”
Thanks to the ongoing generosity of individual residents, Village clubs, corporations and churches, which make both donations and bequests, the foundation has grown from an organization with a treasury containing $2,000 in 1997 to one that distributed about $260,000 in 2018 for temporary financial assistance for needy people and to support various agencies that help people in the community. It now funds Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Care, Braille Institute and South County Outreach programs designed to help the hungry, vision impaired and those with Alzheimer’s. Most recently the foundation funded a program co-hosted by our Social Services Department and MemorialCare/Saddleback Medical Center on fall prevention—the No. 1 cause of accidental death for senior citizens.
Community members who face high medical or dental bills, caregiving needs, lack of food or transportation and or require temporary emergency assistance are encouraged to contact Social Services at 949- 597-4267. Staff will verify the need and notify the foundation, which will review each case and supply the necessary funds. Social Services will in return pay the vendors involved, such as doctors, directly. All this is done confidentially. Social Services is the only agency involved that knows the recipient’s identity.
By helping our neighbors in need, we are helping them maintain their quality of life and making this community a caring place to live. Here are some comments passed on by Social Services from residents whose life has been made easier:
• “Thank you for the hearing aids. Thank you for the gift of hearing.”
• “You rescued me when I had no place to go.”
• “Thank you for your wonderful help with my dental bills! I am sleeping a lot better.”
• “Thank you so much for paying my copay for the double bypass heart surgery. I really, really, really appreciate that you helped me out with that huge co-payment.”
We all someday could be in need of such aid. So consider making a donation. You and your neighbors will feel good about it. The foundation can be reached by email at thefoundation@comline.com, by phone at 949-268-2246 or by visiting this website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org.
* * *
About Alzheimer's
Alzheimer’s disease is an increasing health risk for older people. It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that harms an individual’s memory and thinking skills, and eventually their ability to perform the simplest tasks. The greatest risk factor is age. At age 65, it is estimated that 1 in 20 develops the disease. By age 75, 1 in 10 may have the disease. But the disease not only affects the individual involved but also their caregiver and can become an enormous burden.
But help is available to Laguna Woods residents. If your spouse or a family member living with you is experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia and you can’t afford a caregiver, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is partnering with South County Adult Day Services operated by Alzheimer’s Orange County, located at 24260 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, to help you. It is part of its mission of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
Two programs are offered by Alzheimer’s Orange County — one a social program and the other a health care program -- at its El Toro location. The socially oriented program, called a Day Services Center, offers social opportunities, recreation, meals, and friends, combined with some health services, like blood pressure and
medication monitoring.
The second, called an Adult Day Healthcare Center, is prepared to handle a range of complex medical conditions and offers nursing care as well as physical, occupational or speech therapy, counseling, assistance with dementia or behavioral conditions, eating assistance, and more.
An initial screening and paperwork are required prior to starting. For more information, to see if someone is eligible for financial assistance and to enroll, please call 949-855-9444 and ask to speak to a social worker.
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Orange County to assist Village residents facing financial difficulties. For more information, please contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@ comline.com.
—Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
About the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village
By Burt Baum, Board Member
It all started with a flood. No, this article isn’t about Noah and the Ark, but about the formation of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village in 1997. Some confusion exists about what the foundation does that is undoubtedly associated with its name. It is a nonprofit, all volunteer, charitable organization that provides both financial and social support to needy residents of the community. It has no connection to the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) or any other governance or management board and is not funded by them either. In fact, the foundation supplies the funds that the Village Management Services Social Services Department uses to cover the unexpected, serious expenses that our needy residents may experience. To clarify what it does, the foundation uses the phrase “Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Laguna Woods Village” in association with its name.
As for the connection to the 1996/1997 flood with the foundation, the story, which has been handed down from board to board, relates that heavy rain and flooding during that period damaged a number of manors. At the encouragement of the Social Services Department, some very caring residents arranged to give money to those in the community needing aid in packing and moving as a result of the rain. This group of donors realized that they had fulfilled a very important need in the Village and decided to formalize the arrangement. Hence, in 1997 the group established an organization and called it “The Foundation.”
Thanks to the ongoing generosity of individual residents, Village clubs, corporations and churches, which make both donations and bequests, the foundation has grown from an organization with a treasury containing $2,000 in 1997 to one that distributed about $260,000 in 2018 for temporary financial assistance for needy people and to support various agencies that help people in the community. It now funds Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Care, Braille Institute and South County Outreach programs designed to help the hungry, vision impaired and those with Alzheimer’s. Most recently the foundation funded a program co-hosted by our Social Services Department and MemorialCare/Saddleback Medical Center on fall prevention—the No. 1 cause of accidental death for senior citizens.
Community members who face high medical or dental bills, caregiving needs, lack of food or transportation and or require temporary emergency assistance are encouraged to contact Social Services at 949- 597-4267. Staff will verify the need and notify the foundation, which will review each case and supply the necessary funds. Social Services will in return pay the vendors involved, such as doctors, directly. All this is done confidentially. Social Services is the only agency involved that knows the recipient’s identity.
By helping our neighbors in need, we are helping them maintain their quality of life and making this community a caring place to live. Here are some comments passed on by Social Services from residents whose life has been made easier:
• “Thank you for the hearing aids. Thank you for the gift of hearing.”
• “You rescued me when I had no place to go.”
• “Thank you for your wonderful help with my dental bills! I am sleeping a lot better.”
• “Thank you so much for paying my copay for the double bypass heart surgery. I really, really, really appreciate that you helped me out with that huge co-payment.”
We all someday could be in need of such aid. So consider making a donation. You and your neighbors will feel good about it. The foundation can be reached by email at thefoundation@comline.com, by phone at 949-268-2246 or by visiting this website, foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org.
* * *
About Alzheimer's
Alzheimer’s disease is an increasing health risk for older people. It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that harms an individual’s memory and thinking skills, and eventually their ability to perform the simplest tasks. The greatest risk factor is age. At age 65, it is estimated that 1 in 20 develops the disease. By age 75, 1 in 10 may have the disease. But the disease not only affects the individual involved but also their caregiver and can become an enormous burden.
But help is available to Laguna Woods residents. If your spouse or a family member living with you is experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia and you can’t afford a caregiver, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is partnering with South County Adult Day Services operated by Alzheimer’s Orange County, located at 24260 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, to help you. It is part of its mission of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
Two programs are offered by Alzheimer’s Orange County — one a social program and the other a health care program -- at its El Toro location. The socially oriented program, called a Day Services Center, offers social opportunities, recreation, meals, and friends, combined with some health services, like blood pressure and
medication monitoring.
The second, called an Adult Day Healthcare Center, is prepared to handle a range of complex medical conditions and offers nursing care as well as physical, occupational or speech therapy, counseling, assistance with dementia or behavioral conditions, eating assistance, and more.
An initial screening and paperwork are required prior to starting. For more information, to see if someone is eligible for financial assistance and to enroll, please call 949-855-9444 and ask to speak to a social worker.
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Orange County to assist Village residents facing financial difficulties. For more information, please contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@ comline.com.
—Submitted by Marcy Sheinwold
September 2019
NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY
September 28 is National Good Neighbor Day. Celebrated annually, this holiday was first proclaimed in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. He announced its creation to raise public awareness that good neighbors help to build strong, vibrant communities — they make a difference.
While we have no evidence to prove it, President Carter must have had a vision of the Foundation of Laguna Woods when he proclaimed this holiday. With its motto being “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” the Foundation demonstrates the value of being good neighbors. Through community support and donations, from January through August this year, the Foundation has been able to help our neighbors by providing almost $83,000 in financial assistance to individual residents, provided $76,000 to support the Meals on Wheels Program, purchased nearly $12,000 in grocery cards, and continued financial assistance for Alzheimer’s Day Care, special equipment purchases for those with low vision, transportation to the local food pantry, and funded a new fall prevention initiative for the Village.
