JCGF Village Connector Experience Gains New Ally

The Tennessee region of the American Red Cross will help many more to access the help they desperately need.

Capitol Heights, MD, Mar. 8, 2021: Last month, the Juanita C. Grant Foundation (JCGF) established a relationship with the Tennessee region of the American Red Cross, making them the latest addition to JCGF’s roster of Village Connector Experience (VCE) partners. Launched in the midst of the pandemic last year, the Village Connector Experience was created to address the dramatic increases in loneliness and isolation that threaten the well-being of older Americans across the country.

The goal of this relationship is to help decrease social isolation in older adults who are experiencing a crisis, by creating awareness of the Village Connector Experience (VCE) and its services as a resource available to all who need it. Through a partnership with the Chattanooga Goodwill Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), the Juanita C. Grant Foundation has established the Tennessee VCE Ambassador Hub, which trains individuals to serve as Ambassadors for the program. These VCE Ambassadors will be the first line of support for requests for calls from older adults and will be assisted by the American Red Cross.

S. Orlene Grant RN, MSN, President and CEO of JCGF stated “one of the most powerful gifts we can give to each other is our time and focus on that individual to feel connected”. Since the pandemic began, older adults have felt their social safety net disintegrating, unable to reap the benefits of daily interactions with their peers, family, and members of the general public. The health implications of isolation for older people can be severe. To combat this, the Juanita C. Grant Foundation with the support of the Tennessee region of the American Red Cross, is determined to provide the support of virtual contact to as many members of the 50+ community as possible.

About the Juanita C. Grant Foundation 

The Juanita C. Grant Foundation (JCGF) provides education and training, advocacy and research addressing economic insecurity, workforce development and quality of life challenges for the 50+ community. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for the 50+ through economic workforce development, education, and training. To learn more about our initiatives and join us on this journey, please visit our website at www.jcgfdn.org.

Media Contact

Karachi Opara 

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