Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in EBR, The Walls Project has been hosting weekly video calls with leaders of nonprofits, foundations, city government, and local businesses from a
cross the parish. The intention of these weekly community check-ins is to share information and resources to help the Baton Rouge community respond and recover from the pandemic. Weekly topics range from access to basic needs such as food, medical care, and safety to thought-leaders' insights on equitable opportunities for youth enrichment, nonprofit financial solvency, surge in unemployment, and the disproportionate impact on impoverished neighborhoods in regards to accessing fresh food.
'Resident-Led Community Development'
Public Housing + Community Health - Part III
Meeting Notes Prepared by Zoë Haddad (Walls Project)
Jazzika Matthews (Director of Operations, Safe Hopeful Healthy)
Violence is one of the largest issues we are dealing with
Safe, Hopeful, Healthy strives to address violence specifically through a framework of community based public safety programming
One of our flagship projects is the Baton Rouge Community Street Team - folks from the community utilizing their relationships as credible messengers to interrupt violence
Hired nine individuals within 70802 and 70805 who will serve in two roles: High Risk Interventionists and Community Navigators
Interventionists are like first responders - they are on the ground right away utilizing relationships they already have and are building as HRI, offer support to families
Community Navigators are supports to the families of our high risk mentees, come in and offer services and infiltrate those high risk individuals’ families to create an ecosystem of support
School based intervention social workers are being placed within the schools of Istrouma, Glen Oaks, Scotlandville, Capitol High, and McKinnley
We are charging them with working outside the four walls of the schools in partnership with Our Lady of the Lake Health Care Centers and Schools
Must be folks from the community who know the area, the families
Also starting the Public Safety Round Table - bringing everyone together in one room who have an interest in public safety. Experts along with community members who can really talk about what’s going on and get answers from both sides
Resident Leaders is our final flagship
Marlee Pittman (Mid City Redevelopment Alliance)
Wanted to talk about the strategy around training residents and how that connects to housing
Brief history of housing: early 20th century American cities saw housing next to factories and shops, dense tenements with immigrants living in close proximity. The plague of the early 20th century changed people’s perspectives, that this was a bad way to live as plague spread among people living close together. The movement to spread people out was born out of that. All of the federal subsidizing after WWII led to the suburbs being born. Federal government owned public housing prior to this - apartment complexes with both white and black families, middle class, well kept up, didn’t have the present stigma. Abandoned those out of the belief they were unsafe - that is, white families moved out to the suburbs and spread out. It was actually illegal to integrate federal housing. There was a compromise made at the US Congress - no integration if you want federal dollars
All that to say, it is not an accident how Baton Rouge is - it was federal policy
Policy made without residents at the table giving input - our belief is that you will never have equity without those residents being a part of those conversations and decisions
Courtney Scott, Geno and I brainstormed what we can do to change the face of development in our city...that’s where resident-led development came out
How do we get resources to them, empower residents to lead that change
That’s where Safe, Hopeful Neighborhoods came in
Give residents the connections to power to help them achieve their goals
Geno McLaughlin (Build Baton Rouge)
About the Resident Leader Academy:
Serves EBR residents in low to moderate income neighborhoods expressing an interest in becoming more involved in the community
Resident-led is what we were thinking about in trying to design this program
Oftentimes things take a top-down approach but we wanted take a grassroots approach, to look at who has power, who has the opportunity to affect change - it should be the residents that live there
Targeted five specific neighborhoods to empower those residents to make positive developments in their own neighborhoods
Educate on best practices and how to utilize city parish resources and improve quality of life for the community
Seven sessions starting Saturday June 5 - July 31
Skills Covered: Leadership, Community Organizing, Building Coalitions, Marketing and Communication, Project Planning and Evaluation, Managing Project Budget & Grant Writing
Panel topics: City-Parish and You!, Community Development, Blight, and Housing, Community Organizing for Your Neighborhood, The History of Community Revitalization and the Color of Law, Neighborhood Strategies for Crime, Community Stabilization and Creative Placemaking
The goal is for these residents to be able to organize together, start Civic Associations, and have the resources to fund these organizations, to plug in to areas beyond housing like violence prevention, race and equity, healthcare, whatever it is in their neighborhoods
Manny Patole (Co-City Baton Rouge)
Work with Professor Clayton Gillette, Sheila Foster, Krystle Okafor, and Demetris Causer
We’re trying to build on the concept of navigational capacity of residents along with community economic development
Our idea is a community land bank - hybrid of a community land trust and a land bank
Land banks are government-entities that have something called disposition problem, able to acquire properties but not put them into activity for public use
Land trusts have acquisition problems, meaning they have difficulty acquiring land
What happens after they return to private ownership is typically out of land bank’s purview
Affordability is left to the whim of the marketplace, upkeep is left to the new owners and occupancy is dependent on the owners’ ability to make mortgage payments
We’re looking at building one of these new community land banks to meet community needs
Krystle’s research goes a bit more into the bylaws and governance, board structure, decision making processes
Demetris Causer (Build Baton Rouge)
Research and gather internal documents from community land trusts and land banks throughout the nation, which included contacting COTs and speaking to executive presidents to understand how they function, how they’ve grown, how they’ve dealt with issues, etc. Those include the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust in Richmond, VA, Fruit Belt Community Land Trust in Buffalo, NY, and the Guadalupe Development Corporation in Austin, TX
Gather Articles of Incorporation, by laws, Memorandum of Understanding
Define state compliance requirements, research Louisiana law specifically, understanding and outlining requirements for creating a nonprofit entity which is what this entity will become to pass that off to Manny and the team
Coalition Questions and Discussion
Reverend Anderson (PREACH): Why do we assume renters are less invested in safety than homeowners? Much of our zoning, tax code and incentives are not about building sustainable rental communities but creating the environment for high crime situations. For example: Tigerland, where the allowance of a high alcohol/drug business culture takes precedence over a safe and livable community. Marlee Pittman: With the history of assumptions of renters vs. homeowners - we’re breaking that down. Being a home ownership is not for everybody, being a renter doesn’t mean you’re less than. It’s changing in our field. I think you can correlate who has been home owners and who has been renters and how that has helped lead to the opinion that homeowners are great, engaged, happy, safe neighbors whereas renters are not. I also want to talk about zoning. Zoning is why you get things like a propensity for daiquiri shops next to rental housing and not middle class homes. Geno McLaughlin: I think we can all agree that renters and homeowners alike are just as deserving of a safe, hopeful, healthy community...no pun intended. They really are. I think that’s what this collaborative is designed to do. There are experts in different fields who in their own way can add to the conversation and bring about that result. You have to be intentional about planning and designing a neighborhood that reflects the goals we hope to see. When Manny and Demetris are talking about community land trusts and land banks, we’re talking about preventing displacement in advance. As we’re building these new developments it's not just about building pretty facades but mixed use developments with mixed income individuals and families together in a prosperous landscape Manny Patole: With a healthy city, you need that mixed portfolio. With zoning, neighborhoods have to have access to wraparound services as well. Transportation, healthcare, childcare, activities and work opportunities. The idea of having all those available services in addition to housing makes the city a better place to be.
