MNRAAA Awards Grants to 23 Organizations in Southwest Minnesota

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MNRAAA received $100,000 from the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) to assist organizations serving older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those funds have been distributed to twenty-three organizations throughout Southwest Minnesota.

“In April, when we received the ability to do this work through the Minnesota Council of Foundations, we made it a point to focus on community-based organizations and to get this money turned around and into the communities as soon as possible,” stated Executive Director Jason W. Swanson.

The grant dollars were established to assist our communities as we continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic. The recipient organizations focus on supporting older adults, caregivers and/or persons with disabilities. Organizations are using these dollars to assist in providing nutrition services to potentially isolated individuals and provide their services virtually.

Recipient Name County
Bethesda Day Break Kandiyohi
Brewster Senior Center/Senior Dining Nobles
Brookside Senior Living Chippewa
Cedar Crest of Silver Lake McLeod
Central Health Care of Le Center Le Sueur
Chippewa Enterprises, Inc. Chippewa
Fahan Transportation Blue Earth, Waseca, Nicollet
Greater Mankato Area United Way Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur
Greater Round Lake Community Nobles
Grove City CARE Meeker, Kandiyohi
Hearth Adult Life Programs Chippewa, Lac qui Parle
Heartland Industries Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Redwood, Yellow Medicine
Hendricks Community Hospital Lincoln
Lake Benton Diners Club Lincoln
Madison Avenue Apartments Lyon
MRCI Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur
Prairie Five Community Action Council Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, Yellow Medicine
Rock County Opportunities Rock
Singing Hills Chorus Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur
VINE Faith in Action Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur
Vista Prairie at Copperleaf Kandiyohi
Vista Prairie at Garnet Gardens Redwood
Waseca Area Caregiver Services Redwood
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2019 Annual Report: Over 23,330 Older Adults and Caregivers Supported in 2019

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In 2019, MNRAAA supported over 23,330 older adults and caregivers. The numbers below represent older adults and caregivers in the Southwest Planning and Service Area. Consumers may be counted more than once if they participated in more than one service.

  • 13,059 consumers served via the Senior LinkAge Line®
  • 5,571 older adults received 215,144 congregate meals
  • 2,091 older adults received 174,391 home-delivered meals
  • 284 older adults received 1,377 hours of legal assistance
  • 64 caregivers received 2,187 hours of respite care
  • 317 caregivers participated in 3,926 sessions of caregiver support services
  • 1,491 older adults participated in evidence-based health promotion programs
  • 112 older adults received 1,724 hours of chore and homemaker services
  • 270 older adults received 7,319 one-way transportation & assisted transportation rides
  • 71 elders from diverse cultures received 3,988 hours of individual special access services
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Spotlight on Title III Services: Legal Advocacy for Older Americans Project

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Founded in 1909, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) is the oldest legal aid provider in the state. SMRLS, through a diverse, respectful and fair working environment, and legal assistance and community education activities, promotes and respects the dignity of low-income persons and seeks new and effective solutions to the critical and common legal problems of low-income persons which arise in a broad community context.

MNRAAA awards SMRLS federal Title III-B Older Americans Act funds for the Legal Advocacy for Older Americans Project (LAOAP). Through this project, SMRLS represents people 60 years or older with a focus on those in greatest social and economic need. Although SMRLS does not apply a means test for representing older adults, they direct their representation to those most in need.

“SMRLS is an organization committed to equal justice under the law”, states Ray Beckel, staff attorney in the Mankato SMRLS office. “The primary service areas for SMRLS Legal Advocacy for Older Americans Project are helping to protect the elderly from abuse, helping them to get the financial, medical and food support that they need, and helping low income elderly people to obtain the housing, protections and services they need to live a comfortable and healthy life without undue or inordinate stress.”

Because SMRLS does not cover all 27 counties in the MNRAAA service area, they sub-contract with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) for LAOAP services in Big Stone, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Meeker, Renville, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties. People residing in these counties can contact MMLA at 888.360.3666. For those residing in the remaining 17 MNRAAA counties call SMRLS at 888.575.2954.

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Spotlight on Title III Services: CCT Senior Transportation Program

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Central Community Transit’s (CCT) mission is to cost effectively meet the many transportation needs of the residents of Kandiyohi, Renville and Meeker Counties by providing safe, cost-effective transportation through the many bus and volunteer driver services it provides.

MNRAAA contracts with CCT under Title III-B of the Older Americans Act for Transportation and Assisted Transportation Services to expand their services for persons 60 years of age and older in their service area. Under Title III-B, Transportation services provide a ride, typically via volunteer driver, for older persons to get from one location to another for purposes such as medical, dental and hair appointments, shopping, etc. Assisted Transportation services go beyond a ride and provide assistance to older persons who have physical and/or cognitive difficulties using private or public transportation. The service can include assistance with preparation for the trip, assistance to the vehicle at the person’s residence and from the vehicle at the destination, remaining with the person at the destination, carrying packages into the residence, etc.

“CCT is very proud of the Senior Transportation and the services it provides”, said Tiffany Collins, CCT Transit Director. “The volunteer drivers provide a very high level of service and are vitally important to the success of the program. We are able to provide a very safe, reliable, cost-effective service by using volunteers and serving seniors who have very limited access to other means of transportation. Many of the users of the program do not qualify for or have other options for transportation. This service enables seniors to stay in their homes and communities.”

To learn more about the program or to schedule a ride contact CCT in Willmar: 320.235.8413; Olivia: 320.523.3589; Litchfield: 320.693.7794; or cctbus.org.

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