National Good Neighbor Day is that special occasion to honor those who make significant contributions to creating stronger communities. As a result, the Board of the Foundation would like to honor all those Village residents and clubs who support the work of the Foundation through their donations. You are the true honorees on National Good Neighbor Day. Your neighbors appreciate your support:
“I can hear! I can hear! Thank you! Getting my hearing aids has changed my life and I am so appreciative. I am in my nineties, live alone, have no income, so you can imagine what this done for me. Thank you again.”
“You rescued me when I had no place else to go. . . . When I learned the benefits I would receive I know you were all angels. . . . Your kindness will remain in my memory and in my heart.”
For more information about assistance available through the Foundation, please contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 or the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY
September 28 is National Good Neighbor Day. Celebrated annually, this holiday was first proclaimed in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. He announced its creation to raise public awareness that good neighbors help to build strong, vibrant communities — they make a difference.
While we have no evidence to prove it, President Carter must have had a vision of the Foundation of Laguna Woods when he proclaimed this holiday. With its motto being “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” the Foundation demonstrates the value of being good neighbors. Through community support and donations, from January through August this year, the Foundation has been able to help our neighbors by providing almost $83,000 in financial assistance to individual residents, provided $76,000 to support the Meals on Wheels Program, purchased nearly $12,000 in grocery cards, and continued financial assistance for Alzheimer’s Day Care, special equipment purchases for those with low vision, transportation to the local food pantry, and funded a new fall prevention initiative for the Village.
National Good Neighbor Day is that special occasion to honor those who make significant contributions to creating stronger communities. As a result, the Board of the Foundation would like to honor all those Village residents and clubs who support the work of the Foundation through their donations. You are the true honorees on National Good Neighbor Day. Your neighbors appreciate your support:
“I can hear! I can hear! Thank you! Getting my hearing aids has changed my life and I am so appreciative. I am in my nineties, live alone, have no income, so you can imagine what this done for me. Thank you again.”
“You rescued me when I had no place else to go. . . . When I learned the benefits I would receive I know you were all angels. . . . Your kindness will remain in my memory and in my heart.”
For more information about assistance available through the Foundation, please contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 or the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
August 2019
CAN YOUR CLUB PITCH IN?
Preventing hunger has always been a priority of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. One of the Foundation’s partners in ensuring that Village residents have access to adequate food is South County Outreach which operates a local food pantry. In addition to residents who travel there on their own, once a month the Foundation transports residents with limited means to get a week’s worth of food.
Yet this food pantry is having difficulty meeting family needs because of a lack of food donations. As a result, we are calling on Village clubs and religious organizations to hold food drives in the coming weeks to fill this need. It’s part of the Foundation’s pledge to make our motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a reality.
We know that many groups already collect food for the pantry, but a more concerted effort is needed in the coming weeks. Together we can make a difference. Holding a food drive is really quite simple — ask your members to donate family oriented food stuffs. For example, it would be great if a food drive could ask for donations of peanut butter and jelly so children don’t have to worry about lunch during the school year. Or perhaps your club would like to sponsor a food drive asking for donations of pasta and sauce, a nutritious dinner.
If you would like more information about holding a food drive to help South County Outreach or need to know where to drop off food, please contact contact Arline Esposito, the pantry’s food drive coordinator at arlineesposito@aol.com; or Ken Hirsch, a Foundation Board member, at thefoundation@comline.com; or call South County Outreach at 949-380-3798. Thank you in advance for your help.
* * *
THE FOUNDATION IS FUNDING FALL PREVENTION CLASSES:
Prevention Program
JUNE 02, 2019
Falls are the key causes of fatal injuries and are the most common cause of hospital admissions among senior citizens. One in four Americans age 65 and over fall each year, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall. Further, a recent review of ambulance calls to Saddleback Medical Center involving Village Residents during the past four months revealed that 50% were the result of a fall.
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village has partnered with the Social Services Division and MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center to implement a fall-prevention program designed to increase Resident awareness and the availability of fall-prevention services.
Classes will focus on fall prevention topics, including sit-to-stand instruction, dynamic standing exercises, fall recovery and more. See below for dates and times for workshop presentation and class schedules.
For more information about the program or the ongoing program to provide medical alerts for fall-prone individuals with limited financial means, contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 or the foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
Balance and Fall Prevention Workshop Presentations
Clubhouse 7 from 2:30 to 4 p.m., August 28*
No registration required
Speaker Ashley Balaker, MD, is board certified in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and is a subspecialist in otology/neurotology. She is an honors graduate of University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics. She completed her residency in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at UCLA and completed a two-year subspecialty fellowship in otology/neurotology and skull base surgery at the California Ear Institute in Palo Alto, California.
*Stay tuned for more presentations by fall prevention experts featured at Clubhouse 7 on October 30, February 26, April 29 and June 24.
Balance and Fall Prevention Eight-Week Class Series
Fridays, 1 to 2 p.m.
Clubhouse 5 Fitness Room
Four classes (September to October, January to February, March to April and May to June), each with eight sessions
To enroll in the eight-week class series, visitmemorialcare.org/LWFallPrevention or call 800-636-6742.
MEMORIALCARE.ORG
A Balancing Act: Balance and Fall Prevention 8-Week Class | MemorialCare Health System | Orange County | Los Angeles County
CAN YOUR CLUB PITCH IN?
Preventing hunger has always been a priority of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. One of the Foundation’s partners in ensuring that Village residents have access to adequate food is South County Outreach which operates a local food pantry. In addition to residents who travel there on their own, once a month the Foundation transports residents with limited means to get a week’s worth of food.
Yet this food pantry is having difficulty meeting family needs because of a lack of food donations. As a result, we are calling on Village clubs and religious organizations to hold food drives in the coming weeks to fill this need. It’s part of the Foundation’s pledge to make our motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a reality.
We know that many groups already collect food for the pantry, but a more concerted effort is needed in the coming weeks. Together we can make a difference. Holding a food drive is really quite simple — ask your members to donate family oriented food stuffs. For example, it would be great if a food drive could ask for donations of peanut butter and jelly so children don’t have to worry about lunch during the school year. Or perhaps your club would like to sponsor a food drive asking for donations of pasta and sauce, a nutritious dinner.
If you would like more information about holding a food drive to help South County Outreach or need to know where to drop off food, please contact contact Arline Esposito, the pantry’s food drive coordinator at arlineesposito@aol.com; or Ken Hirsch, a Foundation Board member, at thefoundation@comline.com; or call South County Outreach at 949-380-3798. Thank you in advance for your help.
* * *
THE FOUNDATION IS FUNDING FALL PREVENTION CLASSES:
Prevention Program
JUNE 02, 2019
Falls are the key causes of fatal injuries and are the most common cause of hospital admissions among senior citizens. One in four Americans age 65 and over fall each year, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall. Further, a recent review of ambulance calls to Saddleback Medical Center involving Village Residents during the past four months revealed that 50% were the result of a fall.
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village has partnered with the Social Services Division and MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center to implement a fall-prevention program designed to increase Resident awareness and the availability of fall-prevention services.
Classes will focus on fall prevention topics, including sit-to-stand instruction, dynamic standing exercises, fall recovery and more. See below for dates and times for workshop presentation and class schedules.
