Awards Season Isn’t Over Yet

Hollywood’s award season officially ended this past weekend with the Oscars. But at Generations United, we’re just getting started. This month, Generations United seeks nominations/submissions for outstanding individuals and organizations that make significant contributions towards rethinking and revitalizing intergenerational connections. Categories include: grandfamilies award, innovation award, leadership for outstanding support of intergenerational programs, outstanding older adult volunteer, outstanding youth volunteer, shared site award, and the Brabazon Award for Research Evaluation.

The Generations United 16th International Conference will take place this summer and one of my favorite events is the Awards Banquet. During the bi-annual gala we celebrate the unsung heroes and heroines who, through their hard work and dedication, make Generations United’s mission come to fruition in their communities. One recent recipient that stands out in my mind is Carrie Ryan. She received the Generations United Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award of 2009.

While in high school, Carrie founded Bridging the Generations, an organization that connects high schools and retirement communities through service-learning projects. She then enrolled in an independent study course called “Images of Aging in Literature” which led her to further pursue her passion for intergenerational programs by connection her high school with a senior facility, Monte Vista Grove Homes, and creating a computer lab. During the summer of 2008, Carrie worked at the computer lab to help the older adult residents become computer literate using lesson plans that she created herself. Throughout the summer, 52 Monte Vista Grove residents used the computer lab with 30 of them attending regularly.

Using her outstanding work as a model, Carrie’s high school alma mater went on to create a senior seminar course with the same name, “Images of Aging in Literature.” Following in her footsteps, other students went on to develop their own service-learning projects to help them further understand aging issues. Carrie now studies at Sewanee University, heading the Senior Citizen’s Outreach Club. She has expanded the club’s outreach to three local retirement communities and recruited many of her fellow college students to participate in visits to these older adult homes. Carrie now acts as an ambassador for intergenerational issues by speaking to audiences about the importance of connecting the generations.

Carrie Ryan is just one example of the amazing work being done by youth, older adults, and everyone in between to connect the generations. If you know someone, or are that person, who does great intergenerational work we hope you’ll consider nominating them.

For guidelines and the application form, visit here. Send submissions to the attention of Anne Tria Wise by email at awise@gu.org or mail at 1331 H Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20005 by March 31, 2011. Generations United will notify recipients by May 15, 2011.

Obama's 2012 Budget Contains Deep Cuts But Offers Boosts To Other Programs

This week Generations United's Policy Team issued a policy alert in response to President Obama's 2012 Budget. We express disappointment that the president's budget contains cuts to valuable programs such as a $2.53 billion reduction for home-heating to poor families and cuts to community services block grants.

However, there is also much to applaud, including a proposed $1.3 billion increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, a suggested $866 million increase for Head Start and a suggested $350 million to create an Early Learning Challenge Fund.

The budget also contains provisions to assist older adults, including $10 million for Lifespan Respite, $192 million for National Family Caregiver Support Program, $8 million for Native American Caregiver Support, and $13 million for Aging and Disability Resource Centers.

The president's 2012 budget would allow AmeriCorps, the nation's largest national-service program, to grow to 90,000 members.

The policy alert also addresses the proposed House GOP cuts to the 2011 budget, calling it "damaging to families and children." For example, the nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) stands to lose nearly $1.1 billion in funding. Community health services are also proposed to be cut by $1.3 billion, reducing access in care for families.

We urge you to contact your member of Congress to voice your opinion on these detrimental cuts. You can read more analysis in the full policy alert here.

Rich Robinson is Press Secretary for Generations United. You can reach him directly at rrobinson@gu.org

Generations United Supports the Obama Administration Social Security Principles

The White House put forward six principles for Social Security reform, none of which suggest benefit cuts of any kind. In fact, the Administration doesn’t appear to embrace any recommendations for Social Security reform from the Deficit Commission. The Commission had called for a higher retirement age and a scaling back of benefits.

Here are the six principles:

1. Any reform should strengthen Social Security for future generations and restore long-term solvency.
2. The Administration will oppose any measures that privatize or weaken the Social Security system.
3. While all measures to strengthen solvency should be on the table, the Administration will not accept an approach that slashes benefits for future generations.
4. No current beneficiaries should see their basic benefits reduced.
5. Reform should strengthen retirement security for the most vulnerable, including low-income seniors.
6. Reform should maintain robust disability and survivors’ benefits.

We encourage the White House to hold firm and protect Social Security for all generations.

