AGING TRUE
Community Senior Services
October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024
Message from the CEO and Chairman of the Board
We are pleased and honored to share Aging True’s information and activities for the fiscal year with you. This was certainly an exciting and eventful time for our organization. We initiated new projects, expanded our existing programs, and even found time to re-organize our corporate identity and structure amid all the other changes.
Teresa K. Barton Chief Executive Officer
Aging True experienced continued growth in Clay County throughout all our programs, especially at our Senior Centers and Adult Day Care center. We completed $250,000 in safety and security upgrades for our four centers during this period, which provided security cameras, improved electronically secured access to the buildings, and made parking and lighting improvements.
Additionally, we expanded our Mental Wellness programming in Clay County, increased the number of home-delivered meals we serve, and enrolled more Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) In-Home Service clients. With the support of the Clay County Commission, we created a commercial kitchen at the Green Cove Springs center that now provides both congregate and home-delivered meals for the community’s seniors. This state-of-the-art kitchen serves the dual purpose of providing meals more efficiently, as well as providing employment opportunities for Clay residents.
In Duval County, Aging True completed a seven-year, $100 million dollar renovation of our existing affordable senior residential properties, which accompanied the construction and opening of a brand-new senior housing project, Ashley Square. With the completion of the 120-housing unit Ashley Square, we’re proud to say we offer 750 units of affordable senior housing to downtown Jacksonville.
We did not hang up our hard hats after all that construction, either! We purchased a property in the Southside area of Jacksonville and began the planning process to construct and supply a new commercial kitchen. This kitchen will accommodate our growing community’s need for nutritious, well-balanced, prepared and delivered meals.
The commercial kitchen, scheduled to be completed in early 2026, will be critically important for us. Our newest program initiative of 2024 involves providing meals to reduce the Meals on Wheels waitlist for Duval County. In partnership with the City of Jacksonville, Aging True is coordinating and providing meals to an additional 1,000 clients who receive a weekly delivery of meals to reduce hunger and food insecurity for this frail, vulnerable population. Since July 2024, the program has already delivered more than 200,000 meals.
Guiding Principles and Structure
Providing essential and innovative services and care for individuals, families, and communities throughout Northeast Florida to prepare for and support graceful aging.
Aging True Mission Statement
Proud champions of positive aging - building inclusive communities by delivering more choices and resources for seniors to thrive.
Aging True Vision Statement
Unified Name, Diverse Range of Service
Aging True is the leading non-profit agency for senior services in both Duval and Clay Counties. The brand Aging True unifies several different corporate entities, all specializing in various sectors of the world of aging, allowing us to be easily recognized by the community and our partners.
634,863
Meals provided to our community in 2024
283,000
Miles driven by our nutrition delivery drivers in 2024
1,000 mi Services spanning nearly
Below are some of our impressive stats from the last year. of Northeast Florida
As the Designated Lead Agency for both Duval and Clay, we service every single zipcode in both counties .
Hours of Respite and Companionship services provided 140,704
Units of Nutrition Education Provided 3,232
$643,869
Worth of Home Improvements made to seniors homes
12,946
Hours of Mental Wellness and Self Directed Care
Recent Accomplishments
Clay County Partnerships
In 2019, Aging True became the Lead Provider Agency for Clay County - providing nearly 230,000 seniors access to our comprehensive, essential services. Since then, we’ve continued our commitment to Clay by working with the Board of County Commissioners to make critical improvements to our four senior centers, as well as installed a brand new commercial kitchen in our Green Cove Springs senior center. This state-of-the-art kitchen enables our organization to prepare and deliver meals to Clay residents more efficiently, shortens our delivery times, and provides job opportunities to the county.
Downtown Dedication
As one of the most longstanding non-profit organizations in our area, Aging True has been an integral part of the development of Northeast Florida. Our beginnings were rooted in providing affordable and accessible housing to the senior population, when we developed our residential buildings in the Cathedral Hill area. As a reflection of that commitment, Aging True has continued to improve and expand in the area over the last several years.