For more information about the program or the ongoing program to provide medical alerts for fall-prone individuals with limited financial means, contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 or the foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
Balance and Fall Prevention Workshop Presentations
Clubhouse 7 from 2:30 to 4 p.m., August 28*
No registration required
Speaker Ashley Balaker, MD, is board certified in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and is a subspecialist in otology/neurotology. She is an honors graduate of University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics. She completed her residency in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at UCLA and completed a two-year subspecialty fellowship in otology/neurotology and skull base surgery at the California Ear Institute in Palo Alto, California.
*Stay tuned for more presentations by fall prevention experts featured at Clubhouse 7 on October 30, February 26, April 29 and June 24.
Balance and Fall Prevention Eight-Week Class Series
Fridays, 1 to 2 p.m.
Clubhouse 5 Fitness Room
Four classes (September to October, January to February, March to April and May to June), each with eight sessions
To enroll in the eight-week class series, visitmemorialcare.org/LWFallPrevention or call 800-636-6742.
MEMORIALCARE.ORG
A Balancing Act: Balance and Fall Prevention 8-Week Class | MemorialCare Health System | Orange County | Los Angeles County
July 2019
THE GOLF CLUB HELPS
Learn about the Laguna Woods Golf Club and how they support the Foundation. The Foundation's work is also explained nicely.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L51S6MNqaOQ
THE GOLF CLUB HELPS
Learn about the Laguna Woods Golf Club and how they support the Foundation. The Foundation's work is also explained nicely.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L51S6MNqaOQ
June 2019
GRATEFUL RECIPIENTS
"In these hard times, when anyone can be facing financial difficulty, it is comforting to know that your foundation is devoted to some level of relief for anyone in crisis.”
“Thank you sooo much for the gift cards at Staters and the taxi vouchers. This has been a rough year but Ive been blessed with so many angels helping me out.”
“We wouldn’t have made it without your heartfelt generosity and compassion.”
These are some of the thank you notes that the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village has received underscoring the importance of the donations that the Foundation received in response to its recent Spring appeal in the Village. The Foundation wants to thank all those residents who sent in donations because you have made the Foundation’s motto of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” a reality.
With those donations, the Foundation is able to continue its primary mission of providing temporary financial assistance to residents in need for medical care, pharmacy costs, caregiver services, grocery cards, taxi vouchers, dental care, and other related needs. All requests are vetted through Social Services and kept anonymous. Donations also permit Social Services to provide residents with financial needs with medical alerts, CARE ambulance contracts, and earthquake kits.
With the Village’s continued support, the Foundation also continues to fund Meals on Wheels in the Village feeding between 150 to 175 residents monthly. It has also been able to provide needed equipment for needy low vision residents through the services of Braille Institute as well as provide scholarships for day services for residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The Foundation also transports residents to the South County Outreach Food Pantry.
For more information about any of these programs, please contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 or the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
April 2019
HELP FOR RESIDENTS WITH LOW VISION
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is continuing its partnership with Braille Institute after a successful pilot project to assist residents who are visually impaired and need financial help. The mission of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is to help residents who are facing financial difficulties with temporary assistance — and by continuing its partnership with Braille Institute, the Foundation is expanding its ability to help Village residents.
With a bequest made in the memory of Dr. Adelyn Bonin, a village resident, this special program was started over a year ago and is located at Braille Institute which is less than a mile from the Village at 24411 Ridge Route Drive, Suite 110, Laguna Hills, and can be reached at 949-330-5062. Braille Institute’s Laguna Hills Neighborhood Center offers one-on-one low vision consultations, small group classes, and in-home training, all designed to help people with low vision continue to live well.
The pilot project proved so successful in helping residents purchase magnifiers, canes, and specialized lighting, the Foundation decided to continue it. Braille Institute will apply to the Foundation on behalf of residents who are deemed financially needy to help them live independently. All requests for assistance will be confidential with the identity of recipients shielded.
In addition, with the bequest funds, the Foundation recently provided additional funding to the Village Library to purchase large print paperback books, another means of helping residents with vision needs, since these books have proved very popular.
It is the goal of the Foundation to continue meeting the needs of residents. If you are aware of a need in the Village that is not currently being met, please contact the Foundation at foundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
GRATEFUL RECIPIENTS
"In these hard times, when anyone can be facing financial difficulty, it is comforting to know that your foundation is devoted to some level of relief for anyone in crisis.”
“Thank you sooo much for the gift cards at Staters and the taxi vouchers. This has been a rough year but Ive been blessed with so many angels helping me out.”
“We wouldn’t have made it without your heartfelt generosity and compassion.”
These are some of the thank you notes that the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village has received underscoring the importance of the donations that the Foundation received in response to its recent Spring appeal in the Village. The Foundation wants to thank all those residents who sent in donations because you have made the Foundation’s motto of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” a reality.
With those donations, the Foundation is able to continue its primary mission of providing temporary financial assistance to residents in need for medical care, pharmacy costs, caregiver services, grocery cards, taxi vouchers, dental care, and other related needs. All requests are vetted through Social Services and kept anonymous. Donations also permit Social Services to provide residents with financial needs with medical alerts, CARE ambulance contracts, and earthquake kits.
With the Village’s continued support, the Foundation also continues to fund Meals on Wheels in the Village feeding between 150 to 175 residents monthly. It has also been able to provide needed equipment for needy low vision residents through the services of Braille Institute as well as provide scholarships for day services for residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The Foundation also transports residents to the South County Outreach Food Pantry.
For more information about any of these programs, please contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 or the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
April 2019
HELP FOR RESIDENTS WITH LOW VISION
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is continuing its partnership with Braille Institute after a successful pilot project to assist residents who are visually impaired and need financial help. The mission of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is to help residents who are facing financial difficulties with temporary assistance — and by continuing its partnership with Braille Institute, the Foundation is expanding its ability to help Village residents.
With a bequest made in the memory of Dr. Adelyn Bonin, a village resident, this special program was started over a year ago and is located at Braille Institute which is less than a mile from the Village at 24411 Ridge Route Drive, Suite 110, Laguna Hills, and can be reached at 949-330-5062. Braille Institute’s Laguna Hills Neighborhood Center offers one-on-one low vision consultations, small group classes, and in-home training, all designed to help people with low vision continue to live well.
The pilot project proved so successful in helping residents purchase magnifiers, canes, and specialized lighting, the Foundation decided to continue it. Braille Institute will apply to the Foundation on behalf of residents who are deemed financially needy to help them live independently. All requests for assistance will be confidential with the identity of recipients shielded.
In addition, with the bequest funds, the Foundation recently provided additional funding to the Village Library to purchase large print paperback books, another means of helping residents with vision needs, since these books have proved very popular.
It is the goal of the Foundation to continue meeting the needs of residents. If you are aware of a need in the Village that is not currently being met, please contact the Foundation at foundation@comline.com or 949-268-2246.
The Foundation and Age Well Senior Services
This program from Village TV (Channel 6) discusses the Foundation and Age Well Senior Services and the relationship between them. Learn how the Foundation supports the Meals on Wheels program and other services to benefit needy Village residents. Click here.
This program from Village TV (Channel 6) discusses the Foundation and Age Well Senior Services and the relationship between them. Learn how the Foundation supports the Meals on Wheels program and other services to benefit needy Village residents. Click here.
March 2019
HELP WITH DEMENTIA OR ALZHEIMER’S?
If your spouse or a family member living with you is experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia, but you can’t afford a caregiver, would you know what you could do? To meet this need, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is partnering with South County Adult Day Services operated by Alzheimer’s Orange County, located at 24260 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods.
To meet this need, the Foundation has also recently expanded its financial assistance and for the first time is offering financial support for residents who need social day care services. Previously financial assistance was only given to participants in the health care program. Now participants in both can receive Foundation help.