We Welcome Two New Board Members

We're happy to announce the election of Sandra Nathan and Marla Viorst to Generations United's Board of Directors. The pair were introduced at our recent winter board meeting.

Sandra is Senior Vice President, Economic Security at the National Council on Aging. She leads NCOA's efforts to improve work force opportunities for Older Americans. She has a rich resume in human services, with two decades of leadership experience in government and social services. Most recently she served as President and CEO of the Richmond's Children's Foundation, following top positions with Santa Clara County, CA, the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services and AARP. Dr. Nathan earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology at the University of San Diego, her Master's degree in Public Administration at National University in San Diego and a Doctorate of Philosophy at International Apostolic University in Dayton, OH.

Marla Viorst is Senior Vice President at Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates. She has more than ten years of experience working on a range of public affairs issues, such as trade and immigration, food safety and healthcare. Her knowledge and strategic council has led to the creation and execution of successful programs in a number of disciplines, including message development and dissemination, ally development, reputation management, and regulatory and legislative affairs. She earned a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Indiana University and a Master's degree in English Literature from Northwestern University.

"Sandra and Marla bring a wealth of knowledge to Generations United's mission," said Board Chair William L. Minnix, President and CEO of LeadingAge. "Both are deeply committed to improving conditions for vulnerable populations such as our oldest and youngest."

Rich Robinson is Press Secretary for Generations United. You can reach him directly at rrobinson@gu.org

Obama's Appeal For Cooperation Could Yield Positive Congressional Results

In his State of the Union address this week, President Obama issued a strong appeal to lawmakers to move into a new era of cooperation. Echoing this sentiment, members of Congress sat side by side with colleagues from opposing parties, rather than their tradition of party divide on either aisle. In the same spirit, Congress and the president should join together to promote and preserve policies that serve children, youth and older adults mutually, because we're stronger together.


Obama addressed the fiscal challenges ahead and announced a 5-year freeze on domestic spending. But, he made clear his commitment to preserving protections to those who need it most my making sure we "are not doing on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens."


We applaud the president's challenge to find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security, without putting at risk current retirees or people with disabilities and without slashing benefits for future generations. His call should not overlook the critical role Social Security also plays in the lives of 6.5 million children today that receive part of their family income from it.


Reiterating his commitment to education, the president noted in order to achieve innovation to produce jobs in America, then we must win the race to educate our children. We support early investments to provide every child with an opportunity to succeed.


The president's call for a review of government regulations presents an opportunity to reduce barriers and streamline efficiency. Not only will this facilitate better communication and partnerships between government agencies, it will create opportunities for the government to work together to identify ways in which communities can deliver critical services to all generations.


Finally, President Obama's openness to improvements in the Affordable Care Ace is laudable, as is his unwillingness to return to practices that allowed insurance companies to deny coverage to someone of any age because if a pre-existing condition. He affirmed making prescription drugs cheaper for senior citizens and giving uninsured students a chance to stay on their parents'coverage have been crucial facets of an important protection to families.

The president rightly declared "the future is ours to win." The path to that victory is paved with cooperation and intergenerational solutions to our nation's challenges. We urge Congress and the president to keep working together -- because we are stronger, together.

Rich Robinson is press secretary for Generations United. You can reach him directly at rrobinson@gu.org

Communicate Your Intergenerational Mission

By Anne Tria Wise

You need volunteers. You want people to give. You would like greater participation in your programs and services. To attract and engage participants, volunteers, donors and community supporters, intergenerational programs must effectively communicate their missions.

On January 20, Generations United hosted a Learning Network Webinar that featured presentations by Civic Ventures and Generations Incorporated. Using Civic Ventures encore career campaign as a case study, Michelle Hynes showed the Learning Network how to convey impact and value with personality, passion and commitment. She also walked the group through a strategic choice on the campaign's website, to shift away from organization-centric content to more dynamic and interactive engagement with their key audiences.

Mary Gunn and CT Ransdell showed participants how Generations Incorporated uses social media including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogging and e-alerts to communicate their mission. Their organization recently raised almost $10,000 as part of a Facebook campaign in partnership with the Rodman Ride for Kids. CT gave helpful suggestions on how to make Facebook donation requests fresh and interesting for readers. Asked how many times a day he updates their Twitter feed, CT noted that he tweets for the organization five times a day following standard nonprofit technology best practice recommendations. Using an application like SocialOomph also helps him manage his time effectively by setting up tweets in advance.

