For Immediate Release
Claire Lynch
The Sarah Ralston Foundation Grants $750,000 to Nonprofits Serving Philadelphia’s Underserved, Elderly Population
The Sarah Ralston Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its Spring 2023 General Operating Support Grants. This grant marks the inauguration of a twice-yearly cycle of grants for qualified nonprofits. A total of $750,000 will be distributed to twenty-eight nonprofits in support of their work with older Philadelphians in need.
“We are gratified by the diverse pool of applicants this year: small- to medium-sized organizations from different parts of Philadelphia that focus on the issues central to the Foundation’s mission, such as food insecurity, housing, advocacy for older adults, and quality of life,” said Executive Director Lynette Killen.
The recipients of The Sarah Ralston Foundation’s 2023 General Operating Support Grant are:
- ARTZ Philadelphia – Engaging people living with dementia through the arts. Broad Street Ministry – Helping to stabilize Philadelphians living in deep poverty.
- Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elders (CARIE) – Promoting the well-being, rights, and autonomy of older Philadelphians.
- Center in the Park – Promoting positive aging and social connections among older adults in a local community center guided by the articulated needs of its program participants.
- Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels – Delivering nutritious meals and warm greetings to homebound neighbors.
- Face to Face – Relieving the suffering of its guests with immediate support for critical needs in a safe environment and providing a practical plan of action that addresses the complex mix of issues unique to each guest.
- Federation Housing, Inc. – Developing, building, and managing affordable independent housing.
- Generations on Line – Reducing isolation by teaching easy, fast, free digital skills to older Philadelphians.
- Intergenerational Community Alliances & Program Inc. – Focusing on palliative- and hospice-related issues in Black and Brown communities.
- Joseph J Hill Ralston-Mercy Douglass House – Providing senior living where older adults can receive services and socialize.
- Kiths Integrated and Targeted Human Services – Connecting Asian Americans immigrants and refugees to resources that build skills vital to their livelihood and self-sufficiency.
- Lutheran Children and Family Services of Eastern Pennsylvania – Providing care, shelter, and education to vulnerable people and serving as their advocate.
- Masjid Al-Wasatiyah – Providing a haven for older Muslim Americans and their families.
- Morivivi Latino Cancer Support Group – Supporting Latinas in Philadelphia diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Northern Living Center by North City Congress – Providing community center services that include behavioral health and wellness programs to older Philadelphians.
- Northwest Community Court Program – Providing resources for families with food insecurities and assisting older citizens incarcerated for 15 years or more with reentry.
- Northwest Mutual Aid Collective, Inc. – Suppling nutritious and healthy food to seniors, cancer patients, the disabled, and low-income families.
- Penn’s Village – Providing caring services and programs that allow older neighbors to live independently in their homes.
- Philadelphia Aging People in Prison Human Rights Campaign – Advocating, educating, and lobbying for the release and human rights of aging people incarcerated in prisons.
- Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Emergency Fund – Funding support to cover the expense of utilities, food, clothing, repairs, medication, and other essentials when all other resources have been exhausted.
- Rebuilding Together Philadelphia – Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, and rebuilding lives.
- SOWN – Strengthening community support networks, reducing social isolation, and improving the wellbeing of older adults.
- The Center-Philadelphia – Providing a space where all people can assemble, organize, engage, create, and inspire social change.
- The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation – Providing health and human services to the Asian American community.
- Urban Affair Coalition, Grand Central – Providing a place where older adults can receive services and socialization, including support to those raising their grandchildren.
- Urban Resources and Development Corporation – Stabilizing communities through the repair of homes for seniors and low-income people.
- UUH Outreach Program – Supporting independence, dignity, and quality of life for people 60 years of age and older in their homes and communities.
- Yoga 4 The World – Creating a safer, more supportive, and regenerated Philadelphia through yoga and meditation.
The Sarah Ralston Foundation was launched in January 2023 and utilizes funds acquired from the sale of the Ralston Center: a centuries-old building originated by Sarah Ralston as a home for indigent widows and single women in 1817. “Our mission to serve older adults is right on track,” Killen said. “Our assets are set up to serve Sarah Ralston’s legacy and our efforts to fund our mission will continue into the foreseeable future.”
“The Sarah Ralston Foundation’s inaugural grant cycle was an incredible success,” said Neville Strumpf, President of the Board of Directors. “There are an amazing number of small and larger organizations doing a lot with a little—we hope this first round of grants makes the lives of a very vulnerable population better in multiple ways.”
The next grant cycle, for Innovative Project Support, is currently underway. Recipients will be announced in the fall of 2023. Innovative Project Support grants are awarded to qualified nonprofits that seek to improve the delivery of health care or respond to social factors that influence the health and quality of life of older adults residing in Philadelphia. The funds can be utilized for the development of new projects or expansion of existing ones. Applications are available at www.sarahralstonfoundation.org. The application deadline is September 1, 2023.