Both of these programs — the social one and the health care program — are available at the El Toro location, to those affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The socially oriented program, called Adult Day Program, offers social opportunities, recreation, meals, and friends, combined with some health services, like blood pressure and medication monitoring.
The second, called an Adult Day Healthcare Center, is prepared to handle a range of complex medical conditions and offers nursing care as well as physical, occupational or speech therapy, counseling, assistance with dementia or behavioral conditions, eating assistance, and more.
An initial screening and paperwork are required prior to starting. For more information to see if someone is eligible for financial assistance and to enroll, please call 949-855-9444 and ask to speak to a social worker.
As Jim McAleer, chief executive officer of Alzheimer’s Orange County, recently pointed out, “without the support of the Foundation, our friends from the Village would not be able to receive these vital services, and many would no longer be able to stay in their homes. Caregivers are able to receive respite from providing care while knowing their loved one is in a safe place during the day. Our partnership has been a true blessing for the families we serve and the program itself. Dozens, if not hundreds of Laguna Woods Village residents have benefited over the years.”
The Foundation is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Orange County to assist Village residents facing financial difficulties. For more information, please contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
HELP WITH DEMENTIA OR ALZHEIMER’S?
If your spouse or a family member living with you is experiencing increased forgetfulness or dementia, but you can’t afford a caregiver, would you know what you could do? To meet this need, the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is partnering with South County Adult Day Services operated by Alzheimer’s Orange County, located at 24260 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods.
To meet this need, the Foundation has also recently expanded its financial assistance and for the first time is offering financial support for residents who need social day care services. Previously financial assistance was only given to participants in the health care program. Now participants in both can receive Foundation help.
Both of these programs — the social one and the health care program — are available at the El Toro location, to those affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The socially oriented program, called Adult Day Program, offers social opportunities, recreation, meals, and friends, combined with some health services, like blood pressure and medication monitoring.
The second, called an Adult Day Healthcare Center, is prepared to handle a range of complex medical conditions and offers nursing care as well as physical, occupational or speech therapy, counseling, assistance with dementia or behavioral conditions, eating assistance, and more.
An initial screening and paperwork are required prior to starting. For more information to see if someone is eligible for financial assistance and to enroll, please call 949-855-9444 and ask to speak to a social worker.
As Jim McAleer, chief executive officer of Alzheimer’s Orange County, recently pointed out, “without the support of the Foundation, our friends from the Village would not be able to receive these vital services, and many would no longer be able to stay in their homes. Caregivers are able to receive respite from providing care while knowing their loved one is in a safe place during the day. Our partnership has been a true blessing for the families we serve and the program itself. Dozens, if not hundreds of Laguna Woods Village residents have benefited over the years.”
The Foundation is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Orange County to assist Village residents facing financial difficulties. For more information, please contact the Foundation at 949-268-2246 or thefoundation@comline.com.
February 2019
EMERGENCIES HAPPEN
We all know that emergencies happen, and the Foundation is here to help with some simple “emergency care measures” that promote resident safety, and in some instances are even life-saving. The first are medical alert systems, the second are CARE ambulance policies to ensure affordable ambulance transport when a medical crisis occurs, while the third are earthquake kits.
We all know that as we age accidents can become an increasing problem, but a medical alert system can provide that measure of security to maintain independence. If someone falls at home, a medical alert system can provide emergency assistance. It can also assist with 24 hour monitoring and medication.
In turn, multiple ambulance transports can be very expensive. Ambulance transport can exceed $200 (sometimes over a $1,000)for a single transport for Medicare beneficiaries. While limited to only emergency transport, a CARE ambulance policy can potentially help with deductibles and co-pays.
If an earthquake should occur, a kit also be an invaluable help. It contains such essentials as water, a nutrition bar, flash light, radio, and blanket, among other items.
Unfortunately there are some residents in the Village who cannot afford these measures. However, the Foundation believes strongly that access should be provided even to those with financial difficulties. If a resident cannot afford to secure one of these, but clearly needs help to maintain their independent lifestyle and they have been screened by Social Services as requiring financial assistance, the Foundation will pay for a medical alert system, arrange for a CARE ambulance policy, or provide an earthquake kit. If you need help in this regard and you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact the Social Services staff at 949-597-4267 to see if you qualify.
For more information about the Foundation please go to foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or call 949-268-2246.
EMERGENCIES HAPPEN
We all know that emergencies happen, and the Foundation is here to help with some simple “emergency care measures” that promote resident safety, and in some instances are even life-saving. The first are medical alert systems, the second are CARE ambulance policies to ensure affordable ambulance transport when a medical crisis occurs, while the third are earthquake kits.
We all know that as we age accidents can become an increasing problem, but a medical alert system can provide that measure of security to maintain independence. If someone falls at home, a medical alert system can provide emergency assistance. It can also assist with 24 hour monitoring and medication.
In turn, multiple ambulance transports can be very expensive. Ambulance transport can exceed $200 (sometimes over a $1,000)for a single transport for Medicare beneficiaries. While limited to only emergency transport, a CARE ambulance policy can potentially help with deductibles and co-pays.
If an earthquake should occur, a kit also be an invaluable help. It contains such essentials as water, a nutrition bar, flash light, radio, and blanket, among other items.
Unfortunately there are some residents in the Village who cannot afford these measures. However, the Foundation believes strongly that access should be provided even to those with financial difficulties. If a resident cannot afford to secure one of these, but clearly needs help to maintain their independent lifestyle and they have been screened by Social Services as requiring financial assistance, the Foundation will pay for a medical alert system, arrange for a CARE ambulance policy, or provide an earthquake kit. If you need help in this regard and you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact the Social Services staff at 949-597-4267 to see if you qualify.
For more information about the Foundation please go to foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org or call 949-268-2246.
The following articles were written by board member Marcy Sheinwold and were published in the Globe. They will give you some additional information about The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village.
SOCIAL SERVICES
When he got older, Albert Einstein bragged that he had finally ". . . reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don't have to," underscoring the importance of independence as we age. Being independent gives older people a sense of control and well-being even as their physical condition changes. By assisting village residents who are experiencing hard times, the Foundation seeks to foster independence, but it could not do this without the essential work of the village Social Services staff.
Through its many interactions with residents, the Social Services staff's goal is to enhance residents' lives while permitting them to live independently. For example, for someone having difficulty preparing meals, they will link that resident with meals on wheels. If someone loses their license, they will review transportation options. If someone is having difficulty with activities of daily life, they will provide caregiver referrals. If a resident can no longer live in their manors, Social Services will assist with long term care planning. As warranted, Social Services also identifies isolated residents, referring them to the Friendly Visitor Program; investigates cases of suspected abuse, working with Adult Protective Services; and refers residents to needed services when dementia becomes an issue.
Social Services also screens residents facing financial difficulties. Only via this screening can residents who have lived here at least three years request financial help from the Foundation for such items as medication, physician, dental, utility, and caregiver costs.
Social Services can be contacted at 949-597-4267, while the Foundation can be reached at 949-268-2246 or foundation@comline.com.
Holiday Gifting
With the holidays approaching, are you searching for gift ideas for family and friends? Perhaps simply buying “things” no longer provides a meaningful gift for those you hold dear and you want a gift more truly representing the holiday spirit. One suggestion for a more meaningful gift is a holiday “tribute” donation to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. A holiday “tribute” gift in someone’s name will make that recipient know that they are not only special, but that they are also helping their neighbors at this time of the year.