Reverend Anderson: Our policies are very racialized. They incentivize negative industries to be in certain communities. I was thinking about the conversation last week where the COA is doing their village project about building specific assets for their particular community. I brought up Tigerland because it’s now becoming a policing state. What was built by policy, zoning, and incentives is being treated like nobody could see what was going to happen there. Second, I’ve worked with HUD a long time and a lot of these initiatives sound like the 90s initiatives. In every community, there’s always a “mother” in that neighborhood that knows everything, the energy, the heartbeat, fill in the blank. If those people are being asked who is a community leader as opposed to people who are considered acceptable...I’d like to ask Geno to touch that one. Geno McLaughlin: With the Resident Leader Academy, we want those individuals...I want to deep dive and talk to that block captain. There are individuals already doing the work but they don’t get any sort of headlines….oftentimes what we find is they’re not talking to each other. We want to plug residents into real organizing training, into city and government resources. While we wait on the government to do some of these things, the power is in our hands to change our own community. Manny Patole: A lot of the work we’ve been doing is helping those local leaders understand the language to make a change as well. A lot of those local leaders don’t know the language for interacting with others in those areas of power, how to leverage those relationships to make changes. The idea of navigational capital is a huge component. Marlee Pittman: Very quickly, wanted to speak to some of the challenges...when you have multiple nonprofits and city agencies working hand in hand, each person has things that are deeply important to them. The hill that Geno was always willing to defend to the end was that the residents involved can’t just be politically palatable. He is very intentional that he wants those grassroots residents.
Rinaldi Jacobs (Scotlandville CDC): In general, housing is the bedrock for attracting other businesses, entrepreneurs...It is the driver for economic change. The problem we run into a lot is that, in Scotlandville, the CDC has been that conduit. There needs to be that conduit in the community to address the needs of housing, either through city government or public/private partnerships. I don’t want to move out my neighborhood - someone was killed down the street the other day, but I still want to live in my North Baton Rouge neighborhood.
SK Groll (Walls Project): I’m thinking about the safety program discussed at the beginning and what MOUs or other understandings are in place with the police department. Jazzika Matthews: The relationship between law enforcement is expected to be amicable but it is not expected that our street team report things to law enforcement. They are charged with gathering information and using their efforts to intervene. It’s possible they may come to our street team for support but we are not putting them in a position where they are offering up information to law enforcement. Chief Paul is on board and has been since the beginning. They are supporting the effort but from the background. It must be perceived and positioned as community based.
Pat LeDuff (CADAV): Thinking back thirty years ago when we started this model with Scotlandville CDC. The missing component was policy changes. Who’s working on that? If we don’t change some of those policies the money won’t come where we need it to come. We need an intentional act to make sure that the people making decisions are intentional about bringing resources into communities. There's money on the table that we can’t get to people. Organizations like ours need help building capacity to get to the next level. The Academy’s going to be awesome - I’m going to be in the Academy. But things are ever changing - to get businesses into our community, what has stopped us? What’s been the barrier? It’s around the city. You have people working on their block and they’re going nowhere. We need to make sure we can help people make a difference after they get the training. Marlee Pittman: For every neighborhood that graduates they will receive $2500 for a project that they need, that they design. That’s a step in the right direction but we are on the receiving end of city funds for development purposes. Geno McLaughlin: There’s money that built into this structure to be funneled to CDCs, Civic Associations, starter funds...we have actually put dollars into the budget to be able to assist. There’s technical assistance as well. Marlee Pittman: We can help pay for attorneys, pay registration fees with the Secretary of State. Pat LeDuff: What about the clearing of titles with the land? We need that. Marlee Pittman: We didn’t want to duplicate that and/or pull money from the experts for a new program that wouldn’t necessarily be the best use of funds. There are ways this country and this city could be funding affordable housing…but like you said earlier, that’s big policy change and it’s not in the hands of Geno nor I. It’s frustrating. Pat LeDuff: And environmentals...enough enough enough! Fix the problem.
Gretchen Siemers (Build Baton Rouge): Thinking about the housing stabilization piece in terms of renting vs. home ownership...My professional career was in California prior to moving here. Thinking about tenants rights, my babysitter just got evicted, thirty days notice, for no real reason. What I’m thinking about is trying to figure out if there’s anything that prohibits us from including some kind of tenants rights to stabilize those neighborhoods that do have lots of renters. Something I’ll have to work with the team on to figure out. Geno McLaughlin: You and I should connect. I’m doing some work with tenants rights. That’s an action we might want to think through further. Alfreda Tillman Bester (Children and Family Services): First I want to respond to Gretchen because there’s an immediate need - the SU Law center does have assistance for people being evicted. Call Professor Yolanda Singleton Martin. (225) 771-4900. I love the projects you are putting together. There are so many things we know we need to be addressing right now including the empowerment of the people living in the communities. First there has to be properly resourced investment in our communities. The only way we’ll know what investments need to be made is if we ask the people who live there. I grew up in an African American community. We knew what we needed. Economic opportunity has to be there. If we know we have food deserts, stores need to hire people in the community. It’s about being a part of the community, integrating the community and projects - economic development, healthcare, affordable housing. We know what needs to be done. People are engaged most of the time in crime because they have no opportunity and no hope.
Dr. Tony Jones (UFL): I’m a faith based organizer - I take the faith community and connect them to the needs of the community at present. Working with the education system in EBR and racial justice. Co-founded a group called UFL (United Faith Leaders), trying to connect them with needs. I teach faith and leadership at a Bible college locally. What I’m trying to find out is how I can connect this group with the needs you’re talking about, whether it's housing or anything. Casey Phillips (Walls Project): You and I are going to chop it up over some coffee, sir, at your earliest convenience.
Zoom Chat
08:22:33 From Walls Project to Everyone: Good morning, we’ll start at 8:30!
08:32:08 From Welch, Kelly S to Everyone: Hope you feel better VERY soon! <3
08:39:40 From Kevin Guitterrez to Everyone: Echoing Kelly’s well wishes! Take care, Casey!
08:40:51 From herstory to Everyone: This is all wonderful! Thank you Jazzika.
08:41:46 From Flitcher.R. Bell to Everyone: Great programs you are beginning Jazzika! Please put your contact information in he chat.....
08:42:04 From Jazzika Matthews to Everyone: Jazzika Matthews
08:42:06 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Is there any effort to asset map neighborhoods and allow those communities to decide who is credible partner to prevent not respond? Particularly empowering through neighborhood watchs, inclusion of renters and young people and putting simple safety tools like good lighting, sidewalks, free and available after and out of school programming.
