SeniorLinks Neighbors Helping Neighbors 55 and Older A program of the City of Orlando Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement SeniorLinks... Welcome to SeniorLinks The purpose of SeniorLinks is to create a network among the City of Orlando's homeowners/neighborhood or resident associations to identify and establish regular contact with isolated senior citizens living in their neighborhoods. SeniorLinks is a grass roots initiative which is easily tailored by the homeowners/neighborhood association to fit the needs of the neighborhood's residents who are 55 years and older. SeniorLinks is a partnership involving your homeowners/neighborhood association, the City of Orlando Mayor's Committee on Aging, the City of Orlando Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement, SENIORSFIRST, Inc., and the Central Florida Health and Human Services Information Helpline. 7 Steps to Implementing SeniorLinks Through Your Neighborhood Association Elect or appoint a SeniorLinks Liaison to your association board or create a SeniorLinks Committee Inform the Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement (CNE)by mailing in the SeniorLinks Information Form Recruit SeniorLinks volunteers in your neighborhood Schedule a training session with the Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement Identify seniors interested in receiving SeniorLinks information Distribute information periodically to senior neighbors Report program progress and activities to the homeowner/neighborhood association and the Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement Neighborhood Benefits Contributes to the quality of life in the neighborhood Identifies special needs of neighbors Educates senior citizens about local programs, including emergency preparedness Engages youth and families in regular communication with seniors Promotes neighbors helping neighbors Individual Benefits Neighbors get to know neighbors Neighborhood support system helps senior citizens with everyday concerns and needs Seniors learn about and use resources to address social, economic and health needs Projects & Ideas Here are a few suggestions and ideas to promote SeniorLinks and to keep your senior residents involved in their neighborhood: Host a morning coffee or other get together for the seniors. Invite seniors to association meetings and ask neighbors to escort them to and from the meetings. Encourage social gatherings and outings among the senior citizens. Recruit neighbors to become SeniorLinks volunteers. Set a time before or after regular association meetings for senior social time. SeniorLinks Information -Yes, I/we want to start SeniorLinks in our neighborhood. Neighborhood/Homeowner Association Name: Contact Person: Name Address Phone Best Time to be reached E-mail (if available) Return to: Molly Kostenbauder, SeniorLinks Facilitator, City of Orlando, Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement P.O. Box 4990, Orlando, FL 32802-4990 Fax: 407.246.3508 City of Orlando For additional information about SeniorLinks program, contact: Milly Kostenbauder Office of Communications & Neighborhood Enhancement 400 South Orange Avenue, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 4990 Orlando, FL 32802-4990 407-246-3971 molly.kostenbauder@cityoforlando.net Orlando Citizen Corp. This material is based upon work supported by the Corporation for National & Community Service under Grant No. 02SVHFL004. Opinions or points of view expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of, or a position that is endorsed by the Corporation.