Since the Foundation relies on donations from residents to help other residents experiencing financial hardship, a holiday “tribute” donation can help the Foundation meet increasing needs during the holidays. The Foundation provides emergency assistance with food, medication, utility bills, medical or nursing care, care givers and respite care. In addition, the Foundation provides funding for residents to benefit from meals on wheels and senior adult day care.
In the alternative, another way you can help the Foundation meet holiday needs is to register with Amazon.Smile while you shop for other types of gifts. “AmazonSmile” permits you to support your favorite charity while shopping at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com you will find the same variety of goods, same prices, and same ease of shopping. The difference is that Amazon will donate a portion of the sale of eligible items to the charity you designate. Amazon will donate 0.5 % of the sale price of these items to the charity chosen. All you have to do when you shop is go the following website: www.smile.amazon.com. On your first visit, you designate the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village as your charity to receive funds. Each time after that, you continue to go to www.smile.amazon.com when shopping and a donation is automatically made to the Foundation.
Through these two efforts, you can help the Foundation make the holidays brighter for all Village residents. For more information, you can contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com or by phone, 949-268-2246. As the Foundation of Laguna Woods begins its twentieth year of serving the Village, we wish to thank you for your support and best wishes for happy, healthy holidays!
Since the Foundation relies on donations from residents to help other residents experiencing financial hardship, a holiday “tribute” donation can help the Foundation meet increasing needs during the holidays. The Foundation provides emergency assistance with food, medication, utility bills, medical or nursing care, care givers and respite care. In addition, the Foundation provides funding for residents to benefit from meals on wheels and senior adult day care.
In the alternative, another way you can help the Foundation meet holiday needs is to register with Amazon.Smile while you shop for other types of gifts. “AmazonSmile” permits you to support your favorite charity while shopping at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com you will find the same variety of goods, same prices, and same ease of shopping. The difference is that Amazon will donate a portion of the sale of eligible items to the charity you designate. Amazon will donate 0.5 % of the sale price of these items to the charity chosen. All you have to do when you shop is go the following website: www.smile.amazon.com. On your first visit, you designate the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village as your charity to receive funds. Each time after that, you continue to go to www.smile.amazon.com when shopping and a donation is automatically made to the Foundation.
Through these two efforts, you can help the Foundation make the holidays brighter for all Village residents. For more information, you can contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com or by phone, 949-268-2246. As the Foundation of Laguna Woods begins its twentieth year of serving the Village, we wish to thank you for your support and best wishes for happy, healthy holidays!
Food or Prescriptions?
No Village resident should have to choose between filling a prescription and buying food. To address the needs of those who are considered “food insecure,” the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village has recently implemented two new initiatives.
First, the Foundation has provided funding to Age Well Senior Services to expand the meals on wheels program to include weekend and holiday meals for those without financial resources or too frail or disabled to prepare their own meals. Traditionally the program only provided meals Monday through Friday. Weekend meals can be provided to those Village residents considered “food insecure.”
The Foundation also continues other programs to meet the nutrition and food needs of residents. Through Social Services, seniors in need can obtain grocery cards to purchase food at a local supermarket. The Foundation also provides monthly funding to the traditional meals on wheels program to feed Village residents. Each week, between 150 and 175 residents receive such meals as a result of Founding funding.
For meals on wheels, please call the Florence Sylvester Senior Center at 949-380-0155, and for the other food programs, please contact Social Services at 949-268-2271. For more information, you can also contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com or by phone, 949-268-2246. As the Foundation of Laguna Woods begins its twentieth year of serving the Village, we wish to thank you in advance for your support which makes these initiatives possible.
First, the Foundation has provided funding to Age Well Senior Services to expand the meals on wheels program to include weekend and holiday meals for those without financial resources or too frail or disabled to prepare their own meals. Traditionally the program only provided meals Monday through Friday. Weekend meals can be provided to those Village residents considered “food insecure.”
The Foundation also continues other programs to meet the nutrition and food needs of residents. Through Social Services, seniors in need can obtain grocery cards to purchase food at a local supermarket. The Foundation also provides monthly funding to the traditional meals on wheels program to feed Village residents. Each week, between 150 and 175 residents receive such meals as a result of Founding funding.
For meals on wheels, please call the Florence Sylvester Senior Center at 949-380-0155, and for the other food programs, please contact Social Services at 949-268-2271. For more information, you can also contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com or by phone, 949-268-2246. As the Foundation of Laguna Woods begins its twentieth year of serving the Village, we wish to thank you in advance for your support which makes these initiatives possible.
New Needs Addressed
New needs are now being addressed by the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. Following intensive needs assessment and with the receipt of a recent bequest left by a Village resident, the Foundation has expanded its program funding to include new initiatives during the coming year.
First, given that the home bound meals program only provides meals Monday to Friday, some residents are without food over the weekend and on holidays. Given that these residents often cannot afford to buy food, they will save food from the weekday meals or simply go without eating. New program funding will provide weekend frozen meals for 15 "food insecure" residents through Age Well Senior Services.
Second, transportation is often a problem for Village residents needing dialysis since Age Well Senior Services can only provide 16 trips a month and dialysis patients need approximately 26 trips a month (I.e., 3 times a week), thereby leaving a gap of 10 visits. As a result, the Foundation will fund the 10 visit gap for 15 residents per month for the coming year.
Careful monitoring of these new initiatives will take place during the coming years. To learn more about other Foundation programs and activities, please go to our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Donations can also be sent to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
First, given that the home bound meals program only provides meals Monday to Friday, some residents are without food over the weekend and on holidays. Given that these residents often cannot afford to buy food, they will save food from the weekday meals or simply go without eating. New program funding will provide weekend frozen meals for 15 "food insecure" residents through Age Well Senior Services.
Second, transportation is often a problem for Village residents needing dialysis since Age Well Senior Services can only provide 16 trips a month and dialysis patients need approximately 26 trips a month (I.e., 3 times a week), thereby leaving a gap of 10 visits. As a result, the Foundation will fund the 10 visit gap for 15 residents per month for the coming year.
Careful monitoring of these new initiatives will take place during the coming years. To learn more about other Foundation programs and activities, please go to our website at foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Donations can also be sent to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
Volunteers Needed
“Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer.” Volunteers are the backbone of the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. And we need new volunteers to join the Board of the Foundation to sustain its activities and contributions to the Village. We are currently looking for volunteers who can back up our current Board members. We will fill positions as they become available with applicants having the needed skills.
Why should someone volunteer? The Foundation provides a needed function in the Village, and participation on its Board gives an extraordinary sense of fulfillment – you know you are helping your neighbors. Through its fundraising, the Foundation provides temporary financial assistance to Village residents in need. It also provides financial support to Village residents served by Meals on Wheels and Adult Day Care.
Who should volunteer? The Foundation needs residents with skills in business, law, web site design and management, marketing, data management, planning, and financial management. The Foundation’s all volunteer Board handles all donations, all public outreach and fundraising activities, tracks all finances, prepares annual budgets, manages its website, approves all requests for financial assistance, and makes payments directly to venders.
How can you apply to be considered for membership on the Foundation Board of Directors? Please contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com or by phone,
949-268-2246, and we will send or email you an application so that you can be considered. The application process may also include an interview by the Board. Please remember:
“ Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.”
Needs Assessment
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village received a very welcome surprise. We are the beneficiary of a bequest left by a Village resident. As a result, while we continue to provide temporary financial support to needy residents vetted by Social Services, we have a special opportunity to address additional needs in the Village on a short term basis. To do this properly, we welcome your input concerning unmet needs in the Village that you think could benefit from this special Foundation assistance.
