Legacy

Throughout its history, as a facility, foundation, and community advisory fund, the mission of Grotta has remained focused on improving the quality of life of older adults and their families.

Beginning in 1922, the Theresa Grotta Aid Society for Convalescents was a home to care for Jewish women recuperating from surgery. In 1979, a building in West Orange, NJ, was purchased and the name was changed to The Theresa Grotta Center for Rehabilitative Services. As a 142-bed skilled nursing home and rehabilitation center, services were provided on an inpatient and outpatient basis to the elderly on a non-sectarian basis.
In 1993, the skilled nursing facility was sold and funds are used to establish a foundation, the Grotta Foundation for Senior Care. During the next 10 years, the Foundation donated more than 3 million dollars to programs for caregiving, senior programs at synagogues, and for a range of community programs serving the elderly.

In 2003, The Grotta Fund for Senior Care was established with the Jewish Community Foundation.

Grantmaking

Since 2003, the Grotta Fund for Senior Care Advisory Council has recommended grants to more than 30 agencies, totaling over $2.8 million. Many of these grants have funded needed case management, kosher food, home-based nursing services, mental health services, social support and assistance, transportation, medication management, home safety, and respite.

Grants are awarded, twice each year, based on Request for Proposals (RFP) that reach general senior issues or particular interest areas. The Grotta Fund for Senior Care strives to fund grants that reach the most vulnerable populations and address pressing needs in Essex, Morris, and Union county communities.. The Council favors projects that are innovative and collaborative in nature, have clear benchmarks that will demonstrate how the project will improve the quality of life of the seniors and their families, and are sustainable. Most grants are one year in duration and fund direct service programs for seniors and activities that enhance health, safety, and well-being of seniors, while enhancing their ability to remain in their own homes or community.

Grants At Work

In the face of the current national economic downturn, Grotta is maintaining our longstanding and strategic commitments in aging population of MetroWest. We are continuing to make grants to improve senior’s quality of life and targeted grants to increase the community’s capacity to address chronic disease management, medication management, mental health issues, and challenging behaviors of frail seniors in our rapidly aging population.

Notably, the Fund has awarded several grants to improve care for seniors with congestive heart failure (CHF). Since its launch in mid-2008, 51 seniors associated with Holy Redeemer Home Care have been connected in real time to home-based health monitoring which resulted in early identification of medical problems, less rehospitalizations and improved medication compliance. Since July 2009, JFS of Central NJ has begun a program “Congestive Heart Failure: Beyond the Borders of the Hospital” which provides assistive devises, geriatric nursing oversight and improved education to enhance medication management and reduce rehospitalizations. Another exciting program Sage Eldercare’s Eldercare Planning and Guidance Program, will provide care coordination to improve the functionality and wellbeing of 100 seniors with chronic illness, many with CHF, living in the Union County area.

For seniors with early dementia and their families, Grotta has supported a collaborative venture with three non-profits located in Morris and Essex counties. These agencies provided home assessments and improvements for safety and Caregiving assistance.

The Fund has expanded several evidence-based programs to seniors in our communities. Healthy Ideas and Move Today are two examples of model programs for improved mental and physical health are which are expected to benefit a diverse elderly population.

To address the current economic crisis, Community Health Law Project prepared and disseminated a new booklet, Predatory Lending Practices and What to Do if You are At Risk of Foreclosure.

Grotta’s Grantees are Special

The Grotta Fund provides its grantees with opportunities for technical assistance, learning, and networking with other non-profits. In turn, our grantees are encouraged to promote the results of their grant, leverage funding, and sustain programs which have been funded by Grotta.

Sharing and Learning

We hope to share our results with others interested in supporting innovative solutions for seniors as well as other non-profits and community at large. Please let us know if you are interested.