Local project wins “Vital Seniors” award

Members of the Chelsea Senior Center (bottom, right) pictured at the Vital Seniors awards banquet on Nov. 13, along with other award winners.

Winners of the $2.5 million prizes for the Vital Seniors: A Community Innovation Competition were recently announced by the Glacier Hills Legacy Fund (GHLF) of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF). The initiative, the largest of its kind in North America, was designed to catalyze high-impact innovation and create enduring outcomes for vulnerable seniors and their caregivers in Washtenaw County.

“We are thrilled to announce the award winners for the Vital Seniors Competition, as the culmination of this competitive 10 month process.” said Neel Hajra, AAACF’s CEO. “This is only the beginning of the work to support innovation that will create sustainable outcomes for seniors and caregivers in our community.”

The competition, which was announced by an editorial by the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation in the Oct. 1 edition of the Manchester Mirror,  yielded significant local and national interest, ultimately yielding 10 Washtenaw County nonprofit finalists that each received $20,000 capacity-building grants, mentorship and workshop opportunities. More than 8,000 people voted in the People’s Choice Awards in October after viewing videos from the finalists.

In total, six awards were announced at the Vital Seniors Community Celebration on November 13. A local project, introduced by the Chelsea Senior Center to provide a wider range of public transportation opportunities for senior citizens in the western Washtenaw County area, including Manchester, received the Vital Seniors Innovation award of $100,000 for a Small Organization, and the Vital Seniors People’s Choice Award of $50,000 for a Small Organization, based on votes garnered online from residents in the 5 Healthy Towns area.

The winning projects will also be eligible for additional follow-up grants in 2020-2022 and AAACF is excited for this new learning community of innovative practitioners to continue their work in serving vulnerable seniors and their caregivers in Washtenaw County.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.