house
+781 799-2599
Inquire About Advertising

The Dana Home Foundation Awards Grants Supporting Programming for Older Adults in Lexington

The Dana Home Grant Recipient reception.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T he Dana Home Foundation distributed over $300,000 in grants to fund projects that benefit senior residents of Lexington, MA and surrounding communities at its twelfth annual award ceremony. The grants included three special awards named in honor of former board members; Kevin McGuire, Jim Wong, and David Williams.

Kevin stepped down from the Board in November 2015 following twenty years of service to the Dana Home of Lexington and its successor the Dana Home Foundation. Kevin served many years as President and as a member of the Finance Committee. The Kevin McGuire Family Grant was awarded to the Lexington Symphony for their Classical Music Concerts for Lexington Seniors.

Jim served on the Board of The Dana Home of Lexington for many years. He was then instrumental in developing the current mission and financial endowment of its successor, the Dana Home Foundation, continuing with service as a board member. The Jim Wong Grant was awarded to the Lexington Fire Department for their Senior Safety Program.
David served on the Board of the Dana Home of Lexington beginning in 1976 serving as Board President for a number of years. He was very instrumental in establishing the Dana Home Foundation with the money realized from the sale of the Dana Home, honoring the wishes of Miss Dana’s legacy to the Lexington elders. He served on the Dana Home Foundation Board until 2024. The David Williams Grant was awarded to Cooperative Elder Services for their Financial Assistance for Lexington Residents program.

The following organizations received grants this year ranging from $2,000 to $60,000:

  • Boston Area Gleaners – To help fund a program that organizes volunteers to harvest surplus produce remaining in the fields at local farms for distribution to local hunger relief agencies and food banksBrookhaven at Lexington – To help fund its Lexington Senior Wellness Fair.
  • Cary Memorial Library – To fund acquisition of books and other materials in multiple formats (such asaudiobooks and large print books) to increase accessibility for seniors.
  • Chinese American Association of Lexington – To provide Lexington seniors access to four CAAL events.
  • Cooperative Elder Services (CESI) – To provide financial assistance to Lexington residents to cover the costs of CESI services.
  • Daoyin Health Society – To support its meditation teaching program for Lexington seniors.
  • Food Link – To enhance volunteer programming for individuals with disabilities through increasing training and expanded resources.
  • Hancock Church – To expand virtual access for seniors and shut-ins to programs at Hancock Church with updated cameras and audio equipment.
  • LexHAB- To subsidize the cost of renovating bathrooms and replacing flooring in LexHAB affordable units, to increase accessibility and safety.
  • Lexington Fire Department – To support the Senior Safety Program to create a safer living environment for seniors.
  • Lexington Historical Society – To support accessibility enhancements of the Depot Transformation Project.
  • Lexington Recreation – Lexington Town Pool Aqua Aerobics Classes – To support the Aqua Aerobics classes at the Lexington Town Pool.
  • Lexington Recreation – Forever Fit – To fund Forever Fit, a health and wellness program offered to Lexington residents over the age of 60.
  • Lexington Symphony – To support music programs for the community’s older population at the Lexington Community Center.
  • Medford Visiting Nursing Association dba Visiting Nurse and Community Care -To provide in home care for elders.
  • Minuteman ARC for Human Services, Inc. – To fund the purchase of furniture for the Residential Services program for individuals with intellectual, cognitive, and physical disabilities.
  • Minuteman Senior Services -To support its Healthy Connections Program, a person-centered approach to preventing food insecurity and to support independence in the community’s most vulnerable seniors. Ongoing programs include support for family caregivers, Meals on Wheels, and the SHINE program.
  • Munroe Center for the Arts – To expand access to the Seniors Printmaking Studio.
  • Power of Flowers Project – To combat feelings of loneliness and isolation among the elderly and veterans in care homes by providing specially decorated bouquets to celebrate a holiday or special occasion.
  • Supportive Living Inc. (SLI) – To support SLI’s Neuro-Fit programs for utilizing evidence-based exercise intervention to enhance the quality of life for people with brain injury, neurological disorders, and Parkinson’s disease
  • Youville Place- To fund training in an emerging and exciting approach to caring for those with dementia which adapts Montessori principles to working with those with dementia

About the Dana Home Foundation

The Dana Home, founded as the Lexington Home for the Aged in 1905, provided a home for the elderly at 2027 Massachusetts Avenue. The home was purchased in 1916 after years of fundraising and with special thanks to a generous bequest from Lexington resident Ellen Dana. For ninety four years, the Dana Home operated as an independent living residence for seniors. It provided a lovely Victorian home setting, along with meals and companionship, for independent seniors who had a connection to Lexington. At the time of its founding, programs didn’t exist for seniors who could no longer afford to care for themselves in their homes. Over the years since the Dana Home’s founding, programs and supports for seniors who prefer to remain in their own homes have grown and evolved to include a myriad of options. After a number of years of declining enrollment the Dana Home closed its doors in October 2010 and sold the property.

Although no longer operating an elder care residence, the assets of the Dana Home, now renamed the Dana Home Foundation, Inc., are being used to support programs that provide important services to seniors with a connection to Lexington. The work of the Dana Home Foundation continues to serve the original intent of the founders of the Dana Home, to enable seniors to age with dignity and grace by providing for their comfort and well-being.

In May of 2013 the first annual Grant Award Ceremony was held where awards were made in honor of long time Dana Home Executive Director Showkat Rafi and in memory of Dana Home Board Member Jim Wong.