CARE’s Act Dollars Awarded to 22 Organizations
Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) has awarded twenty-two organizations a total of $467,597. These dollars were made available under the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES Act) funding through the Administration for Community Living and the Minnesota Board on Aging. MNRAAA focused these dollars on rural areas and areas with the greatest social need, especially older adults facing social isolation.
The CARES grant is designed to allow community-based organizations to provide support services, such as chore services, homemaker, visiting, telephone reassurance and caregiver support services. These funds are designated to address the service needs of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“MNRAAA is grateful to see these organizations step up to assist older adults during the pandemic. The additional challenges that the pandemic has presented have also allowed new and innovative opportunities to assist our communities during these unprecedented times. These organizations have been working closely with MNRAAA to ensure that older adults receive the service they need.” said Jason W. Swanson, MNRAAA Executive Director.
The organizations that were awarded CARE’s Act funding through MNRAAA were:
| Organization | Service | Dollars |
| Appleton Area Health | to utilize iN2l person-centered technology to provide entertainment for residents at Appleton Area Health. | $25,000 |
| Big Stone County Memory Loss Connection | to provide technology services to older adults in Big Stone County | $6,200 |
| Blue Earth County Library System | to provide access to educational materials, entertainment, and mental stimulation for older adults | $4,725 |
| City of Adrian | to partner with Rock County Opportunities to provide chore and homemaker services to Adrian older adults | $24,975 |
| City of Kerkhoven | to develop, organize, and implement a telephone calling project to contact older and isolated individuals in Kerkhoven and Murdock’s communities. | $25,000 |
| Countryside Public Health | to conduct telephone reassurance to provide outreach to positive COVID-19 cases in isolation or quarantine. | $25,000 |
| CREST Caregiver | to provide individual and family counseling to caregivers and offer support groups to interested individuals. | $13,563 |
| CREST Supportive | to provide telephone assurance and transportation services to older adults in Martin County. | $14,611 |
| Essential Senior Services | to provide homemaking services to older adults in Jackson, Murray, Nobles and Rock Counties. | $24,752 |
| Horn of Africa Aid and Rehabilitation Action Network | to provide training and education for immigrant families relating to family caregiving. | $21,800 |
| Interfaith Caregivers | to expand the personal emergency response system in Faribault County. | $15,740 |
| Kyle’s Small Engine Repair | to expand snow removal chore services for older adults in the Dawson area. | $19,232 |
| LqP Computer Commuter | to provide technology services to older adults in Lac qui Parle County. | $25,000 |
| Marshall Area Senior Citizens, Inc. | to provide onsite and virtual opportunities to participate in social interactions, education, and recreation to reduce social isolation to the Marshall area older adults. | $25,000 |
| Open Door Health Center | to provide outreach to older adults relating to medical, dental and behavioral health care in Southern Minnesota. | $25,000 |
| Pipestone County | to provide telephone reassurance to older adults in Pipestone County. | $25,000 |
| Prairie Five Community Action | to provide technology services to older adults in Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine Counties. | $25,000 |
| Prairie Perspectives | to offer mental health and personal enrichment group programs for older adults and caregivers in rural assisted living facilities. | $25,000 |
| Renville Health Services | to provide technology services to older adults living at St. Francis Health Care Services. | $22,850 |
| Southern Minnesota Music Therapy | to create a music at home project to provide older adults living alone in rural communities. | $24,149 |
| Waseca Area Caregiver Services | to provide a group respite program in-home respite for aging adults, caregiver support and community education in Waseca County. | $25,000 |
| Woodland Centers | to have a mental health practitioner provide mental health support, education and training to help reduce isolation and loneliness among older adults in Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle and Swift Counties. | $25,000 |