In 2023, our organization completed the renovation of all three of our high-rise buildings, a nearly $100,000,000 initiative. In addition to modernizing these buildings, Aging True constructed a brand new, 120-unit affordable senior housing complex—Ashley Square—which we are proud to say is already at 100% occupancy.
Greater Impact
Florida’s senior population is rapidly growing. When we began in 1962, seniors made up 11.2% of the state’s population. Today, that number has doubled to nearly 21%, which is why Aging True has continued to expand our capacity to serve. To meet these needs, we’ve expanded our staff, added new and innovative programs, and are vigorously attending to our Planing and Service Area’s (PSA) waiting list of seniors seeking access to critical services.
Addressing Hunger at Home
Aging True Partners with the City of Jacksonville to Reduce Duval County’s Meals on Wheels Waitlist
Aging True serves thousands of seniors through our nutrition programs every day. Despite this impressive feat, the need in our community continues to rise. In response to this growing need among seniors experiencing food insecurity, Aging True partnered with the City of Jacksonville in 2024 to launch a targeted effort to serve more vulnerable older adults in our community.
Funded through the City’s Food Insecurity Program, this initiative allowed Aging True to significantly reduce the number of seniors on the waitlist for nutrition services in Duval County.
Through this program, Aging True is able to enroll even more seniors in need of home-delivered meals. Once enrolled, clients receive regular deliveries of nutritious meals directly to their homes, supporting both their health and independence. Aging True’s team carefully coordinates delivery routes and ensures each client receives the personalized support and service they need.
This program has had an immediate and meaningful impact—reaching individuals who might otherwise go without reliable access to food. It reflects what’s possible when local government and non-profit partners work together with shared purpose. Thanks to the support of the City of Jacksonville, more seniors in our community are living with security, dignity, and the knowledge that someone cares.
of Duval County’s Initial 2024 Nutrition Waitlist as of March 2025 65% Reduction
203,148 Meals
Served through Aging True’s Food Insecurity Project so far
Aging True Today
Much like our community, Aging True has grown significantly over the last six decades. Despite this impressive growth, our core goal remains the same - to provide essential services to Northeast Florida’s most vulnerable population. Our focus is to provide wrap-around services to older adults, so that we can meet the unique needs of each senior through a broad variety of services. Today, we classify our programs into five main pillars:
Healthcare Services
Adult Day Care | Mental Wellness | Self Directed Care
Healthcare encompasses the body and the mind. Aging True understands this balance can be difficult to maintain, especially as we grow older. Our holistic approach to care includes a licensed Adult Day Care and a variety of mental wellness services to meet each individual’s needs. Our goal is to preserve our clients’ independence and to help them reach their optimal health potential.
Homecare Services
In-Home Services | Caregiver Support Programs
Our needs and abilities change as we grow older, and no two people are exactly the same. Aging True’s in-home services are custom designed to provide the unique support each senior needs to live independently. After an initial assessment, our staff create a care plan specific to you and re-evaluate it regularly to ensure you continue to receive the right care for your changing needs. We also offer a variety of services to empower caregivers to continue providing critical care to their loved one.
Nutrition Services
Home Delivered Meals | Congregate Meals | Nutrition Education
As we age, our dietary needs change. Aging True offers nutrition health education, resources for making healthy food choices, and provides nutritionally-balanced meals through home delivery meal services and congregate meal sites throughout Clay and Duval Counties.
Recreation Services
Green Cove Springs Center | Orange Park Center | Middleburg Center | Keystone Heights Center
A critical part of comfortably aging in place is staying active and engaged. Aging True offers a suite of services and programs to achieve this – notably our four senior centers located in Clay County. These centers offer social, educational and recreational activities for seniors in the community and serve as congregate meal sites for registered diners. They are located in Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Middleburg, and Keystone Heights.