08:42:26 From Jazzika Matthews to Everyone: Jazzika Matthews 225-242-9161 jnmatthews@brla.gov
08:44:21 From HAWF Team to Everyone: If you want to explore this history more deeply, I highly recommend The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein.
08:44:43 From Jazzika Matthews to Everyone: Baton Rouge Community Street Team; School Based Outreach; Public Safety Roundtable
08:45:54 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Why do we assume renters are less invested in safe than homeowners? Much of our zoning, tax code and incentives are not about building sustainable rental communities but creating the environment for high crime situations. For example: Tigerland, where the allowance of a high alcohol/drug business culture takes precedence over a safe and livable community.
08:47:04 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Safehopefulyneighborhoods.com
08:50:19 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Skills Covered: Leadership, Community Organizing, Building Coalitions, Marketing and Communication, Project Planning and Evaluation, Managing Project Budget & Grant Writing
08:51:11 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Panel topics: City-Parish and You!, Community Development, Blight, and Housing, Community Organizing for Your Neighborhood, The History of Community Revitalization and the Color of Law, Neighborhood Strategies for Crime, Community Stabilization and Creative Placemaking
08:51:30 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Much of that program sounds like the program focus in the 90's through HUD. May I ask how HUD and the state will partner in this effort?
08:52:47 From Pat LeDuff to Everyone: Geaux Geno- Awesome!!! Very exciting
08:53:43 From herstory to Everyone: Geno, can you put your contact information in the chat?
08:55:01 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: May I ask how much engagement was done with groups like VOTE, Capital Area Reentry Coalition and other groups that are either formerly incarcerated led or work closely with currently or formerly incarcerated persons?
08:57:14 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: In discussing housing costs how much work is being done to build more self sustainable housing at the affordable income level (solar power/recyclable water systems, etc.)?
08:57:29 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Land bank= a large body of land held by a public or private organization for future development or sale to private developers.
08:57:31 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Land Trust = large public or private organization develops the land, often for affordable housing, where the organization maintains ownership of the land to ensure it is kept up, it maintains its affordability, and continues to build wealth for families.
08:57:32 From Geno to Everyone: Geno McLaughlin
Community Engagement- Build Baton Rouge
(225) 205-4561
08:59:17 From herstory to Everyone: Thanks Geno!
08:59:32 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Last week's call the EBRCOA talked about their senior village project. Is there any work being done to build out affordable housing communities that are not law enforcement focused but community need focused?
09:01:52 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Love your puppy!
09:02:26 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Thank you for putting that fact out there!
09:03:08 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: Here’s that url https://www.safehopefulneighborhoods.com/
09:03:21 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Thanks, Chris!
09:05:00 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Density creates affordability!
09:05:11 From christian to Everyone: Many states/cities have mandated that all apartments are mixed income.
09:06:04 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone: Congrats on launching the leadership program. I know that has been a big effort. Have you all also considered the need to also train those who currently make decisions and manage programs and departments about how to work and collaborate with community? shared power and co-design (human-centered design)?
09:08:53 From Rinaldi Jacobs to Everyone: Financial Literacy has to be part of the bedrock to home ownership. The Scotlandville CDC has brought not only affordable housing. Housing is the kick off for attracting businesses, jobs, and entrepreneurship
09:09:15 From SK Groll to Everyone: Thanks for the presentation! In thinking about these safety initiatives, how do you separate out those community first responders from policing? How do you programmatically build community ownership of safety in a way that doesn’t just add more resources to policing?
09:09:54 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Please add your questions about the Resident Leader Academy, Safe/Healthy/Hopeful program, or about the Community Land Bank… or anything around housing/community health and placemaking
09:10:44 From Gretchen Siemers to Everyone: DeMetris: Do you happen to know if there is anything in state law that would prohibit us from including any type of tenants' rights measures or rent stabilization in the Plank Overlay District?
09:10:46 From Pat LeDuff to Everyone: Let’s talk about the financial resources that comes with the training
09:11:04 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Absolutely Pat
09:11:08 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: "talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not”-Leila Janah
09:11:28 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone: I would like to invite you to my neighborhood to talk to our block leader. She is a champion. I’m on 12th at Louisiana
09:11:54 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Yea Samantha!
09:12:49 From Gwendolyn Hamilton to Everyone: What are the recruitment and sustainability strategies for the Academy
09:13:02 From herstory to Everyone: How can schools and teachers get involved in in the safe neighborhoods/resident leadership program? I teach in the high school alternative school for expelled students and we are relocating to what was previously Brookstown Middle. Our students need supports and we will all benefit from relationships.
09:13:15 From MetroMorphosis Admin to Everyone: Yes, Geno!
09:13:25 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Can't hear Rinaldi
09:13:33 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: We are trying to take on the model of "nothing about us, without us." at the museum. So happy that there are voices being lifted througout our community.
09:14:39 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: That's better. Thank you
09:16:29 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Love that Rodneyna!
09:16:50 From SK Groll to Everyone: Thank you Jazzika!
09:16:59 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Close to one third of the violence in EBRP is domestic violence. There has to be a recognition that preventive interventions are not law enforcement based.
09:18:07 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Say that Ms. Pat!
09:18:14 From MetroMorphosis Admin to Everyone: Yes, to systems change/policy work
09:18:28 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Marlee Pittman
Director of Community Relations
Mid City Redevelopment
09:18:34 From Reginald Brown to Everyone: I have 2 ideas for The Gardere Initiative: Youth Inspired Litter Behavior Modification and "Men in the Park" Community Advisors. Both focus on long term behavioral change. Who can help me develop it: Jazzika, Geno or Marlee or all?
09:18:52 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Speakers for today, Please add your t3 action items that the coalition members can move on or provide resources to help the work move forward
09:18:55 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: it seems like a lot of this comes back to household income. The whole argument about raising the minimum wage to $15 is so insulting because it’s not nearly high enough. Even if zoning laws were changed, and there were financial incentives for developers to put in grocery stores and affordable housing, and local Govs to invest in parks and public spaces, there could still be the perception that money is being “taken” from other neighborhoods and put into these developing neighborhoods that have suffered from the racist legacy that Marlee spoke of. We always talk about how we need to allow people to move to better neighborhoods (and I understand like Rinaldi who doesn’t to leave) What about the opposite? What about announcing a huge push of funding, energy, focus on a blighted neighborhood and then incentivize people of all incomes/backgrounds to move in? Big, dense, new housing with multi-level shopping, parks, public transit, etc… An awesome place to live!
09:19:14 From Kaitlyn Joshua to Everyone: Agreed Pat!!!!
