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In the fall of 2005 one of our members found from personal experience that much-touted supportive services were not available in the rural corner of Westchester County, largely because of transportation challenges. In the summer of 2006, she met one of the founders of Beacon Hill Village at a Pioneer Network annual meeting and came home talking about the power of consumers defining how they wanted to live after retirement.
By 2007 a group of residents of the 7-town region had grown. There was agreement that there are 15 challenges that cause many older residents to leave the area, despite the beauty of the towns and, in many cases, strong connections to houses of worship, civic activities and friends.
Agreeing to do something about the 15 challenges, a core group developed an organizational structure in the fall of 2007, incorporated and received 501(c)(3) non-profit designation from the IRS. Also in 2007 ALOFT sought and received funding from the Westchester Department of Senior Programs and Services and the Public Private Partnership on Aging, becoming one of nine Livable Community Connections in the County – the only one managed by older consumers. Through the Livable Community grant, ALOFT provides monthly planning, educational and advocacy training sessions throughout the region.
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