National Village Day Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Village Movement
Felician Village at Home, a program of Felician Village, will join more than 280 nonprofit, community-based organizations, commonly known as Villages, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Village Movement on February 15, National Village Day. From its beginnings when a small group of Beacon Hill neighbors established the first Village in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2002 to a thriving network of almost 300 nonprofit, community-based Villages today serving about 40,000 older adults across the country and internationally, the Village model is now established as a cost-effective, sustainable solution for healthy, vibrant aging.
The celebration will reach the halls of the U.S. Congress with a proclamation in the House of Representatives designating February 15 as National Village Day, sponsored by Congressman Stephen Lynch (MA), and recognizing Beacon Hill Village and the Village Movement. As part of National Village Day, Villages around the country and abroad have planned events and programs to celebrate National Village Day and highlight their role in creating communities of support for older adults.
Felician Village at Home members will be invited to join the national virtual celebration on February 15, 2022, as well as a special in-person gathering later that week. Members will also be encouraged to write letters about their experiences, and the village movement. Those letters and a variety of Manitowoc County products will be sent to fellow Village to Village Network members, who are a part of SAIL (Sharing Active Independent Lives) in Madison, Wisconsin.
Villages are intentional caring communities of neighbors helping neighbors. Each Village reflects the community it serves and responds to the needs of its members. While their business models may vary, Villages share certain features. As nonprofit, grassroots initiatives, they are volunteer-based, member-driven and self-governing. Villages mobilize volunteers to provide programs and services that older adults need to remain safe and independent in their homes, such as transportation, light home maintenance, tech support, friendly visits and check-in calls. Villages also offer social and educational activities that reduce isolation and create interpersonal connections and social support.
“Village to Village Network is delighted to celebrate this 20th anniversary of Beacon Hill Village and the Village Movement,” said Kim Grier, president of Village to Village Network, the national association that champions Villages and serves as a Village commons with resources and guidance. “Villages are a cost-effective care model for our rapidly aging society that increasingly recognizes the benefits of home and community-based care for older adults. We celebrate the positive impact Villages are having on the lives of an estimated 40,000 older adults today, even as we work toward a bright future in which Village membership is an option for every older American, regardless of where they live or who they may be.”
Felician Village at Home is a membership program designed to support the health and well-being of older adults living independently throughout Manitowoc County through a variety of services such as home-based volunteer services, educational and social events, referrals to pre-screened service providers, tech tutoring, a telephone reassurance system, local discounts, a new transportation service and more.
For more information about Felician Village at Home or Felician Village on the Go, contact Megan Bruckschen, at 920-684-7171, ext. 425 or fvathome@felicianvillage.org
About Village to Village Network
Founded in 2009, Village to Village Network (VtVN) is transforming the experience of aging by helping to establish, sustain and advocate for a thriving network of Villages. The Network serves as a “Village commons” and resource for its members – nonprofit volunteer and community-driven organizations that serve older adults so they may remain in their homes and live healthier, happier lives with continuing connections to their communities. VtVN member organizations are in 42 states as well as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, serving an estimated 40,000 older adults. www.vtvnetwork.org