09:20:07 From SK Groll to Everyone: Christopher- totally agree about minimum wage. I worry about the overlap between redevelopment and gentrification in all these conversations
09:20:37 From Jazzika Matthews to Everyone: Jazzika Matthews; 225-242-9161 jnmatthews@brla.gov
09:22:33 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: I hear you SK. I’m from DC and it’s extraordinary how much the city has changed. I love the politics but it’s quite expensive now! Yeah, maybe there could be incentives for folks to stay. Not sure, I just always here folks suggest that people would be happy to leave their neighborhoods, but then the actual people that live there say “no thanks!” So wouldn’t want to kick people out, but integrate them - bring in housing opps and connectivity for the city
09:22:47 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: We should get McKayla Smith from Southeastern Legal in this conversation and Adrienne Wheeler from Louisiana Appleseed on this call.
09:23:13 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Can anyone tell me what the definition of affordable is?
09:23:49 From Jazzika Matthews to Everyone: Action Items for Safe Hopeful Healthy: 1. Submit resumes for School Based Outreach Workers; Community Navigators; 2. Share information of Possible High Risk Interventionist jnmatthews@brla.gov
09:24:33 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Tenants rights have not been a part of the conversation but need to be!
09:25:56 From Casey Phillips to Everyone: If all the speakers could please email us flyers with resources to include in the meeting notes - email Zoë (Zoe@thewallsproject.org).
09:25:58 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: A major report was just released regarding deaths in Louisiana prisons and jails https://www.incarcerationtransparency.org/
09:26:01 From Walls Project to Everyone: 225-771-4900
09:26:12 From Gretchen Siemers to Everyone: THANK YOU Alfreda
09:26:16 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Amen!
09:26:24 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: https://ebremergencysolutions.com/ <- Rental assistance program for people impacted by COVID
09:26:42 From Rinaldi Jacobs to Everyone: We’re circling back on Rinaldi’s feedback on the Best of 225 from earlier this year. We are going to include a piece on Black-owned restaurants in the issue. We would love quotes from some of you about your favorite Black-owned restaurant in town. If you would like to have a quote published in the magazine, please reply to this email with: —A quote about your favorite Black-owned restaurant and why you love it —Your name email jennifer@225batonrouge.com
09:27:05 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Properly resourced investment is primary.
09:28:35 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Welcome, Dr. Jones!
09:28:37 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: Rev Anderson, that’s a great point. I honestly don’t know what affordable is, but maybe there could be lending programs set up, so as to not drive down the value of existing properties. But all this cycles back to income and economic opportunity. So maybe “affordable” isn’t the right word, but higher density with zoning for commercial space and public spaces and transit
09:30:34 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Chris, I agree it really needs to be thought out but I like mixed income.
09:31:06 From Kaitlyn Joshua to Everyone: Yay!!!!! ️️
09:32:10 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Two announcements from me: Food Insecurity Coalition + STIR Labs Summit presentation on June 8 at 3pm to 4pm CDT. Registration is free here: https://stir-labs-summit-2021.webflow.io/
09:32:57 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Juneteenth event is coming to Old South too! They will be celebrating community and the designation of the Leo S. Butler Center as a historic building.
09:33:02 From Geno to Everyone: Saturday, June 19th
Juneteenth Celebration of Unity
Galvez Plaza
09:33:03 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Food Insecurity Coalition Roundtable Discussion: Our panel will discuss the food insecurity landscape of East Baton Rouge, LA, our history, the process in determining what the Food Insecurity Coalition’s collaborative efforts in this environment will be and navigating the politics of the issue.
Registration and schedule here: https://www.food-culture.org/
09:33:21 From Manny Patole to Everyone: The roundtable will be on June 12 at 8am CDT
09:33:45 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone: I would like to host a bike ride in conjunction with the caravan. My group is the Downtown East Social Ride
09:36:14 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: https://www.braamuseum.org/events
09:36:39 From Kaitlyn Joshua to Everyone: Thanks y’all !!!!!!
09:36:55 From Geno to Everyone: Thank you all!!!
09:37:09 From Jazzika Matthews to Everyone: Thank you!
09:37:10 From DeMetris Causer to Everyone: DeMetris Causer; 912-816-5893; anthonydcauser@gmail.com
09:37:36 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: EBRPPRC Caravan for Justice 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 19th
09:38:21 From David Summers to Everyone: David Summers - dsummers@partnerssoutheast.com
09:38:27 From David Summers to Everyone: 225-610-2575
09:38:39 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: EBRPPRC General Meeting Thursday, June 17th @ 6:00 p.m.
09:38:56 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Manny Patole - Manny.patole@nyu.edu Please reach out if interested in learning more about the CLB project and how you can get involved.
09:39:17 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Marlee & Geno, any info on how to get involved with the RLA for the community
09:39:35 From Pat LeDuff to Everyone: Great job guys!!
09:39:51 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone: Sign up for our newsletter at safehopefulneighborhoods.com and we’ll share resources and opportunities as they come open!
09:40:01 From Zoë - Walls Project (she/her) to Everyone: zoe@thewallsproject.org - Please email any flyers, job postings, or community announcements for circulation with the meeting notes! Thank you all so much!
09:41:37 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Last Plug for the FIC - STIR Labs Summit:https://stir-labs-summit-2021.webflow.io/ ; ASFS Conference:https://www.food-culture.org/
09:41:47 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: I want to feature a black restaurant month with Green Book!!!! \
09:42:13 From Dexter to Everyone:Sorry bout that y’all
09:42:43 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Zoe, I will send you the info about both conferences
09:42:49 From Zoë - Walls Project (she/her) to Everyone: Thank you Manny.
09:42:57 From MetroMorphosis Admin to Everyone: MetroMorphosis is also hiring!! We're looking for a business coach and a program coordinator for our small business development work. Apply on indeed
09:44:34 From MetroMorphosis Admin to Everyone: https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=75d832f97ed7056e&from=serp&prevUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indeed.com%2Fm%2Fjobs%3Fq%3DMetroMorphosis%2B%26l%3DBaton%2BRouge%252C%2BLA
09:44:35 From Pat LeDuff to Everyone: Geno let’s add the candle lighting with your event T 8
09:44:41 From Geno to Everyone:
Black Restaurant Week
@eatblackbr
'Issues Facing Seniors'
Meeting Notes Prepared by Zoë Haddad (Walls Project)
Tasha Clark-Amar (Executive Director, Council on Aging)
Council est. May 13, 1973 (48 years old)
Created in Congress by the 1965 Older American Act
Specifies a couple of objectives: afford certain traditional American concepts of inherent dignity for individuals to assist our older people to secure equal opportunity, adequate income at retirement, best possible physical and mental health, afford and maintain suitable housing with reference to special needs available at cost, comprehensive array of community based services, opportunity for employment without discrimination, efficient community servives and social service assistant
Team EBRCOA has 141 employees, 23 locations, 25 programs many of which are federally funded and state matched, lots of grant funds
5 Pillars:
One: Access to healthy, nutritious meals. Everyone knows we do Meals on Wheels but it’s more than meals - created by nutritionists, Chef Celeste is our chef. As of last year, even during COVID, we provided 1.8 million meals across the parish in 23 locations and to our homebound seniors. We’re charged with reducing hunger for seniors, attacking food insecurity and malnutrition among seniors.