The Board of the Foundation is also exploring this issue, and we welcome your thoughts as well about some of the possibilities currently being considered including:
(1) underwriting the start-up of a respite program for frail Village residents,
(2) assessing the feasibility of a handyman program for Village residents who cannot afford such services,
(3) increasing transportation assistance for needy residents beyond present limits,
(4) increasing funding for weekend coverage for the meals on wheels programs, and
(5) providing assistance for hearing aids for residents who meet Social Services criteria for financial assistance.
Please let us know your thoughts – we need and welcome your input. Please contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com; by phone, 949-268-2246; or by mail, The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654. Thank you your continued support and interest.
The Board of the Foundation is also exploring this issue, and we welcome your thoughts as well about some of the possibilities currently being considered including:
(1) underwriting the start-up of a respite program for frail Village residents,
(2) assessing the feasibility of a handyman program for Village residents who cannot afford such services,
(3) increasing transportation assistance for needy residents beyond present limits,
(4) increasing funding for weekend coverage for the meals on wheels programs, and
(5) providing assistance for hearing aids for residents who meet Social Services criteria for financial assistance.
Please let us know your thoughts – we need and welcome your input. Please contact the Foundation by email, thefoundation@comline.com; by phone, 949-268-2246; or by mail, The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654. Thank you your continued support and interest.
Club Donations
Club donations provide a cornerstone of support for the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village. As a result we encourage every club and organization to support the Foundation through collections, special events, and/or spreading the word. Funding helps the Foundation continue to help those who need temporary financial assistance, for example, in the form of "grocery cards," medical or pharmacy co-pays, taxi vouchers, or caregiver help.
To illustrate, do you remember the old adage "a stitch in time saves nine?" Well the "stitchers" of the Sewing Supers save more than stitches--they help our friends and neighbors with emergency support by donating to the Foundation. Since 2007 the Sewing Supers have been donating money raised by residents purchasing yards of donated material at a very reasonable price. At $2/yard for fabric they have funded the Foundation and other Village causes to the tune of $17,800. That is a lot of stitches and a lot of heart.
The Men's Golf Club of Laguna Woods also has a lot of heart. Each year this club hosts a golf outing with the Foundation as their designated charity. With the assistance of sponsors, a silent auction and player fees, the Men's Golf Club raised $19,254 for the Foundation--this club is one of the Foundation's "super heroes."
Another example is the Sunshine Performance Club. During the past several years, this club has raised significant funds for the Foundation through its special holiday performances.
If your club wishes, a Foundation member will provide a short program for your meeting outlining the Foundation goals and answer any questions that arise. Please contact the Foundation by e-mail, thefoundation@comline.com, or by phone, 949-268-2246. As the Foundation of Laguna Woods begins its 20th year of serving the Village, we wish to thank you in advance for your support.
To illustrate, do you remember the old adage "a stitch in time saves nine?" Well the "stitchers" of the Sewing Supers save more than stitches--they help our friends and neighbors with emergency support by donating to the Foundation. Since 2007 the Sewing Supers have been donating money raised by residents purchasing yards of donated material at a very reasonable price. At $2/yard for fabric they have funded the Foundation and other Village causes to the tune of $17,800. That is a lot of stitches and a lot of heart.
The Men's Golf Club of Laguna Woods also has a lot of heart. Each year this club hosts a golf outing with the Foundation as their designated charity. With the assistance of sponsors, a silent auction and player fees, the Men's Golf Club raised $19,254 for the Foundation--this club is one of the Foundation's "super heroes."
Another example is the Sunshine Performance Club. During the past several years, this club has raised significant funds for the Foundation through its special holiday performances.
If your club wishes, a Foundation member will provide a short program for your meeting outlining the Foundation goals and answer any questions that arise. Please contact the Foundation by e-mail, thefoundation@comline.com, or by phone, 949-268-2246. As the Foundation of Laguna Woods begins its 20th year of serving the Village, we wish to thank you in advance for your support.
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Leaving a Legacy
“I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” Those are the words of a great American forefather, William Penn.
Your donations help the Foundation respond to the emergency financial needs of Village residents, such as medication, utility bills, food cards, nursing care, medical and dental bills, thereby helping the Foundation to fulfill its mission of providing temporary financial aid to Laguna Woods residents in need. Age is no barrier to donating. Recently, Elsie De Lucia, age 102, a 43 year resident, sent in a sizable donation to the Foundation.
Included with the materials is also an insert suggesting that you can leave a bequest to continue the Foundation mission. It will cost you nothing today, but specifying a continuing donation in a will or trust to the Foundation can mean emergency help to residents for years to come.
Please remember as well that retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k) and 403(b) plans can be subject to ordinary income tax and estate tax: from 40 to 60 percent can go to taxes if left to your heirs. Retirement plan assets left to the Foundation will transfer tax free. In planning your estate, consider leaving your retirement plan to a charity such as the Foundation and leave more favorably-fixed assets to your family. Please be sure to discuss any IRA-related actions with your CPA, financial or professional tax advisor before acting.
If you feel that any of these giving ideas are appropriate, we suggest you call the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village at (949) 268-2246 or your financial and/or legal advisor.
Your donations help the Foundation respond to the emergency financial needs of Village residents, such as medication, utility bills, food cards, nursing care, medical and dental bills, thereby helping the Foundation to fulfill its mission of providing temporary financial aid to Laguna Woods residents in need. Age is no barrier to donating. Recently, Elsie De Lucia, age 102, a 43 year resident, sent in a sizable donation to the Foundation.
Included with the materials is also an insert suggesting that you can leave a bequest to continue the Foundation mission. It will cost you nothing today, but specifying a continuing donation in a will or trust to the Foundation can mean emergency help to residents for years to come.
Please remember as well that retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k) and 403(b) plans can be subject to ordinary income tax and estate tax: from 40 to 60 percent can go to taxes if left to your heirs. Retirement plan assets left to the Foundation will transfer tax free. In planning your estate, consider leaving your retirement plan to a charity such as the Foundation and leave more favorably-fixed assets to your family. Please be sure to discuss any IRA-related actions with your CPA, financial or professional tax advisor before acting.
If you feel that any of these giving ideas are appropriate, we suggest you call the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village at (949) 268-2246 or your financial and/or legal advisor.
Meals on Wheels
No senior citizen in Laguna Woods Village should go hungry because their physical condition prevents them from preparing meals on their own, going out for meals, or they lack assistance in shopping for food or preparing food. There is a program serving seniors in Laguna Woods Village to meet this need, the Age Well Meals on Wheels Program. The meals provided by this program are designed by a Registered Dietitian and consist of a hot, ready to eat meal at midday, as well as a cold meal for later in the day, and a breakfast meal for the next morning, delivered Monday through Friday each week (but not on weekends or holidays). If there is a documented need, frozen meals can also be provided for the weekend. But most important, the meals are delivered right to the person’s home.
If the senior citizen is at least 60 years of age, homebound, and cannot prepare their own meals, they can register for this program by calling the Florence Sylvester Senior Center at 949-380-0155, exts. 12 and 13. Once a request for homebound meals is received, meals can usually be delivered within two days. In addition to an initial screening over the telephone, an assessment by a program staff person will be made at the recipient’s home within two weeks. There is a suggested donation of $7.50 per day for the three meals, but no one who is eligible is turned away because of an inability to pay.
The meals are delivered each day by trained volunteers, who not only deliver the food but provide a daily contact. In that way, if there is a change in the recipient’s condition or a safety problem, it can be quickly identified. Meals on Wheels volunteers have actually saved lives by providing this important contact, for example finding someone who fell over the weekend when they arrived on Monday.
At present approximately 150-175 residents in Laguna Woods Village receive meals on wheels. Covering 23 routes, nearly 200 volunteers are involved in packing and delivering meals each week, and many organizations in the Village provide volunteers.