Senior Housing
Cathedral Towers | Cathedral Townhouse | Cathedral Terrace | Cathedral Court | Ashley Square
Aging True’s Cathedral Residences is a lively, active community where people care about one another and work to maintain a friendly and supportive neighborhood environment. Coming to live at Cathedral Residences is a gracious yet practical alternative for your retirement. It’s home without the worries of upkeep and maintenance. The Cathedral Residences in Downtown Jacksonville are owned by Aging True Community Senior Services and managed by Carteret Management.
Financial Stewardship
In 1974, our organization expanded its services to the senior community by creating Urban Jacksonville, Inc. Together, Community Senior Services, Inc. (CSS) and Urban Jacksonville, Inc. (UJI) do business as Aging True throughout Northeast Florida. Below is a breakdown of our budgeted functional expenses by service line.
Expense Breakdown by Core Service
Every Visit Tells a Story
* Names and details modified to protect the identity of our clients.
Each and every day, our dedicated team of staff and volunteers faithfully serve our community’s senior population.
For many of these seniors, our staff may be the only people they interact with all day. Aging True is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to provide these individuals and families with the care and assistance they need to age gracefully and in place. Here are two examples of the work we do for our at-risk and vulnerable seniors:
Home Improvements for Ms. W
Ms. W, an 82-year-old living alone in her apartment, had been struggling with significant financial difficulties and physical decline in recent months. One of her biggest challenges was the cost of renting a bed from a local furniture rental facility, which consumed a large portion of her income each month. The perpetual expenses, while necessary for her independence and physical well-being, began interfering with her ability to meet other financial obligations.
Thankfully, after her case manager identified these difficulties, a referral was made to one of our longstanding community partners – Aging in Place Home Retrofit (APHR). APHR conducted an evaluation and, before the end of the month (just in time to avoid another rental payment) installed a bed for Ms. W. This small but essential intervention relieved her of a burdensome expense and provided her with greater financial stability.
Aging True not only enabled Ms. W to alleviate a restrictive recurring expense but also launched a new benefit that allows clients to have a monthly voucher to cover the cost of obtaining crucial items such as incontinence supplies and household cleaning products. These items are vital to helping her (and other clients) maintain independence and continue living safely in the home.
Coupled with in-home care from Comfort Keepers, another trusted vendor of Aging True, this comprehensive care further allows Ms. W to retain the ability to provide for herself in lieu of premature nursing home placement.
Ms. W is deeply grateful for the continued support she has received from Aging True and its essential partners, including Aging in Place Home Retrofit, Advanced Care Solutions, Comfort Keepers, and ADT, all of whom work together to ensure her safety and well-being in the community.
Critical Care for Mr. MG
Mr. MG, diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, has been facing a steady decline in both his mental and physical health. This condition, exacerbated by his Parkinson’s, spinal arthritis, and high blood pressure, significantly increases his risk of falls and limits his mobility.
By late 2023, his mobility had deteriorated to the point where he required a wheelchair for trips to doctor’s appointments. Unfortunately, his home was not wheelchair accessible, which made these outings difficult and exhausting for both him and his caregiver.
His caregiver, a woman over 65, struggled to assist Mr. MG by pushing his wheelchair over uneven terrain, including grass and dirt, just to get him out of the house. The strain of these efforts was taking a toll on her own health.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Mr. MG’s case manager at Aging True authorized an evaluation of his home by Aging in Place Home Retrofit. They quickly identified the need for wheelchair accessibility and proposed the construction of a wooden ramp extending from the doorway to the driveway. A special funding request for the ramp was submitted by Aging True’s case manager and approved.
In March 2024, the ramp was built, transforming Mr. MG’s ability to move in and out of his home safely. His caregiver expressed overwhelming gratitude for the installation, stating that they never would have been able to afford such a critical renovation without Aging True’s assistance.
The ramp has been life-changing for both Mr. MG and his caregiver. It has not only reduced the physical strain on his caregiver but also restored a level of independence for Mr. MG, allowing him to safely navigate his wheelchair from his home to the driveway for doctor’s appointments.
The Power of Partnership
Believing that capacity is enhanced through collaboration, Aging True participates in a network of corporate, civic, and community partnerships and is honored to work with hundreds of dedicated volunteers. Thank you to the partner organizations below for helping to make our mission so much more impactful.