Two: Breaking of social isolation. According to the National Institute on Aging, social isolation and loneliness pose higher health risks to older folks such as physical and mental conditions, high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and is a driver for Alzeihmers. We gather our seniors and do activities that promote cognitive strength - we sew, knit, do tai chi and yoga, have Senior Prom, crawfish boils, Bingo
Three: Access to decent, affordable housing. There’s 86,000+ seniors in EBRP. Of those, 42,000 seniors in this parish live on social security alone, which averages about $1300. Over half of our seniors live at 50% below the poverty line, which means their monthly social security check averages between $5-650 leaving less than $300 a month they can use for housing. A lot of our seniors live in deplorable conditions. We own one apartment complex called Dumas House, a 64 unit apartment. Just started construction on a $22 million project called Lotus Village. It will be the first senior village concept in Louisiana. 116 one bedroom age-in-place units with 56 buildings. Will have the first ever geriatric healthcare facility within the village. Will address everything they need from medical, dental, physical therapy, behavioral therapy, drug addiction therapy, any issue a senior may have, they can go to the clinic. They will have all the amenities they need…a smart home where you come in independent and leave in glory. We are planning a similar property in Baker.
Four: Access to senior transportation. 600,000 seniors stop driving every year. When you’re stuck in your home, you’re isolated. We started a free bus system with 11 buses called Lotus Drives. Pick seniors up and take them where they need to go. And we take them on activities...the senior playground (the casino with $20 each!) after the museum of course!
Five: Disaster agency for seniors. Have a seat at the Governor's Office Homeland and Emergency Preparedness. We have a list of high risk seniors on oxygen, coordinate activities relative to their safety in any disaster, get sandbags, help evacuate, etc.
We have an onsite food pantry, open air market/grocery store/farmers market/deli...Opened the first ever intergenerational center where the youth and seniors come together. We were just awarded with a new program from IBM, Volunteers with Public Schools, and Tara and Capitol High called the CITECH Program where the seniors and youth teach each other. This summer they will meet three times a week and do activities where each young person has a senior mentor.
Priscilla D. Allen PhD, LMSW (Professor in Aging and Geriatrics, LSU)
Representing the LSU School of Social Work, been a faculty member for 20 years after coming from Connecticut
Started as a Meals on Wheels coordinator then moved to a nursing home as a designee with 120 residents. Served as a social worker then opened a nursing home before realizing I wanted to do more to advocate for residents rights
I’m talking about the intersect of ageism and the fatality of COVID deaths in nursing homes
0.06% of the population resides in nursing homes. In terms of large data, it’s a very small part of the population. But upwards of 40% of COVID deaths occured in nursing homes
The data are showing not just the reality that COVID was so deadly for our nursing home residents but that it exposed a problem already there
Nursing homes are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars - the health departments come in for inspections. No surprise, the most at risk nursing homes had the highest number of people of color, lower staff ratios, higher turnover of staff...social isolation is one of the most predictive features of studies of quality of life, mortality rates
Ageism was really unearthed because nursing homes already at risk had the highest rates of death. In LA we have 277 nursing homes. LA was not in the top 5 in the nation (broken down by number of deaths per 100,000) but we were something like seventh. There were states with very high reported COVID deaths in nursing homes, some 50%
There’s a dashboard in LA and reporting rates were very irregular...the data say that the residents who died of COVID died because of staff bringing COVID to the facilities, without PPE and proper hygiene and infection control
We worked nationwide and when they could show up the calls were ghastly...they were waiting to move people out, there were refrigerated trucks outside the nursing homes...so we must do something continually to provide more advocacy for our nursing home residents, more knowledge of what goes on, and focusing on those with highest risk
Craig Kaberline (Executive Director, Capital Area Agency on Aging)
Been with the CAAA for the last year, been dealing with aging issues for about 16 years
Also worked in residential with people with developmental disabilities and dealt with mental health in schools
We cover Older Americans Act basic programs as well as employment programs across 13 parishes
COVID brought a lot of challenges across our program
We have resources and information to hook seniors up with programs around the area
Health and wellness programs have also been a challenge during the pandemic but it’s key to keep our seniors outdoors, healthy, and socially involved
Talking about social isolation and transportation, it’s a big part - giving up a vehicle is one of those last pieces of independence
It plays in to the other big issues of our senior population such as access to food, healthcare, other community resources
Raymond Jetson (MetroMorphosis)
Please recognize how the things we heard from Tasha, Priscilla, and Craig were interrelated with every other area we’ve talked about. None of these issues exist in isolation, which is why this collaborative effort is so important.
The other thing I’d like to emphasize is the connection and the deeply entrenched impact of poverty on seniors. We often think of poverty, its consequences and impact on families and children but we must see the impact on seniors.
One of the special things about this work is that we ultimately find our community. It’s not about the specific issue, but it is people concerned about making this community better.
Tasha lifted up the notion of intergenerational activities. I would suggest that that is a critical driver in all of our work. Those who are aging in our community do not exist separate and apart from younger folks. There is value in connecting those generations.
Finally, a critical element of this work is rooting this in data - what we feel and see is important but if we are going to make a difference it has to be grounded in data.
Coalition Questions and Discussion
Pat LeDuff (CADAV): Wanted to also add the issue of grandparents raising grandchildren...we have assistance for the children but we need to think about the grandparents.
Tyler Litt (NSBR): The first question is around geriatric mental health and counseling. Are there local programs centered around not just memory loss but actual trauma informed counseling? Second, are there any organizations utilizing the Senior Corps program where seniors can work for a year and then use that educational award for themselves or gift it to an immediate family member? Tasha Clark-Amar: When we have issues with our seniors, we normally refer them to Ocean’s Behavior and Care South. Those are two entities that have wrapped counseling in a nice package relative to seniors’ mental health. We don’t utilize the Senior Corps Program. Pat LeDuff: Scotlandville CDC has gone through AARP through the last 7 years. We don’t have paid staff - we go through them and they are awesome. They are usually retired from HR, retired from hospitals, and they do an awesome job running CDC and CADAV.