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village provides financial assistance to Age Well’s Meals on Wheels Program for Village participants. For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246.
VOLUNTEER POWER
During the past year, donations to the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village have ensured that a safety net was there for our neighbors. After undergoing multiple hospital stays and confronted by overwhelming medication bills, one neighbor recently wrote: “How fortunate we are here . . . to have an organization such as yours that we can turn to for help in coping with unexpected situations.” More than 91 cents of each dollar spent by the Foundation goes directly to benefit Village residents, since the day to day operations of The Foundation are provided by an all- volunteer board. Volunteers have set up the Foundation website which provides information about its mission, its board of directors, the many generous donors, and Village club support for the Foundation. Check out the website at www.foundationoflagunawoodsvillage.org. Volunteers also handle all donations to the Foundation, keeping track of monies contributed, sending out tributes as requested, and acknowledging all donations for tax purposes. Other volunteers handle all Foundation public outreach and fundraising activities. The appeal letter that goes out each spring and fall is drafted by volunteers who also handle the logistics related to the mailing. Members of the Board are available to speak to any club that requests a speaker and regularly visit GRF, United, and Third Mutual meetings, as well as speak to new residents at the monthly get-togethers. Further, another Board member keeps track of all finances, posting monthly income and expense statements, preparing a yearly budget, and keeping track of all outlays. Finally, still other volunteers review each request from Social Services for temporary financial assistance to residents, checking to see that do not exceed the $2000 a year individual cap and meet other Foundation requirements. Foundation aid can take the form of assistance with utility bills, telephone service, needed prescriptions, or paying for medical, dental, or respite care. Once approved, payments are made directly to the vendors involved. For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246.
THE FOUNDATION: HOW IT STARTED
The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is the “Helping Hand” that often makes a difference in the lives of needy Village residents, and since 1997 almost two million dollars has been distributed. With the filing of its Articles of Incorporation, the adoption of bylaws, the election of officers, and the establishment of a bank account, the Foundation officially began in May 1997, in part due to resident financial problems after a flood. The first President was Reverend Thomas Jorde, and the Secretary was, and continues to be, Diane Howard. At that first meeting, it was also decided that the Foundation would file to become a 501(c)(3) or California not-for-profit charity, so that donations would be tax deductible. From the beginning, the Foundation was also intended to be separate from any government organization in the Village.
By September 1997 there were twelve members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. During 1997 and 1998, a process for having applications screened by the Social Services Department was developed ensuring anonymity of recipients, and fundraising began. In September 1998, it was reported that the Foundation’s bank account balance was $20,631.39, and in February 1999 it was reported that over 1,000 individual gifts had been made to the Foundation during that past year. What began 18 years ago continues with your generous support during these challenging times.
Today the mission of the Foundation continues to be providing needy Village residents with temporary financial assistance using the funds donated by individuals and clubs. During 2019, donations totaled over $246,000; many emergency requests for temporary financial assistance were provided for. Funds were provided as well for Village residents who needed day care and homebound meal services. The Foundation, with the assistance of the Social Services Department, continues to be a Village safety net for residents. For questions, and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246.
ADULT DAY CARE AVAILABLE
It is estimated that one out of nine Americans over age 65 has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior which may start slowly but get worse over time, making it difficult for those affected to handle activities of daily life, while also putting enormous pressure on caregivers. For those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in Laguna Woods Village, finding a program which can address their needs is essential. There is such a program, South County Adult Day Care (SCADS), operated by Age Well Senior Services, located right near Gate 14 at 24300 El Toro Road, Bld. A. For additional information or to arrange a tour, please call 949-855-9444. SCADS is both a licensed adult day health care program as well as a social day care center. The center provides services to help participants remain active, independent, and stay out of institutional care. SCADS assists frail and/or disabled adults who need supervision, structured activities, and/or health care monitoring. The program includes nursing services, door to door transportation, continental breakfast, hot lunch, afternoon snack, and therapeutic activities, assistance in self-care activities, and physical, occupational, and speech therapies designed to maintain function. Program costs can be paid by Medi-Cal/Cal-Optima, some long term care insurance policies, VA benefits, and/or private pay. No one is turned away from the program, and grants and scholarships are available to help defray costs. Additionally, SCADS offers a monthly Caregiver Support Group which is open to the public. To participate, you do not have to have someone enrolled in SCADS, and respite care is provided for those needing it. Please call 949-855-9444 to learn more about the group or to attend.
When Electricity Bills Overtake Your Budget
There are many ways to qualify for this program. You can be eligible if you are already on Medi-Cal or Medicade, if you receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income), or if you receive Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance. An alternative way to qualify is based on income. If there are 1 or 2 persons in a household earning a total combined annual income up to $31,860 and your home has its own electricity meter, you may also qualify.
Southern California Edison also offers an Energy Savings Assistance Program to help people conserve energy and save money. For income-qualified individuals, Southern California Edison may also provide free appliances and installation of energy-efficient refrigerators, air conditions, and more as well as home efficiency recommendations. In some instances, a co-payment may be required.
To request an application form, to see if you may qualify, and more information, please contact your utility company or check out their websites for more information. One website you can consult is www.sce.com/care.
Another source of help is The Foundation which provides temporary financial assistance to needy Village residents. All a person has to do is contact Social Services at 949-597-4267 to see if they qualify. Foundation assistance can mean buying groceries, keeping the electricity on, continuing telephone service, paying for a needed prescription, or paying for medical, dental, or respite care. For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246.
THE FOUNDATION MAKES A DIFFERENCE
The Foundation of Laguna Woods makes a difference, and donations to the Foundation make a difference. For Village residents in need when money runs out, Foundation assistance can mean keeping the electricity on, continuing telephone service, paying for a needed prescription, or just buying food for the end of the month when money runs out. It is the “Helping Hand” that often makes a difference in the lives of needy Village residents.
For more information about The Foundation, please review its website, www.lagunawoodsvillagefoundation.com. The office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center on El Toro Road. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or you can send donations to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
For more information about The Foundation, please review its website, www.lagunawoodsvillagefoundation.com. The office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center on El Toro Road. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or you can send donations to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
THANKS TO THE FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTORS
Thanks to The Foundation and “those very generous neighbors making donations for the food and gasoline that we were recently given. We had no gasoline and were down to our last piece of Kleenex and a few canned goods.” “It is humbling … to seek assistance from strangers . . . . Please accept my heartfelt thanks for assisting me with my phone bills. I am most grateful.” “Thank you for all your help and support. . . . we never [k]new how much Cancer would cost! Hopefully we will be able to repay the favor in the future.” “Your kindness . . . . meant more to me than you’d ever guess.”
These are some of the “thank-you” notes that the Foundation recently received for the temporary financial assistance it provides to Village neighbors in need. Many “grocery” cards and “gas” cards are distributed. The Foundation also assists with electric and telephone bills; hospital, radiology, pharmacy, and home health care bills; and even helped with DMV renewal fees and home repairs. All requests for financial assistance are screened by Social Services staff, and funds are paid directly to the vendor. All requests for assistance are also kept confidential.
For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246. The number goes to the office voicemail, and an effort is made to check messages every day. The Foundation office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or donations can be sent to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
These are some of the “thank-you” notes that the Foundation recently received for the temporary financial assistance it provides to Village neighbors in need. Many “grocery” cards and “gas” cards are distributed. The Foundation also assists with electric and telephone bills; hospital, radiology, pharmacy, and home health care bills; and even helped with DMV renewal fees and home repairs. All requests for financial assistance are screened by Social Services staff, and funds are paid directly to the vendor. All requests for assistance are also kept confidential.