Download a copy of the presentation (PDF, 1.5MB). Help Generations United continue the conversation in the comments section below. What does your intergenerational program do to communicate your mission? Do you use any interesting tools that could help other intergenerational programs? If you use social media, connect with us on Blogger, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Anne Tria Wise is the Intergenerational Engagement Manager at Generations United. You can reach her directly at awise@gu.org

Remembering Sargent Shriver

We pause to reflect on the loss of Sargent Shriver, the first director of the Peace Corps, service advocate, and leader of the war on poverty, who passed away at the age of 95. During his career in public service he confronted a range of conflicts that pitted Americans against each other. Though for many in politics it was commonplace to fall in line with this frame of mind, Shriver focused on the betterment of all generations.

During John F. Kennedy’s presidency, Shriver served as the first Director of the Peace Corps—a roll which carried over into President Johnson’s term. In the Johnson Administration he created the Office of Economic Opportunity and served as its first Director. In this position, he created an initiative to tackle the War on Poverty in order to eliminate the economic and social roots of the conflict over civil rights in America. Like the Peace Corps, the programs of the War on Poverty - including Head Start, Job Corps, VISTA, Community Action Program, Legal Services to the Poor, and one of the longest running intergenerational programs in the country, Foster Grandparents - continue to serve Americans today.

President Obama remarked, “Over the course of his long and distinguished career, Sarge came to embody the idea of public service.” Sargent Shriver was an inspiring figure whose life reaffirms the role that government can play in producing positive, creative change for people of all generations. Shriver’s legacy should serve as a reminder to all of us that in order to combat political tension we must transform the roots of the conflict. As we continue to address our nation’s challenges, we should reflect on Sargent Shriver’s legacy and remember that together, through acts of service and sacrifice in our communities, we can improve the lives of all generations.

Image courtesy SargentShriver.org

No On Health Care Repeal

From the Generations United Policy Team:

On Wednesday, Congress is scheduled to vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act (bill number H.R. 2), the health care reform legislation that passed last March. We would urge lawmakers not to vote in support of the repeal. Last spring's health reform legislation was in response to the struggle many Americans have in finding access to quality affordable health care. The health reform legislation grants access to children, young adults and older people below the Medicare-eligible age of 65 by:

• Preventing insurance companies from denying children coverage for pre-existing conditions
• Providing relief for four million seniors that have a gap in prescription drug coverage
• Allowing young people to remain on their parent's insurance until age 26
• Investing $5 billion to provide needed financial help for employment-based plans which will continue to supply valuable coverage to people who retire between the ages of 55 and 65, as well as their spouses and dependents

In 2009 -- prior to the passage of health reform legislation -- 1.5 million Americans lost health coverage. The health care act is slated to increase the number of insured by 32 million and the newly insured span all generations. Families suffer when one of their members -- and any age-- can't access quality health care. And without the Affordable Care Act, medical crises will continue to push families into bankruptcy.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 2 would increase the federal budget deficit by $145 billion from 2012 to 2019, and $230 billion from 2012 to 2021. It is imperative that lawmakers not pass H.R. 2 as it will be devastating to children, young adults and older people.

When Tragedy Can Bring Us Together

Trying to make sense of a traumatic event is never easy. If anything can be gained from the tragic shooting in Arizona, we can hope it is the understanding that now more than ever, we need to join together as a nation and stop polarizing our communities.

The "Congress on Your Corner" event held by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was intergenerational, attracting older constituents seeking to be heard on issues important to them, and by at least one youth who wanted to behold Democracy in action close up. The fact the killer's bullets were indiscriminate makes the incident no less horrific.

In times of tragedy people can be comforted by generations joining together and listening to each other. The young people can find answers to life's thorny questions when they discover the wisdom of their elders. And older people can find hope in a cynical world when they see virtue in the eyes of the young.

We need to acknowledge we are all citizens, one people in a nation comprised of many different ideas and goals. We must continually remind ourselves that hate can only divide us; that we are interdependent, and together we must face the challenges ahead. It's a family, not a fight.

Rich Robinson is Press Secretary for Generations United. You can reach him at rrobinson@gu.org

On Tap For the 112th Congress

From the Generations United Policy Team:

During the 111th Congress, we saw the passage of sweeping reforms in health care and consumer protections, which defend Americans from hidden fees, abusive terms and deceptive practices when obtaining credit cards and mortgages. However, the incoming congress will have a full slate of new issues to consider, which range from deficit reduction to education reform. Here are some issues that we anticipate the 112th Congress to address:

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization. Education Secretary Aren Duncan express optimism that ESEA will be reauthorized this spring in a bipartisan fashion in his Washington Post Op-ed.