Ann Zanders (BRCC): Back in 2016 when the flood occurred, we were partnering with a few agencies that dealt with specific challenges. What bothered me was that those seniors who were deaf hardly had any assistance. There was no electricity, they were isolated and so afraid. So now in 2021, has anything occurred to change that compounded isolation for those seniors who are also challenged with being blind or deaf? I love what Tasha said about getting the intergenerational group together because we were even looking at, and I hope we still can, work with AARP to teach senior volunteers signing so that they could have enough capacity to volunteer and partner with a senior with other challenges, help them in their day to day life Tasha Clark-Amar: We work with some groups - we provide tablets for them so they can communicate with us, specific Bingo cards, accommodations for activities, etc. I don’t have it in front of me, but contact me so I can get you that information.
Pam Wall: Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge has over 1,500 applications for home modifications for low-income, elderly homeowners and, with only part time staff, can address only 150 a year......many homes they have addressed with adaptations really need to be demolished. How can we address this as a community? Our goal is to keep seniors in their homes longer by making them more safe and healthy. Tasha Clark-Amar: We signed a CEA prior to the pandemic to start working on home modification projects with them and we had committed some dollars to start this project that got delayed because of the pandemic, but it is our intent to pick that project back up. We also sent a letter to help them with a federal grant they are applying for. We want to help whittle down these applicants and work with the city to address these issues. We want to make sure our seniors live as long as possible, as independently, as possible...we look forward to reestablishing this program.
Manny Patole (Co-City): Are there programs to help access Medicaid resources using pooled trusts? Tasha Clark-Amar: We have licensed Medicaid and Medicare counselors in office who I can connect you to. Priscilla Allen: Somebody put AARP as a resource for general areas of interest. There’s a powerhouse lawyer who knows so much about adjudication, conservatorship...there are people out there who help with that. Manny Patole: As we learn about the ALICE population, there are folks who have homes but because of their assets are limited to accessing Medicaid in addition to their Medicare benefits. The idea of using a pool trust helps remove that balance that would prohibit them from accessing Medicaid into an account that’s no longer considered part of that individual's money. That money can then be put in a trust used to pay for other bills. I only found out about this over the last three years because of my mother’s situation...the idea of being too rich for certain things but too poor for other things and a lot of the elderly - a lot of us - are in that same boat
Casey Phillips: I was just thinking about Pam and the rebuild needing more resources, the quick list would be AMIKids, SVP, Serve Louisiana, AmeriCorps, City Year, veteran groups Pam Wall: The group Silver Hammers has been a huge resource. A lot of people don’t realize that Rebuilding Together has 6 part-time staff. They do 150 homes a year, the low cost high impact things like rails, levers instead of door knobs, lighting, and grab bars. The problem is a lot of the homes just need to be rebuilt because they don’t do things like sheetrocking, except for the flood. AARP and Red Cross gave them in the years since 2016 almost a million dollars. They actually did total rebuilds of houses that were flooded and had a lot more corporate volunteers to do that. There was a recent HUD grant that was going to allow...the thing is the federal government is realizing there will probably not be enough nursing home beds for the baby boomers who will need them. They are realizing the longer you can keep your seniors in their homes, healthy and safe, the less the burden on nursing home beds. There were several people on this Zoom who were very helpful in getting us support. In 70805, the demographic data is abysmal. The Feds wanted grantees to focus on elderly that were 80% of AMI. Right now Rebuilding Together does 30-50% AMI and still can’t serve the people who really need just things like grab bars in the shower.
Raymond Jetson: I lifted up Pam’s comments because I think they are really instructive in a couple of ways. The work at the heart of all these folks' efforts, specifically the organization Pam mentioned, should remind us that the needs facing our community and those aging in our community is more than any one organization can accomplish. It is impossible for Rebuilding Together to meet the structural needs by themselves. Secondly, the real life experiences of those aging in our communities will not be addressed by a single intervention. Even if Rebuilding Together had a staff of a thousand people and money to rebuild every home, that would not eliminate isolation, food insecurity, poverty, and other issues being addressed in our community. It is beyond the scope of any one intervention. Every day, 10,000 people turn 65. That will happen until the year 2030. This is not something that’s going to go away. It’s only going to grow in its immense impact in our community. Tasha Clark-Amar: And add to that we are living fifteen years past the life expectancy. Seniors are living beyond what’s expected. Wednesday I went and celebrated four seniors in the Scotlandville area who turned 100 at the same time.
Casey Phillips: Korey Patty and Reverend Anderson both asked something really important - what are the opportunities for policy improvements at the local/state level that would impact senior outcomes. And Reverend Anderson asked did you all see COVID decrease the power of the senior population at the legislature? Tasha Clark-Amar: I felt like our voice was louder this year. Seniors were the population affected worst. Federally we received quite a bit as it relates to the CARES Act, second and third round. They paid attention to seniors first because we lost quite a few seniors. The state mimicked what the Feds did. I don’t think we lost our footing on many things relative to policy with seniors. From my perspective we’re in a good stand point relative to our policies. Policies can always improve but sometimes it’s good to leave well enough alone.
Reverend Anderson (PREACH): We are seeing a frighteningly high number of seniors come through the parish prison and a lot of them are related to serious mental illness, dementia, and domestic violence cases. Because LA is the number one incarcerator in the world, we have one of the highest aging incarcerated populations as well as one of the highest formerly incarcerated populations that consists of seniors because the sentences are so long. Do any of the presenters have programs specifically either educating the criminal justice system on the particular special needs of senior populations and/or servicing those populations whether it’s in a facility programming to help seniors or working with groups like VOTE to help them navigate getting seniors into programs? Tasha Clark-Amar: We have been wrapping services around those that are formerly incarcerated as they come out. We have a program we work with that calls us as they come out. We provide material aid, access to housing, and help them get set up. Started a reentry program relative to employment. We have quite a few, maybe 25, reentry employees who are actually some of my best employees. We have a program where we have aligned with the Dept of Corrections. Relative to the pet piece [in the chat], we have a pet program where we were funded by National Meals on Wheels where we provide pet food quarterly, pet vaccinations...they love it.
Chris Spalatin (LSU): I’m wondering what the demographics are of the senior population in EBR, what their status is, if they’re living in a single family home, public housing, if they’re homeless, if it’s a multigenerational household along with any other demographic data which might help set the stage for what benefits could target certain groups. Tasha Clark-Amar: You can call the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs. They have the official statement. It’s also on their website.
Priscilla Allen: Thank you everyone. Iowa has a really good nursing home network, so if you know people, specifically social workers, put them in touch with me and I’ll put them in touch with the network.
Craig Kaberline: Look forward to helping solve some of these issues we all face in the populations we serve.
Tasha Clark-Amar: Thank you for having me - I’m going to add some links to the chat and I’ll be sending you all an invite to the grand opening of this intergenerational center with is June 18 and we have the 25 programs we do so if you have a senior that needs something please reach out to us.
Overtime Conversation/Community Announcements
Ann Zanders: These two organizations are phenomenal. The work Tasha and Craig are involved in is critical to the healthy living of folks with early onset disease as well. Lastly want to say that Dr. Allen spearheaded an effort for Capitol Area Agency on Aging and our symposium Aging Well in Louisiana in November. It’s really for practitioners and people who engage seniors, to educate them on misconceptions we have on serving the aging population.