For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246. The number goes to the office voicemail, and an effort is made to check messages every day. The Foundation office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or donations can be sent to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
The Foundation In the Computer Age
Like us on Facebook. Visit The Foundation’s website. The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village has joined the computer age to help it fulfill its mission of providing temporary financial assistance to Village residents in need. By liking the Foundation on Facebook, village residents show their support of the Foundation. According to CeCe Sloan, “the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village is vital for helping those who need a little help.”
On The Foundation’s website, www.lagunawoodsvillagefoundation.com, you can learn more about the Foundation, including its mission statement, its Board of Directors, and related financial facts and figures. You can also check out the “Generous Donors” for recognition of clubs that have made substantial contributions. You will find photos of the Laguna Woods Men’s Golf Club, the Korean American Club, the Rock and Rollers, and the PC Club, among others. By clicking on “Donate,” you can also donate using either Paypal or a credit card.
Donations can also be made to The Foundation via the “Amazon Smile” Program located at www.smile.amazon.com. When you shop via computer from Amazon you can designate The Foundation of Laguna Woods as your charity of choice, and a percentage of the purchase price will be donated to The Foundation without extra charge.
For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246. The number goes to the office voicemail, and an effort is made to check messages daily. The Foundation office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or donations can be sent to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654. Social Services is also only a phone call away: 949-597-4267. Through them The Foundation can help you or someone you know.
On The Foundation’s website, www.lagunawoodsvillagefoundation.com, you can learn more about the Foundation, including its mission statement, its Board of Directors, and related financial facts and figures. You can also check out the “Generous Donors” for recognition of clubs that have made substantial contributions. You will find photos of the Laguna Woods Men’s Golf Club, the Korean American Club, the Rock and Rollers, and the PC Club, among others. By clicking on “Donate,” you can also donate using either Paypal or a credit card.
Donations can also be made to The Foundation via the “Amazon Smile” Program located at www.smile.amazon.com. When you shop via computer from Amazon you can designate The Foundation of Laguna Woods as your charity of choice, and a percentage of the purchase price will be donated to The Foundation without extra charge.
For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246. The number goes to the office voicemail, and an effort is made to check messages daily. The Foundation office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or donations can be sent to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654. Social Services is also only a phone call away: 949-597-4267. Through them The Foundation can help you or someone you know.
GIVE A LEGACY OF CARING
Why consider naming the Foundation of Laguna Woods Village as beneficiary for a portion of your estate? The answer is simple. Your legacy contribution helps sustain an organization that cares for your friends and neighbors when they hit hard times by providing temporary financial assistance.
Many of you already contribute because you understand what the Foundation has been able to do over the past 18 years. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity that takes care of our community by providing a financial safety net. Since its beginnings, it has distributed nearly $2 million to Village residents in need because of the generosity of our neighbors. Because the Foundation is operated by volunteers and its overhead is minimal, nearly 91 cents of every dollar donated benefits our friends and neighbors. All requests for financial assistance are screened by Social Services staff and then submitted to the Foundation when all other means of assistance are exhausted. Funds are paid directly to the vendor, and all requests for assistance are kept confidential.
One of the highest levels of charity is to give without knowing the recipient and without having them know who provided the aid. Please continue to support the Foundation while you are among us, but also consider adding the Foundation to your estate plans so your legacy can continue to support your friends and neighbors in need. It’s a legacy of caring.
Check out the Foundation’s website, www.lagunawoodsvillagefoundation.com, and remember by clicking on “donate,” you can also donate using either Paypal or a credit card.
For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246 or email us at thefoundation@comline.com. The Foundation office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or donations can be sent to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
Many of you already contribute because you understand what the Foundation has been able to do over the past 18 years. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity that takes care of our community by providing a financial safety net. Since its beginnings, it has distributed nearly $2 million to Village residents in need because of the generosity of our neighbors. Because the Foundation is operated by volunteers and its overhead is minimal, nearly 91 cents of every dollar donated benefits our friends and neighbors. All requests for financial assistance are screened by Social Services staff and then submitted to the Foundation when all other means of assistance are exhausted. Funds are paid directly to the vendor, and all requests for assistance are kept confidential.
One of the highest levels of charity is to give without knowing the recipient and without having them know who provided the aid. Please continue to support the Foundation while you are among us, but also consider adding the Foundation to your estate plans so your legacy can continue to support your friends and neighbors in need. It’s a legacy of caring.
Check out the Foundation’s website, www.lagunawoodsvillagefoundation.com, and remember by clicking on “donate,” you can also donate using either Paypal or a credit card.
For questions and to reach The Foundation, please call 949-268-2246 or email us at thefoundation@comline.com. The Foundation office is located at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. There is a drop box for donations across from the office (first right after the elevators), or donations can be sent to: The Foundation of Laguna Woods Village, P.O. Box 3279, Laguna Hills, CA 92654.
THE FOUNDATION’S ALL VOLUNTEER BOARD
More than 91 cents of each dollar spent by the Foundation goes directly to benefit Village residents, since the day to day operations of The Foundation are provided by an all volunteer board. It is their time and expertise that helps The Foundation meet its goal of providing temporary financial assistance to Village residents. The Board members have diverse backgrounds and extensive experience in many fields:
Margaret Campbell - MPA, 25 plus years working in various roles in the Justice System.
Christine Collins - Career educator and a retired elementary school principal; currently active in the League of Women Voters.
Margot Gilison, Secretary - experience in advertising and financial planning; volunteers at South County Outreach.
Joel Goldstein, Ph.D. - Social psychologist, retired professor and executive with several US Public Health Service agencies.
Joan Grampp - Retired teacher who also worked with the St. Vincent de Paul charity.
C.C. Lee, Ph.D., - Aerospace Scientist, retired management executive and chief engineering with several national defense industries.
Pat Leftwich, Treasurer - Over 20 years experience in Human Resources Management for a large pharmaceutical company.
Dorothy Pacella - Over 44 years of experience in retail management, public relations, and media.
Beth Perak, Ph.D., Vice-President - administrative experience in education, and an Associate Professor at Azusa Pacific University.
Gael Post, MSW, LCSW-C - licensed clinical social worker.
Marcy Sheinwold, J.D., President - Retired attorney who was a partner in a New York law firm and law school instructor.
Susan Thomas - Over 20 years of experience in the business world and with information technology.
Toni Verning - 50 years of executive administrative experience, extensive volunteer service.
Margaret Campbell - MPA, 25 plus years working in various roles in the Justice System.
Christine Collins - Career educator and a retired elementary school principal; currently active in the League of Women Voters.
Margot Gilison, Secretary - experience in advertising and financial planning; volunteers at South County Outreach.
Joel Goldstein, Ph.D. - Social psychologist, retired professor and executive with several US Public Health Service agencies.
Joan Grampp - Retired teacher who also worked with the St. Vincent de Paul charity.
C.C. Lee, Ph.D., - Aerospace Scientist, retired management executive and chief engineering with several national defense industries.
Pat Leftwich, Treasurer - Over 20 years experience in Human Resources Management for a large pharmaceutical company.
Dorothy Pacella - Over 44 years of experience in retail management, public relations, and media.
Beth Perak, Ph.D., Vice-President - administrative experience in education, and an Associate Professor at Azusa Pacific University.
Gael Post, MSW, LCSW-C - licensed clinical social worker.
Marcy Sheinwold, J.D., President - Retired attorney who was a partner in a New York law firm and law school instructor.
Susan Thomas - Over 20 years of experience in the business world and with information technology.
Toni Verning - 50 years of executive administrative experience, extensive volunteer service.