Social Services

photo credit Culture Bus

Culture Bus is at once a transportation service to arts and cultural events for older adults, and a unique treatment program for early-stage dementia patients. One of many adult day programs offered by CJE SeniorLife, in Chicago, Illinois, Culture Bus provides opportunities for socialization, creative expression, and intellectual stimulation designed to improve the quality of life and slow the effects of degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease for many older adults.

The Culture Bus emerged, in 2002, from an Alzheimer’s support group sponsored by Northwestern University’s Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center. Its participants were seeking more time together and opportunities for intellectual and social engagement. One member of the group suggested using a bus to enable everyone to go downtown together. The Northwestern staff immediately saw the value in this idea, and reached out to CJE, a local leader in adult-day programming, to discuss a partnership.

Age Friendly Cities

Rapidly urbanizing world populations are also rapidly aging. The number of people aged over 60 worldwide is expected to double from 11 percent to 22 percent by 2050 [i]. The need to adapt cities to meet the needs of an aging population is more important now than ever, and creating connected cities accessible for all ages is an integral part of responding to these demographic shifts. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been at the forefront of fostering responsible policymaking and networking related to aging in cities, and organized its Age Friendly Cities Project [ii] in 2005.

On a recent visit to Denver, Linda Severson was surprised to find herself ignoring the city’s famed scenery to examine one of Denver’s lesser known wonders: its parking meters.

Denver is one of a number of U.S. cities that has installed brightly colored, repurposed parking meters designed to take donations to services for the city’s homeless.  Intrigued by these “donation stations,” Severson took the idea back to her role as human services coordinator for the Johnson County Council of Governments, in Eastern Iowa.

Her timing was apt.  Iowa City, the county seat, was then in the process of revising their panhandling ordinance, which would increase the restrictions on where panhandling could take place in the downtown area.  It seemed like the perfect time to offer what city officials have now deemed an “alternative” to panhandling. 

Jackson, MS

A former shopping mall that has been converted into a comprehensive, multidisciplinary health care complex.

Mecklenburg County, NC

A live information service that provides details about local services in Mecklenburg County.

National

An organization that gives low-income families the tools to improve their lives by bringing them access to technology.

St. Paul, MN

A nonprofit theatre that has enhanced the community of downtown St. Paul through cultural and educational engagement for over forty years.

St. Paul, MN

A community foundation that makes philanthropic grants, leads charitable projects and provides a number of other services to improve the livability of residents in the St. Paul area.

Portland, OR

A community-based nonprofit organization that works to empower refugee and immigrant communities by helping them integrate into American society.

San José, CA

South Bay California’s largest provider of housing and other services for the homeless.

Bridge Builders Award

Bill White, Mayor, City of Houston, Texas and Robert Eckels, County Judge, Harris County, Texas, for their collaboration in coming to the aid of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.