Reverend Anderson: I wanted to add it’s critical that we take care of the caretakers as well. If we don’t take care of them, they can’t take care of their loved ones.
Casey Phillips: I think it’s a missing part of the national conversation - another barrier of poverty is equal pay. Look at the impact of COVID on women in the workforce. There’s a lot of dialogue around childcare but not around the very obvious question of senior care that’s also factoring into the workforce shifts. We’re having too narrow a conversation when we talk about equity in the workforce.
Sherreta Harrison (MetroMorphosis): I wanted to lift up that I attended a conference around intergenerational relationship building and one of the high school kids said “I don’t know why we keep having this conversation, I feel like youth should be included in every conversation because after all we are the future.” We know it, but hearing a young person say, why am I not included in every conversation as opposed to youth issues stuck with me. Even though we’re talking about older adults, high schoolers will be future older adults. We’ve got to start including young people in these conversations early.
Rinaldi Jacobs: We really need to drill down and focus on making sure that if a younger person has to go live with a grandparent and make housing decisions that they have clear understanding and ownership of the property. This really goes back to Katrina. Part of that intergenerational wealth...look at all the young people being raised by grandparents. If the grandmother dies, they end up losing the house because nobody has proof of ownership. Alfreda Tillman Bester: Our research at SU Vulnerable Communities and Peoples Initiative tells us the biggest predictor of dying in poverty is being born in poverty. We’re trying to breach that gap through policy. We know that people’s assets are considered when they are determined eligible for Medicaid benefits, the “value of their assets”. That’s a policy we really need to start looking at. Nobody asks corporations to pledge their property when they receive tax benefits. We need the same kind of things in families. There tends to be intergenerational living arrangements. If the property is taken away it doesn’t just affect the family member entering a nursing home, it impacts the whole family. It’s good to be on this call because it brings it all home. Kudos to Tasha for the intergenerational commitment you have. If there’s not clear planning and preparation...a lot of things are impeded by policy.
Reverend Anderson: The BREC bill was defeated...two of our jewels, the park and our library system, and the Council on Aging quite frankly, are always targeted for having those dedicated tax dollars be somehow recouped for other purposes or private entities. While it was a victory to have it defeated, it was also a bill pushed with little to no support from the community. The session is still going on until June 10. I encourage everyone to get down there and show their faces, say we are citizens and we want to check out what’s going on. We are putting our Bail Education posters in all the BREC community centers. I’ve mentioned before that cash bail is one of the biggest drivers of poverty in low and no wealth families, particularly as we’re talking about seniors, a lot of grandmothers will put their house or their savings up to make sure a grandchild is not kept in a dangerous place. We have two community bail funds: Bail Project and YWCA. There are options for families. They don’t have to take money from education and rent. You don’t know which families have been impacted by incarceration. There are people who need this information who will never ask you for it because it’s not the type of thing we have in public. But having these flyers is really helpful. We have that relationship with BREC but I’m offering it to everybody.
Alfreda Tillman Bester: One of the things we’ve seen is that a lot of people will pledge their homes without understanding what they’re doing. I think Dr. Bell will agree with me...what I do as an attorney...do not pledge your home no matter what you do. It can actually be lost and there are courts that will take them. Flitcher Bell: Sometimes their emotional ties get caught up more than logical thinking. They do it thinking it’s just to get that person out. They don’t understand that that bond is set. We need to spread that information and insight on their actual true obligations.
Zoom Chat
8:43:22 From Gerri Hobdy to Everyone: Thank you Tasha!
08:43:38 From Karla King - concerned citizen to Everyone: Great information from Council of Aging - wow.
08:45:29 From Alfreda Tillman Bester to Everyone: Thank you, Tasha.That was EXCELLENT & very informative!!!
08:55:30 From Tasha Clark-Amar to Everyone: Tasha Clark-Amar: tamar@ebrcoa.org; Office Number: 225-923-8000; Cell: 225-281-6941 or Trudy Bihm-Howard: tbihm@ebrcoa.org; Cell: 225-454-2355
08:57:23 From Casey Phillips to Everyone: Please begin putting your questions into the chat for our speakers
08:57:42 From Manny Patole to Everyone: I am also working through my own elder care issues with my mother, so this is an important topic. For the Panelists - Are there programs to help access medicaid resources using pooled trusts?
08:59:11 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Unfortunately because Louisiana has such a high percentage of elderly prisoners and formerly incarcerated persons I wondered if any of the guests have programming directed to these populations whether behind bars or upon release in the community,
08:59:24 From Tyler Litt to Everyone: I would love to hear about geriatric mental health and/or counseling programs
09:00:21 From Mary Bergeron to Everyone: Please share your insights into the political landscape related to this topic. Who are the political stakeholders, what are their interests, and how is that played out in legislative decision making? For example, talk about the interests of those who own retirement/nursing homes versus those who live in them.
09:00:56 From Ann Zanders to Everyone: Any comment on those who are aging and have other challenges such as blindness or being deaf
09:01:05 From Tyler Litt to Everyone: Are there any organizations utilizing Senior Corps?
09:01:39 From Korey Patty to Everyone: What are the opportunities for policy improvements at the local and state level that would impact senior outcomes?
09:01:52 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: We have increasingly been seeing more seniors in the EBRPP. Many of the charges are tied to SMI or domestic Violence. Has any of the speakers programs working with law enforcement agencies to educate them on topics like dementia and other age related issues.
09:03:12 From Pam Wall to Everyone: Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge has over 1,500 applications for home modifications for low-income, elderly homeowners and, with only part time staff, can address only 150 a year......many homes they have addressed with adaptations really need to be demolished. How can we address this as a community? Our goal is to keep seniors in their homes longer by making them more safe and healthy.
09:03:40 From Tyler Litt to Everyone: Thank you, Tasha.
09:04:08 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: With the impact of the pandemic did the senior population take a serious hit to their normal influence during the legislative session?
09:04:17 From Tyler Litt to Everyone: Thank you, Pat
09:06:01 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: What are the demographics of the senior population in EBR? What percentage lives in nursing homes, with family in multiple-generation home, on their own, in public housing, homeless. I imagine some programs would benefit all, but targeted efforts could be good to accommodate everyone
09:06:26 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: Excellent point about geriatric counseling - is one of our issues that we have so few geriatricians in general, and practitioners, in particular - which is changing through education such as LSU focusing on gerontological social work. Access points for clinical people could be searched through Psychology Today (lists clinical people). When I think of Oceans and Geriatric psych units, I tend to think of the most advanced psychological concerns.
