Transforming Communities though Service: A Collection of the Most Innovative AmeriCorps State and Volunteer Generation Fund Programs in the United States _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Community Cares AmeriCorps Community Cares is an AmeriCorps State program, of Tennessee’s Community Assistance Corporation (TCAC). Community Cares receives generous support from Volunteer Tennessee, public housing authorities, nonprofits and faith-based agencies to provide home and other supportive services to low-income frail elderly, challenged and disabled citizens in seventeen counties. Members assist frail seniors and persons with disabilities by direct, in-home assistance so that the residents can remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible. In 2004, Community Cares was nationally recognized by Innovations in Civic Participation, AARP and the Office on Aging, as a model senior care program. Yearly, AmeriCorps members are placed at service locations and assist 26,000 clients with a wide array of supportive services that include home and health, transportation, cognitive activities, environmental education and disaster relief. As of September 30, 2013, less than 1% (17 seniors) of the 109,415 seniors served entered a nursing home, and were not able to remain living independently. As of September 30, 2013, Community Cares identified 39,204 economically disadvantaged, 3,576 medically underserved and 9,126 uninsured seniors. All AmeriCorps members are required to become certified in an American Red Cross cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid training course. Most of the AmeriCorps members re-enroll for an additional term of service with the Community Cares program. The Community Cares retention rate is 97.7%.
Issue Area: Senior Citizen Living Designation: Rural Impact; Disaster Services; Veterans & Military Families Innovative Elements Past Corps member retention Partnership with other AmeriCorps programs Contact Information 22 Century Blvd. Suite 220 Nashville, TN 37214
Program Innovations
The Community Cares program has partnerships with the AmeriCorps Making Veterans Priority program. Two senior expos were held for 800 senior clients and 14 new resources were developed to aid seniors with home and health needs. Evonne Surber-Green, One Community Cares member participated in the Point in Director evonne@tcac1.org Time count in Jefferson City, Tennessee, and she was able to 423-586-7636 assist homeless individuals with shelter and food. Another www.tcac1.org Community Cares member won $10,000 dollars in the Weekend USA Make a Difference Day contest to use at her service location. She also had two Peace Corps members, who had been following the impact of the AmeriCorps program at the site location via social media; stop by to donate $500 to the site program. The funds will go to support the Teens Need Training program. Several members reported identifying seniors who had no family members, were in their 90's and were receiving no outside services. These seniors were added to the program and set up on meal delivery, transportation and home service.
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