MCOA Members, Welcome to a New Year of Communication Upgrades!

• Sleek New Website: Get ready for streamlined navigation, insightful content, and a treasure trove of resources, launching soon!
• MyMCOA Portal Makeover: Manage your profile, connect with members, access exclusive benefits, and join online events in your revamped personal portal.
• Stay Tuned & Stay Connected: Keep an eye on your inbox and social media for updates, sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of our digital transformation!
• A Year of Growth & Connection: We're excited to embark on this journey with you, building a year filled with growth, connection, and endless possibilities!

Happy New Year!

Paula Hersey

MCOA Digital Communications & Website Manager

Transportation Call to Action | RTA Advancement bill (S.2277/H.3272)

The following email is from Alexis Walls, Assistant Campaign Director, Massachusetts Public Health Association. The MCOA Board of Directors has supported the RTA Advancement Bill. There is a link, below, that outlines the importance of this bill to older adults in your communities.

"We know that good public transit means better health for all. In the FY24 budget cycle, state leaders allocated $150 million to bolster transit operations in RTA communities, which agencies have begun to use to address critical gaps in service. Now it is important that we protect this historic level of investment by encouraging legislators to pass the RTA Advancement bill."

Here's how you can take action:

Please contact your legislators THIS WEEK and ask them to sign Representative Natalie Blais and Senator Susan Moran's Dear Colleague Letter urging the Joint Committee on Transportation to move the RTA Advancement bill (S.2277/H.3272) forward in the legislative process. 

Taking action is easy,

and your legislators wants to know what you think. 

| Economic Security & Outreach |

Helping housing-insecure and unsheltered older adults find resources to stay in their homes or find new housing is among the most challenging situations that Outreach Coordinators face.

The recently published, in-depth report, Housing America’s Older Adults 2023, by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, explains in clear language the macro-economic and social forces that have contributed to the current situation. Some key facts from the report:

· “Income disparities have grown particularly stark among households headed by someone at least 80 years old.”

· “Among both homeowners and renters, income for older Black and Hispanic households are less than 80 percent that of their white counterparts.”

· “Overall, 43 percent of older renters had [in 2022] less than $1,000 in cash savings.”

The Affordable Homes Act (Bill H.4138) filed by Governor Healey in October 2023, seeks to invest $4.12B in housing resources aimed at reversing the housing crisis for people of all ages.

There is no one answer to helping people find housing, but learning about available resources is the best place to start.

Some resources that Outreach Coordinators can utilize:

· Housing literacy trainings offered by Mass Housing

· Tenancy Preservation Program

· Housing Navigator MA

EXCITING NEWS!

Thanks to your input, we're crafting a series of 5 translated Nutrition Fact Sheets, thanks to a NANASP grant!

Stay tuned for bite-sized info in multiple languages!

There's a new phishing scam targeting DTA/SNAP recipients.

Remember, DTA will never ask for EBT card numbers online.  

Households must report benefit theft within 30 days of when they discover it. To report and initiate replacement visit DTA’s Replacement Benefit FAQ here.  

Share the video tips on how to protect SNAP benefits

Connection, Health and Equity through Food (CHEF) 

The CHEF Program is a collaborative network of organizations and volunteer initiatives across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Eastern Massachusetts, and Upstate New York that are focused on increasing older adults’ equitable access to healthy food and social connection.

If you are interested in learning more, visit here. 

WEBINARS & MEETINGS

CHEF Grant Program FAQ

Wednesday January 10

2:00-3:00pm 

This informational Zoom will share details about the application process for the CHEF Grants Program which provides funding to increase older adults’ equitable access to food and social connections in their communities. 

Read our CHEF Grants Program FAQ Sheet.

Food as Medicine 

Tuesday January 23

 2:00-3:30pm

In this CHEF webinar we will hear from folks passionate about healthful eating and therapeutic meal integration. From medically tailored meals to produce prescriptions, how are organizations using food-based intervention to help prevent, manage and treat disease and illness as we age?

Respiratory Illnesses

With an increase in respiratory illnesses including COVID-19, influenza and RSV, take precautions to avoid the spread and hospital admissions.

COVID-19 tests are available here. 

Advocacy 

On November 16, President Biden the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024, which extends the 2018 Farm Bill until September 30, 2024. 

Urge them to support $1.284 billion funding for the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program for FY24. 

Senior Nutrition Program Month 

The 2024 theme, Connection in Every Bite, highlights the profound relationship between food and social connection. Get a jump-start on the March celebration.

Speakers will share resources available to help you participate and offer a sneak peek of what’s ahead for the program in 2024. 

Join the preview webinar on January 24, 2-2:30p.

Don’t forget to join the DFM Monthly Meeting on January 10^th at 1:00 pm.

The session will include an update on education resources for DF communities featuring Beth Soltzberg (JF&CS) and Meghan Lemay (Alz. Association).

Then, Antron Watson (AARP) will join us to talk about the AARP Challenge grant program and the imminent release of the 2024 grant applications.

Alzheimer’s Association Helpline cards.

Dementia help fits in your pocket.

• 24/7 helpline: Master's level experts, always a call away.
• Personal care consultant: Navigate the maze of dementia care together.