NEWS & HAPPENINGS
Tuesday, February 15 is National Village Day – Celebrating 20 years!
Though At Home in Alexandria does not have the word “village” in its name, we are considered a village organization—one of over 280 local nonprofit villages across the country serving older neighbors in their respective communities. This month marks 20 years since the very first one—Beacon Hill Village (BHV) in Boston—began operation. It wasn’t long before word of BHV’s work spread like wildfire and countless groups sought to replicate that model in their own community. A small national office was established to offer support and training to these “startups”—and that entity, the Village to Village Network, continues today. Our established movement has proven to be a cost-effective, sustainable solution for healthy, vibrant aging. Collectively, villages serve about 40,000 older adults.
Tuesday, Feb. 15 is National Village Day and the central event will be a virtual celebration from noon to 1:30 p.m. The event is co-hosted by BHV and the Village to Village Network. It will feature BHV founders, trace key developments in the movement, highlight stories from various villages and celebrate the role of villages today. The event is limited to 1,000 attendees.
– Cele Garrett