Aging with Honor
President Dave and I met with Rick Morrow, Executive Director of the Anderson County United Way recently. The purpose of the meeting was twofold. First, for Rick to explain a new mission of the United Way of Anderson County. Second, to see whether there is any synergy between CORRE's mission and that of the United Way. While it is for the CORRE Board to determine whether there is a synergy, I felt you would be interested in the United Way mission, called Aging with Honor in Anderson County.
Did you know that nearly 22% of Oak Ridgers and 17% of all of Anderson County residents are 65 years of age or older? The national and state average is about 12%. Aging with Honor in Anderson County is a county-wide, citizen-driven, multi-year approach to developing and implementing programs and services for seniors and their caregivers. Six work groups have been formed to address the following:
1. Senior Nutrition Today approximately 130 seniors recieve a hot meal each day but another 165 need hot meals.
2. Housing and Utilities This group is looking into questions and solutions for seniors' home repair, housing and utility support.
3. Adult Safety Nearly half of Anderson County seniors have no local family. This coalition has been workng for three years already to find solutions to help seniors avoid being victimized by fradulent E-mails, sales people and other schemes targeting them.
4. Health and Home Services Almost 47% of local seniors have at least one disability and need services brought to them.
5. Caregiver Support Caregivers too often find themselves over-whelmed, isolated and burdened, and lack the resources to support their senior as they would like. This group is examing the issues and seeking resources to help these caregivers.
6. Community Education and Awareness As a community, we all too often see seniors as a burden rather than a resource. This group will examine ways to bring seniors' issues and needs to the top of mind awareness.
If you would like more information or if you believe you can be part of the United Way effort, please contact
Rick Morrow, UWAC Executive Director
483-8431 or uwayac@bellsouth.net
And, if you don't live in Anderson County and you think such a mission is needed where you live, contact Rick for information.