A 501 (c) (3) tax-exemptorganization
www.montclairgateway.org
Dear Friends,
if you are 55 or older or have loved ones who are, you will want to know what the Gateway to Aging in Place (mGAP) is doing for you and what you can do to help.
Simply stated, our cause is to enable us to “age in place” as we grow older, to remain in the communities with the friends we have grown to love over the years. We should not be forced to move somewhere unfamiliar and live among strangers because we can no longer keep up with the cost of our housing, have difficulty with stairs and hallways due to limited agility, or require caregiving assistance we cannot afford.
To address this, mGAP has undertaken two initiatives: to expand the housing options available and to enable seniors to access social services.
The first is pretty self-evident. Obviously, you can’t age in place if you don’t have a place. We have spent two years advocating for the “missing middle” housing known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), and a new ordinance supporting our effort is nearing approval by the Town Council. It won’t cover all the housing needs, but it is a big start.
The second is also essential. There is a range of services and benefits available to us, but they are accessible only through the internet. In the 21st century, the internet is the infrastructure, and not being on it is a form of social isolation. Many of our older residents lack such access or simply don’t know how to use it. mGAP has made a major investment of time and resources to provide learning opportunities in this arena.
The real heroes in this struggle are donors who have supported our efforts through our first two years – donors who have contributed more than $50,000 to advance our cause because they recognize that empowering our senior citizens is the right thing to do. These include members of Gateway’s Board of Directors, friends and relatives, and donor-advised foundations.
Several of them have also created a Matching Fund to assist those of you who contribute to this Giving Tuesday kick-off of our end-of-the-year fundraising campaign. That means that every dollar you donate today will be matched, your $10 gift will net us $20, your $25 will gain us $50, and onwards and upwards. C’mon. Be a Hero!
Donate by clicking directly on either of these options : PayPal or Venmo
or send snail mail to:
Montclair Gateway to Aging in Place, PO Box 144, Verona, NJ 07044-998]
We also need volunteers to work with us in achieving our mission. That includes:
Communications/outreach
Event planning and management
Legal services (Eldercare, wills, etc.)
Internet technology
Home repairs/grounds maintenance
Your own idea
If so inclined, please fill out this survey to let us know what you think and what you will do to help.
Although we thank you in advance, we will thank you again after this Giving Tuesday is behind us.
Frank Millspaugh
Development Vice-President
(86 y.o. and still planning ahead)