News

STUART, FL - The Council on Aging’s Elder Care Mobile Outreach program will soon be available to help seniors throughout Martin County neighborhoods who need assistance with the challenges of aging.

Thanks to a $100,000 Impact Grant from the generous members of Impact100 Martin, Council on Aging will be able to hire a second Case Manager Navigator to  go directly to underserved seniors throughout Martin County who face social isolation and loneliness, and then connect them with essential services.

“The pandemic taught us that there is a reluctance among seniors to contact us to ask for help,” said Council on Aging Martin County CEO Karen Ripper. “Yet there are seniors in our affluent county who live in the shadows, possibly even in our own neighborhoods, who would benefit from our services. Now we will be able to go directly into the community to find them and offer the assistance they need.”

Funds from the Impact 100 grant will help to purchase a new high-top van, which will ultimately be converted into a mobile office.  A Case Manager Navigator will use this office to go into mobile home parks and various neighborhoods throughout Martin County to help seniors find ways to minimize expenses so they can better afford to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible. The navigator will help with securing affordable housing, make referrals to Meals on Wheels or the Adult Day Club located at the Kane Center, offer assistance with utility bills, link seniors for medical consultation and screening with the Day Medical primary care office, and provide support to caregivers.

“By meeting people in their own neighborhoods,” Ripper said, “we will relieve some of the stigma of asking for help and overcome any transportation challenges. Our community will be healthier as we address problems before they become catastrophes for seniors and their families.” The Elder Care Mobile Outreach program will be operational by later this summer.

Impact100 Martin is a membership driven nonprofit organization that enables women to leverage their individual philanthropy and create positive, lasting change in the community. Each member contributes $1,000 a year and participates in choosing nonprofit projects to receive a $100,000 grant that will have true impact and sustainability. With 422 members in 2024, Impact100 Martin was able to award four $100,000 grants in April.

“The Council on Aging Martin and all of those we serve are grateful to Impact100 Martin,” Ripper said. “Everyone deserves a quality life at every age, and we’re eager to continue our mission to make this a reality for seniors in our community.”

About the Council on Aging of Martin County

The Council on Aging of Martin County is the community’s hub for senior resources and the county’s Lead Agency on Aging. Founded in 1974, the organization offers expertise, programming and support for older adults and their families to help seniors maintain lives of quality and purpose. Services include: Day Primary Care Center, Memory Enhancement Center, Adult Day Club, Meals on Wheels, care management, caregiver support, and a robust offering of educational, cultural, fitness and wellness programs. 

The Kane Center located at 900 SE Salerno Road in Stuart is the Council on Aging of Martin County’s headquarters and is also an event venue available to the public. It serves as a special needs hurricane shelter when necessary. The Council on Aging of Martin County also operates senior outreach facilities in Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, East Stuart and Indiantown. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Council on Aging receives funding from state and federal agencies and relies on philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors.

For more information, contact: Karen Ripper, 772.223.7851 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

STUART, FL - Poinsettia Power, the very popular annual holiday bazaar, luncheon and fashion show that benefits the Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program in Martin County, is moving to a new venue this year.  

“Our event gets sold out quickly every year,” said long-time committee member Linda Ryan, “so we’re moving it to a larger venue - the beautiful beachside Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa. The larger venue will allow us to double our capacity, so we can accommodate more people who want to get a jump start on the holidays and support a great cause.”

Poinsettia Power will be held on Monday, December 2, beginning at 10 a.m. Nathalie Pozo, Morning Anchor at WPBF25, will be Emcee.

Local and regional vendors will entice guests with a variety of merchandise including jewelry, clothing, holiday wreaths, pickleball must-haves, and more at a holiday-themed bazaar. A wide variety of prizes will be drawn, and silent auction items will be available throughout the program to help raise funds for Meals on Wheels.  During the delicious lunch, participants will enjoy a lively fashion show and hat parade. 

“There is no better time than the holiday season to focus on the people in our community who depend on Meals on Wheels,” said Council on Aging Martin’s President and CEO Karen Ripper. “For many of our clients, the hot meal delivered to their home each day means more than nutrition. It’s a friendly smile from our volunteers and an extra check on their well-being.”

Many Meals on Wheels clients are financially stressed and can’t afford daily meal delivery. The Council on Aging raises funds throughout the year, including at the Poinsettia Power luncheon, to make it possible for them to continue to get this critically important service.

“Join us for a great kickstart to your holiday festivities,” Ryan urges, “and know that you’re making the holidays, and every day, better for neighbors in need.”

Early sponsors in support of Poinsettia Power and Meals on Wheels include Holly Sponsor: Cummins-Levenstein Charitable Foundation; Peace Lily Red Wine Sponsor: Bob & Ralf Massey Foundation; Peace Lily Sponsors: Donna Haines, Penny McCaffrey and Publix Super Market Charities; Amaryllis Valet Sponsor: Ross Earle Bonan Ensor & Carrigan, P.A.; Amaryllis Décor Sponsor: Nancy Goethel at Raymond James; and Mistletoe Sponsors: Law Offices of John Mangan, P.A., N. Schoonover & Associates, Inc., Seacoast National Bank, Sandhill Cove Retirement Living and The Wawa Foundation, Inc.

For more information about Poinsettia Power, to purchase tickets at $150 each, or to become a sponsor, visit the Council on Aging Martin website www.coamartin.org.

About the Council on Aging Martin County

The Council on Aging Martin County is the community’s hub for senior resources and the county’s Lead Agency on Aging. Founded in 1974, the organization offers expertise, programming and support for older adults and their families to help seniors maintain lives of quality and purpose. Services include Day Primary Care Center, Memory Enhancement Center, Adult Day Club, Meals on Wheels, care management, caregiver support, and a robust offering of educational, cultural, fitness and wellness programs. 

The Kane Center located at 900 SE Salerno Road in Stuart is the Council on Aging Martin County’s headquarters and is also an event venue available to the public. It serves as a special needs hurricane shelter when necessary. The Council on Aging Martin County also operates senior outreach facilities in Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, East Stuart and Indiantown. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Council on Aging receives funding from state and federal agencies and relies on philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors. For more information, visit philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors. For more information, visit philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors.

For more information, contact: Karen Ripper, 772.223.7851 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.