09:07:10 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Great idea, Ann
09:07:15 From Raymond A. Jetson to Everyone: I want to lift up Pam Walls’ message because it is so important to our collective work…Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge has over 1,500 applications for home modifications for low-income, elderly homeowners and, with only part time staff, can address only 150 a year......many homes they have addressed with adaptations really need to be demolished. How can we address this as a community? Our goal is to keep seniors in their homes longer by making them more safe and healthy.
09:07:17 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: I'm seeing Gina Rossi later who is an expert in aging-related functioning, concerns, family dynamics.
09:08:15 From Manny Patole to Everyone: https://www.lighthouselouisiana.org/get-help#:~:text=Lighthouse%20Louisiana%20offers%20a%20full,290.
09:08:21 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Does anyone provide services for non-English speaking seniors?
09:08:32 From Gerri Hobdy to Everyone: LATAN
09:08:35 From Manny Patole to Everyone: My mother has Macular Degeneration and I have worked with Lighthouse in NYC. They are wonderful
09:11:06 From Tyler Litt to Everyone: Is there a Elder LinkedIn available for local retired persons to connect, to hone professional skills, and/or find paid senior internships or volunteer opportunities? (Similar to the one at the CDC Pat mentioned)
09:11:37 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: It appears groups like Rebuilding Together and other organizations would be a great place for those needing community service hours and government funded teen employment should be directed.
09:11:56 From Ann Zanders to Everyone: AARP Louisiana has a great network for seniors with a variety of interest
09:12:15 From Manny Patole to Everyone: I can provide background context if you would like
09:12:50 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Are folks familiar with this? I can give a quick summary if needed?
09:13:08 From Pat LeDuff to Everyone: https://form.jotform.com/211364534093149
Looking for Juneteenth story tellers and senior
volunteers
June 12 - Scotlandville Park Harding Entrance
8:30 - 1:30
09:15:11 From Tyler Litt to Everyone: Would love to learn more about pooled trusts, Manny. How do I contact you?
09:15:25 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Manny.patole@nyu.edu
09:15:43 From Manny Patole to Everyone: I am not an expert but have become familiar with it as a person setting one up for my mother.
09:16:06 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: TEAM RUBICON
09:16:09 From Reginald Brown to Everyone: LSU Life Course and Aging Center. Dr. Katie Cherry (previous director) helped Kenilworth Aging in Place group research and implement a neighbor-helping-neighbor program for our aging population.
09:17:01 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: https://teamrubiconusa.org/
09:17:23 From Manny Patole to Everyone: https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/blog/when-should-you-consider-a-pooled-trust/
09:18:56 From Ann Zanders to Everyone: This is Older Americans Month and CAAA also hosts a symposium "Aging Well in Louisiana" and Dr. Allen and her Colleagues were panelists last year. It is scheduled for November each year and the target audience are all those staff that serve seniors in any capacity. CEUs are available
09:21:15 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: For a lot of seniors being able to have or keep their pets is critical to the mental health and ability to get out of their isolation. Are any of the programs working with the pet adoption/rescue community to help connect seniors with resources that will help them keep their pets?
09:24:13 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: Loss of pets a critical area of quality of life - one of the many losses that residents face and w/COVID weren't able to see their families, and in many cases, pets. Eden Alternative homes uphold this virtue.
09:26:27 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2020/07/03/louisiana-lafayette-covid-nursing-homes-most-cases-deaths-have-history-violations-problems-infection/3193621001/
09:28:07 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Glad to hear it!
09:28:22 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: Love it
09:29:52 From Manny Patole to Everyone: Hi All, I have to hop off to another call. Great and informative call once again Thank you for the education :-)
09:30:39 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/batonrougecitylouisiana/PST045219
09:31:43 From Kelli Rogers to Everyone: Thanks everyone! Really valuable information for me professionally and as I care for aging family members. Great resources!!
09:32:42 From Kelli Rogers to Everyone: Some of that data is also available on http://www.brcitykey.com/
09:33:03 From Christopher Spalatin to Everyone: thanks Kelli!
09:33:20 From Tasha Clark-Amar to Everyone: Thank you for inviting me! Here are some links for you to review. Please visit our website at www.ebrcoa.org social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks
09:33:38 From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone: I'd like to also mention that while we are discussing the aging population, we should include youth and young adults at the table to discuss solutions.
09:33:40 From Reginald Brown to Everyone: Tasha, please talk about the new facility on Gardere Lane near Highland
09:34:00 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Absolutely!
09:34:34 From Pam Wall to Everyone: Sherreta, HUD just released a NOFA for housing homeless youth, ages 16-22, and young parents
09:35:33 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: Sheretta good point - intergenerational work is key to better outcomes !
09:38:19 From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone: Thanks Pam! And Yes! Definitely Priscilla!
09:39:27 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: Great ! Is ageist also not to include younger people in conversations about aging
09:41:36 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Estate Planning is critical
09:41:52 From Katie Pritchett, United Way to Everyone: clear titles is a huge issue!!
09:42:25 From Priscilla Allen to Everyone: Thank you, all.
09:42:42 From Reginald Brown to Everyone: Jump$tart does some financial literacy in the schools
09:43:38 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Great point!
09:45:10 From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone: Always so many great perspectives on these calls!
09:45:41 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: Was postponed. We will need to keep a look out for next session
09:45:55 From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone: ^^^^^
09:46:07 From Luke St. John McKnight to Everyone: RT
09:46:26 From Flitcher R. Bell to Everyone: AS A REMINDER....This is Memorial Day weekend (lots of travel), and the first major holiday since CDC has removed mandatory mask mandate... However less than 40% of USA adults are vaccinated...… PLEASE continue to practice wearing mask, safe distances, etc. until this virus is truly under control.... HAVE SAFE AND WONDERFUL WEKENDS!!
09:48:05 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: We are doing a Juneteeth event at CPM
09:48:30 From Gerri Hobdy to Everyone: Rodenya please share Green Book with Tasha!!!!!
09:49:45 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Cool!
09:50:33 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Yes, Gerri! Great point!
09:52:50 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: https://louisianastatemuseum.org/capitol-park-museum/exhibit/negro-motorist-green-book
09:52:52 From Lindi Rubin Spalatin to Everyone: Thank you for this conversation today. I have to run to another meeting.
09:53:31 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone: rhart@crt.la.gov; 225-229-3389
09:54:09 From Casey Phillips to Everyone: Reminder for next week’s call: 6/04 - Public Housing + Community Health - Part III
The focus of this discussion will be 'Resident-Led Community Development’ with Mayor Broome’s Safe Hopeful Healthy as the cornerstone of this movement. This topic will build well on Part I and II of our discussion around the driver of poverty 'Lack of homeownership and escalating rental costs’ from Week #40 and #54
09:57:17 From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone: Gotta jump. Have a safe and happy weekend everyone.
09:58:28 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone: Knowledge is power always!