December 12, 2023
2023 YEAR-IN-REVIEW
2023 has been an exciting year for improving the lives of older adults in California. Because of you, our strong and vibrant statewide movement is reaching more people who desire to age in their chosen homes and communities.
In reflecting on the past year, I am proud of all that we have achieved. Village Movement California has focused on the longer-term sustainability of our network of villages; amplified our individual and collective work, allowing villages to serve the rapidly growing number of aging Californians; and fostered the launch of new villages to join us, especially in underserved areas of the state.
With your continued commitment, the village model is poised to address the economic and demographic challenges older adults face. 2024 will bring new programs and resources to strengthen the impact, accelerate the growth, and ensure the sustainability of villages in California. We hope to count on your generosity and financial support. You can donate easily online today!
I am grateful for this opportunity to share some of the 2023 highlights that advanced our movement and want to thank you for your participation this year and for all that you do for the older adults in your communities. I look forward to continuing our work together to provide a powerful solution that empowers older adults in California to age better.
Happy holidays & best wishes in the new year!
Carolyn Ross
Interim Executive Director
ADVOCACY
Our advocacy workshops help strengthen the relationships between villages and their local and state legislators and key agencies in their aging services network. In 2023 we held three well attended workshops and plan four more in 2024.
- Area Agencies on Aging (AAA): Joseph Cobery, Executive Director of Passages AAA serving Butte, Chico, and surrounding counties, discussed the function of the AAAs and partnering with your village’s local AAA.
Watch Webinar | View Slides - Meet your Legislator: Our session was filled with positive and practical advice on engaging your village’s elected officials. The workshop was led by Leza Coleman, Legislative Director for the California Commission on Aging.
Watch Webinar | View Materials
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Over 100 village leaders, stakeholders, and sponsors joined Village Movement California staff and board in Oakland, CA at our annual conference.
- Presentations and speakers highlighted the needs of middle-income Californians, care and caregiving, and the importance of advocacy.
Click here for video-recordings and full conference recap.
SAVE THE DATE: Our 2024 conference will be held September 12th & 13th in La Jolla, CA!
COMMUNICATIONS
The VMC team added a Communications Manager who helped ramp up our advocacy, fundraising, and outreach efforts to keep villages top of mind in Sacramento and across the state.
- We widened our digital reach, engaged more supporters, and increased our social media following by 86%.
- Over 30 email newsletters, event updates, advocacy alerts, and workshop re-caps were sent to keep villages informed.
Connect with us: Facebook and LinkedIn.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION (DEI)
Our state’s over-60 population is projected to diversify and grow faster than any other age group, with people of color making up 47% of the population. The growth of our movement requires that we expand our communities to reflect California’s vibrant populations of older adults.
- Our DEI series highlighted the work of three villages; Ashby Village, Pasadena Village, and Village of San Francisco reaching out to new audiences of potential village members and volunteers. Learn more about this work.
IMPACT REPORT
We released the “It Takes a Village” Impact Report explaining how the village model supports the five goals of the Governor’s Master Plan for Aging.
- The printed and digital report, as well as the executive summary one-sheet, are key tools in our legislative outreach and advocacy efforts. View these tools.
- We are planning to translate these materials into Spanish and launch a social media campaign in 2024.
VILLAGE INCUBATOR
The Incubator empowers communities to organize and create their own unique villages to address the unprecedented increase in our state’s aging population.
- 9 groups from across the state have signed up for the program and many are currently participating.
- The six-phase interactive curriculum includes workshops on asset mapping, community presentations and listening sessions, and volunteer and membership programs.
- 2 Incubator villages have officially launched to-date: Sebastopol Village, Village of Sonoma Valley. Kern River Valley Senior Citizens, Inc. and Encinitas are expected to launch next year.
Learn more about our Village Incubator.
VOLUNTEERISM
Over 3,000 intergenerational volunteers offer a range of services at villages to help keep older adults safe, supplied, and confident about aging in the places they call home.
- We launched a new volunteering web page as well as a social media campaign and video content as part of National Volunteer Recognition month.
