Urban Partnership and
Community
Development
Center
“Enhancing the soul of our community through connecting people to each other and to services.”
Our History
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Mrs. Frances Harris
Founder/Executive Director
|
|
|
|
|
The Urban Partnership and Community Development Center (UPCDC) was developed in 1999 as a partner with the
Shiloh
Missionary
Baptist
Church. The UPCDC was incorporated in December 2003. We are a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization.
A church member who had experienced a life-altering event, the terminal illness of a spouse, conceived the idea. This member described her attempts of coordinating resources, in the midst of a crisis, to be overwhelming. She wanted to insure that in the future, no one facing a family crisis is left to cope with this alone. We learned that many seniors simply lack family to provide occasional assistance. We have seen family crises occur and family members struggle to assume responsibility for loved ones without adequate preparation. For this reason, we have shifted our focus to work with the entire family to create a feeling of safety and a support system for our elderly. Thus, this is the genesis for the UPCDC.
Our
Mission
The mission of UPCDC is to enhance the soul of our community through connecting people to each other and to services.
Our Vision
Our vision is to bring families and services together in our
Saint Paul
urban communities. The target areas of our organization are the communities of Frogtown, Summit/University,
Como
Park
and Northend.
The Aging Program
Many elderly citizens in our church and surrounding communities are forced to give up living independently because they are unable to find the proper services to meet their needs. Many elderly need supportive services, because they no longer have regular personal or family contacts. We at the UPCDC are a family, and our goal is to make every client feel a part of this family. Through our services, we strive to meet the needs of the elderly citizens throughout our targeted areas.
We believe educating families at an early age, how to grow old gracefully, should be mandatory in our society. To facilitate this, our programs will include activities and services that provide education, emotional support and build self-esteem that will enhance the quality of life.
The primary purpose of this program is exclusively a charitable service for the aging. We will work with aging individuals and their families whose access to the various resources is limited. This program will strive to bring seniors and services together.
Services
- Provide volunteer services to various nursing homes, high rises and perform home visits upon request, for intake into our program
- Provide support to families whose loved ones are facing transition into hospice care and other institutions
- Provide education pertaining to the aging process (age 18 - 35)
- Provide a Grandparents Support Group
- Assist with making decisions regarding housing, insurance, transportation and prescription drug needs
- Provide activities for the active senior
The Healthy Senior Living Program
What is Healthy Senior Living?
Healthy Senior Living is a program offered through the Urban Partnership and Community Development Center (UPCDC). The program offers activities and information to help delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintain quality of life and independence.
Safety First
Before starting any exercise program or increasing your physical activity, please speak with your physician.
Why Exercise?
Exercise and physical activity are among the healthiest things you can do for yourself. However, some seniors do not exercise out of fear that exercise will be too strenuous or physical activity will harm them. Research shows that the opposite is true:
- Exercise is safe for people of all ages
- Seniors hurt their health more by not exercising
An inactive lifestyle can cause seniors to loose strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. These areas are important for you to stay healthy and independent.
Source:
http://seniorliving.about.com/od/exercisefitness1/a/4seniorexercise.htm
"Older adults and people with disabilities can gain significant health benefits with a moderate amount of physical activity, preferably daily.”
-- The American Heart Association
|
What Can Healthy Senior Living Do for Me?
For senior citizens in the community, this program provides:
- Information for living a healthy lifestyle
- A positive environment where seniors can interact with each other
- Low impact exercise programs
To learn more about current activities sponsored by the Healthy Senior Living Program, please call the UPCDC office. Transportation to activities may be arranged through the UPCDC.
Senior Walking
This activity allows seniors to socialize and have fun while exercising. The walking group meets in a park to walk for an hour. Participants receive a pedometer and a workbook to track their efforts.
Growing
Gray
Gracefully
(Three G's - A Senior Mentor Program)
Group's Purpose
This program is designed to offer support to our seniors by pairing seniors with young adults (ages 18-35) who will serve as extended family to aid seniors and their personal family in networking with agents and agencies capable of providing needed services.
Ideally, this group will bridge the generation gap between these two age groups. Each young adult will be challenged to adopt a senior and keep them active and engaged mentally and socially while learning what it is like to be a senior citizen. These interactions will allow the mentor to acquire a deeper understanding of the challenges and strengths of individuals in this group.
Investment workshops and other fun and educational seminars will be presented throughout the year preparing the young adult for the future and helping the senior address current needs or concerns.
Seniors are allowed and encouraged to share acquired wisdom and knowledge from life experiences with a young person to leave a legacy for those coming behind them.
The Three Gs Life Investment Club
“You will never be free, you will never be whole, until you learn the beauty of growing old.”
This program is designed to empower the elderly in the community and surrounding area to live independently and enjoy life to the fullest. Also to utilize the many services available to assist and enhance senior citizens’ independence.
We strive to serve as an extension of the family as support by visiting, addressing physical needs and offering suggestions when appropriate regarding available services within the program or its partners.
This is a charitable service offered to seniors within the surrounding communities with a primary focus on bringing seniors and services together.
Benefits of The Three Gs Club:
- Pair up seniors (both male and female) with mentors
- Serve as little sisters and/or little brothers contacts
- Inject vitality, energy, and fun in the life of our seniors
- Offer emotional support, reiterating a sense of value, worth, and importance, thus, affirming identity, sharing, and educating, in addition to offering access to the numerous resources available through UPCDC
Pairing Method of Participants
Interested and available volunteer mentors will apply for program participation through the UPCDC office. Age ranges for volunteers are 18-35. After screening, each volunteer will be paired with an available senior with similar interests based on the personal survey statistics. The mentor will be responsible for initiating bi-weekly contacts with his/her assigned senior.
All planned outings must be coordinated with the appropriate office staff and the manager prior to event, when appropriate. The group will plan activities quarterly that will replace one of that month’s meetings between the volunteer and the senior. All mentors will meet monthly with manager to discuss upcoming plans and events for the month and report on planned activities for group members.
Participants in this program will ideally be mobile and able to maneuver independently or with little or no assistance. Seniors’ ability to participate per UPCDC program guidelines are identified at age 55 and above in the targeted geographical areas.
