(Chelsea Update would like to thank Lexi Cerilli for the information in this story.)
The United Methodist Retirement Communities (UMRC) Foundation recently announced financial support of three area nonprofits – St. Louis Center, Chelsea Senior Center, and Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Each was awarded a grant of $10,000 from the UMRC Foundation.
“2015 has been a terrific year for the UMRC Foundation,” said President, Wendy Brightman. “While Benevolent Care continues to be our cornerstone, the UMRC Foundation also believes in supporting agencies that are doing great work on behalf of seniors in the communities UMRC serves. I was thrilled when our Foundation Board voted unanimously to support, not one, but three nonprofit organizations, that are committed to caring for the needs of older adults.”
The 2015 UMRC Foundation community grants include:
A $10,000 capacity building grant to St. Louis Center in Chelsea to support its St. Louis Guanella Village project that will provide a continuum of care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including those who are aging. The project will also provide the opportunity for older adults with I/DD and their aging parents to live together.
A grant of $10,000 to the Chelsea Senior Center supporting transportation needs so that local low-income seniors can get to and from the Center each day for its subsidized hot lunch meal program and access other resources.
A follow-up grant of $10,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association – Michigan Great Lakes Chapter to provide additional resources and training opportunities for the program’s local Caregiver Support groups and volunteers.
“The UMRC Foundation is so honored to support these three local organizations and to partner with them in this way as part of our mutual goal of serving seniors in our communities. We feel it is an important part of our Christ-centered mission,” Brightman said.
UMRC Foundation Board member Rev. Tom Macaulay agrees and shares this adage he learned while on a trip to the Holy Lands many years ago: “‘The Dead Sea is dead because water flows into it, but doesn’t flow out.’ I am so proud to be part of an organization like the UMRC Foundation that shares its resources to improve the lives of seniors in the local communities UMRC serves.”
About the UMRC Foundation:
The UMRC Foundation is the charitable arm for United Methodist Retirement Communities, with headquarters in Chelsea. Since its inception in 1998, the UMRC Foundation has provided over $14,000,000 through its Benevolent Care Fund to help UMRC residents remain in their homes when they outlive their resources. The mission of the UMRC Foundation is to promote the wellness, dignity, and independence of seniors by supporting UMRC residents, staff, and the communities UMRC serves.