Accreditation Commission for Health Care
Arlington Presbyterian Church
Ascension St. Vincent’s & Ascension St. Vincent’s Foundation
Baptist Health
Baymeadows Baptist Church
Blessed Trinity
Carteret Management / Blue Sky Communities
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Church of our Saviour
City of Jacksonville, Florida
Clay County, Florida
Congregation Ahavath Chesed
ElderSource
Florida Association of Aging Service Providers
Florida Community Care
Florida Council on Aging
Florida Department of Children and Families
Florida Department of Elder Affairs
Florida Self Directed Care
Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church
Highlands Presbyterian Church
Isle of Faith
Jacksonville Chamber
Lutheran Services Florida
Lutheran Social Services
Mandarin Presbyterian Church
Meals on Wheels America
Mrs. Senior Jacksonville Pageant
National Family Caregiver Support Program
Riverside Presbyterian Church
Shepherd of the Woods
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
The Jacksonville Bar Association
United Community Outreach Ministry
WellMed Charitable Foundation
Ztrip And Many More!
Board of Directors
Chair of the Board
Dr. Amber Isley
Andrew Harmon
Rebecca L. Berg
Pasquale “Pat” Gilberto
Gregory S. Redmon
Alfred Rutland
Michael Weatherby
Dr. Whitney George
Dr. Sharon Wilburn
Kevin Kenny
Executive Leadership Team
Teresa K. Barton
Chief Executive Officer
Teresa Barton is CEO of Aging True Community Senior Services, a large non-profit agency in Jacksonville Florida that serves as the Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) lead agency in Duval and Clay Counties. Aging True also provides additional programs and services designed specifically to address the health, nutrition, housing, and social wellbeing of seniors and adults with disabilities. More than five thousand individuals are served annually by Aging True.
Barton is a current board member for Penney Farms Retirement Community. She is the Past-President of the Florida Council on Aging of Florida. She has also served as a board member and Past-President of the Florida Association of Aging Services Providers (FASP) (FCOA).
Barton holds a master’s degree of Business Administration (MBA) from Jacksonville University.
Samuel P. Hall
Chief Operations Officer
Sam has held multiple leadership positions with Aging True during his 13 years of service. He began his tenure with five years as the Director of Human Resources followed by five as the Director of Operations. He assumed the role of Chief Operations Officer in 2021.
A Jacksonville native, Sam began his professional career in the financial industry with Barnett Bank. Subsequently, he gained extensive non-profit experience with Jacksonville University and INROADS, Inc., a Human Resources and Training firm specializing in talent acquisition and employee development for Fortune 500 companies.
After relocating to Detroit, Michigan, he led a multi-state regional Human Resources division for Cintas Corporation with responsibilities for Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Ontario, Canada overseeing Recruiting, Labor Relations, and Training & Development.
A graduate of Jacksonville University and devoted to the local community, Sam earned a Senior Human Resources certification, MBA, and a bachelor’s degree in management from Jacksonville University. He has served on numerous non-profit boards and is a graduate of Leadership Detroit and Leadership Jacksonville.
Lee Wilson
Chief Financial Officer
Lee Wilson joined Aging True in January 2016 and formally assumed the role of agency CFO when Mike Ware retired in June 2016.
Previously in his career, Lee held long-term positions as the CFO of Family Support Services of North Florida, and Controller/Accounting Administrator of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville.
His background includes significant experience in governmental and not-for-profit auditing and accounting. Lee earned his MBA from UNF in 1985, and is a Certified Public Accountant in Florida since 1991.
Become a Friend of Aging True
We are proud to have served our Northeast Florida community for over six decades, and strive to continue to be the proud champions of positive aging for years to come. The generosity of our supporters makes a tangible difference in our mission to provide essential and innovative services to our community’s most vulnerable population.
If you would like to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of thousands of Northeast Florida seniors through contributions, volunteerism, or partnerships, please visit our website at www.AgingTrue.org or scan the QR Code below.