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Repeal. The new Republican majority has signaled they will attempt to repeal ACA.

Deficit Reduction Negotiations. The co-chairmen of the President's fiscal Commission have requested the White House and congress begin negotiations to develop a plan for deficit reduction which could negatively impact Social Security.

Older Americans Act Reauthorization. The OAA's reauthorization is vitally important to older adults as it accounts for food, employment and training programs for seniors.

Passage of an Omnibus Spending Bill. The 111th Congress adjourned in December without passing an omnibus spending bill, leaving the task for the incoming congress to tackle. Among the items to be funded in the bill: ACA implementation, Lifetime Respite Care, and the National Caregiver Support Program.

What You Can Do Now: In 2011, we face many challenges in funding critical services for all generations. Now is the time to create and implement policies that help generations help each other, thereby strengthening our economy. Help us grow the voice of intergenerational investments to make sure congress doesn't pit generations against each other. Sign up 5 friends to follow Generations United Policy Alerts to stay up to date on the latest policy news from Washington, DC. It's not a fight, it's a family.

Seniors4Kids' Musgrave Has A New Blog

We're happy to see the addition of Mary A. Musgrave to the world of blog writing. The Kentucky State Coordinator for Generations United's Seniors4Kids initiative is now blogging for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Mary's blog is called "Bluegrass Nana," and is featured at Bluegrass Moms, an online community in association with the Lexington newspaper. Her first installment was published today, and were looking forward to reading many more posts in the future!


Rich Robinson is the Press Secretary for Generations United. You can email him at rrobinson@gu.org

New Voices Bring New Perspectives

Perhaps the most worthwhile aspect of having a conference, a summit or just a meeting is the opportunity to encounter new people. It’s exciting to engage energized, passionate individuals – it brings a fresh perspective on intergenerational ideas and it gives us all a boost in our work. Our November Summit on Generations was attended by one such new voice, Raj Jayadev, from San Jose, California. He is the coordinator of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community organization that provides a platform for the unheard voices of the South Bay region.

This past week Raj wrote an article titled “New Frontier for Organizing: Youth and Elders, Working Hand in Hand.” In it, he points out young people and older adults can be, in fact have been, effective advocates for positive social change when working together.

… some of the best youth organizing victories and support systems for young people have always been inter-generational, even if rarely acknowledged. Major achievements like the California youth organizations that shut down draconian youth prisons, always had moms and grandmothers at their rallies and actions.

You can read his full article at New American Media. We will continue to welcome new voices into the dialogue so we may learn and grow, as our mission continues.

Rich Robinson is the Press Secretary for Generations United. You can email him at rrobinson@gu.org

Training in Indio, CA

Staff and volunteers from the Senior and Teen Centers in Indio, California spent December 13 with Generations United’s Sheri Steinig and Leah Bradley focusing on developing successful intergenerational activities and programs. When discussing previous experiences, a senior center volunteer shared that he “had never laughed so hard in his life” as he did when kayaking with the teens during one of their intergenerational trips. It was an empowering, exciting day, culminating in plans for three new ongoing opportunities for intergenerational interactions. This training was supported with a grant from Met Life Foundation, as part of a national shared site initiative, building capacity of local communities. Generations United is working with a select group of cities, counties and non-profit organizations to strengthen their communities through strategic planning and staff training.

Intergenerational Thinking is the New Norm

Thinking within an intergenerational context is really becoming a conventional wisdom. This is supported by the Harris Interactive survey we recently commissioned, which revealed more than 80 percent of American adults want their leaders in Washington to fund policies that encourage connections between older and younger people. And as more and more families are living in multigenerational households, we as a nation are becoming far more intergenerational than we were only 20 years ago.

A recent story on multigenerational households in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette perfectly supports this idea. The article quoted Donna, and it also featured a new comic strip by cartoonist Ed Stein called “Freshly Squeezed.” The strip centers around a family forced to live under the same roof due to economic necessity. It is based on Stein’s experiences when his mother died and his then 80-year-old father decided to move in with him while he and his wife raised toddlers.

Comic strips are like TV shows and films in that they reflect the zeitgeist of our society. It is encouraging to see more mainstream treatment of multigenerational living depicted in the media. It only makes sense, because it is where we as a society now find ourselves. Let’s hope we see more soon.


Rich Robinson is the press secretary for Generations United. You can email him at rrobinson@gu.org