Fact Sheet
	Who Are We --and How Did It All Begin? The VPRC began as a pilot project of the Northwest Missouri Area Agency on Aging in the spring of 2008. One of the missions of an Area Agency on Aging is planning for the future of aging. With the onslaught of the “Baby Boomers,” the Administration on Aging encouraged communities of all shapes and sizes – big cities and counties to small towns and rural communities – to implement creative solutions to meet the challenges of a maturing America. Based on guidance from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A) “Developing a Livable Community for All Ages” blueprint, stakeholders were identified and invited to work together. Stakeholders include the Area Agency on Aging, health care providers, aging and disability advocates, community planners, local non-profits and provider agencies, as well as local philanthropies, the faith community and other public leaders. Why? As leaders in our community, we are dedicated to doing everything in our power to make sure Albany is a community that meets the basic needs of all its citizens and promotes quality of life for all ages. We want Albany to be a community that can sustain the continuum of the lifespan, from birth to death, allowing people to “Age in Place.” What Have We Done So Far? The first exercise was to assess our community’s strengths, weaknesses and resources. We accomplished this by utilizing the “Aging in Place Community Report Card.” It scored 10 core components of an Ageless Community: health and wellness, transportation/mobility, public safety and services, housing, financial services, workforce development, civic engagement/volunteer opportunities, aging/human services, policies related to older adults, and being a good place to grow up and grow old. This exercise showed the need to fully identify the resources already in place. Consequently, we developed the “Gentry County Resource Guide,” which is available in print and will soon be available in an expanded version on our website. After identifying our strengths, weaknesses and resources, the gaps became evident. One of our greatest untapped resources was the willingness of our neighbors to help each other. We decided that our first goal would be to engage, revitalize and organize volunteer opportunities. How Are We Going To Do That? We looked at several volunteer models and decided on one that required little or no funding. Our initiative is called “Albany’s Helping Hands.” The idea is to locate and engage groups that are willing to volunteer or they would then be asked to identify what types of volunteer services their group would be willing to provide. Examples of possible services include, but are not limited to, transportation (to doctors, shopping, library, church, etc) tutoring, minor home modification and repair (changing light bulbs for the elderly, building ramps for disabled, etc) telephone reassurance, friendly visiting and letter writing, sponsoring support groups, after-school programs, yard work and minor clean up, such as gutters, etc. – the list goes on. Once the group has responded with how it wishes to contribute and at what frequency, they will be asked to specify who will be their coordinator or contact person. Groups could choose to have their volunteers available on a regular basis or only for special projects. How Will It Work? Since we currently do not have funding for a coordinator, we propose putting a directory together and making it available on the web, at the Albany Welcome Center, the library, City Hall, and possible other locations. The directory would list the various groups, what type of help they are willing to provide, and their contact information. Persons who need assistance could call the coordinator for the group that is identified as being able to provide the needed service. Should this group be unable to fulfill the need, the coordinator should advise the applicant accordingly, and perhaps assist him or her in finding someone else who might be able to help. Alternately, the coordinator might direct the applicant to our Resource Guide or the VPRC directory, for other sources of assistance. The second opportunity to volunteer would be with our “Albany Goes to Work” project. This project will be in partnership with the Albany Revitalization Committee and Albany Community Betterment and is planned twice yearly, in the spring and fall. This is a city-wide project targeting older adults and disabled adults who need help with yard and gutter work and general outside cleanup. Weatherization would also be included in fall projects.
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Visionary Partnership for a Rural Community