By: Susan M. Graham, Certified Elder Law Attorney, Senior Edge Legal, Boise, Idaho
What is Boise at Home?
As you age, are you concerned about losing your independence, being a burden to your family, being unable to afford to stay in your home, becoming isolated and lonely? If this does not concern you, perhaps you have family, friends and neighbors who have this worry.
In June 2013, I led a meeting of 120 people at North Junior High School to explore a new way to deal with the stresses and opportunities that come with aging in Boise. Since that time, a core group has devoted a considerable chunk of time to birthing this new nonprofit, “Boise at Home”, with a goal to enable Boiseans to age and live independently in their own homes and community as long as possible. The envisioned non-profit, ”Boise at Home”, is intended to provide support and services and promote strong community and social ties designed to ensure adults in our community have every opportunity to enjoy fulfilling, independent lives as they age.
I have added their December newsletter at the end of this blog to provide you with up-to-date information about the progress of “Boise at Home” and how you may want to be involved as a member or volunteer.
I wish you and yours a fun-filled Holiday Season and a Grand New Year with great health, adventures and prosperity!
Susan M. Graham
Senior Edge Legal
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December 12, 2014
Dear Friend:
It has been six months since our last newsletter, and a lot has happened. Your first clue is the new name and colorful letterhead at the top of this page, designed by Pat Myers, 86. Pat began drawing in 1969 when she traveled to Africa and didn’t want to take photos because “they seemed so intrusive.” Two years later, she took a drawing class from Roland Giampaoli in Boise, and she has been making journals and painting a few watercolors ever since. Pat is one of our first volunteers, and we thank her for sharing her talent.
On the fiscal front, our nonprofit, Boise Neighbor-2-Neighbor Network, Inc., received 501c3 federal income tax exemption from the Internal Revenue Service on July 15, a milestone that had us cheering. Your Executive Committee worked hard on this, and we are very grateful to Ahrens DeAngeli Law Group for its pro bono consultation services. Since this name is cumbersome for a website, we officially will do business as Boise at Home. We also have written our first business plan, including three years of estimated operation budgets.
As we prepare to launch early in 2015, work is progressing in several areas. We have identified a website provider, subscribed and are customizing a site for our needs. It will offer information about Boise at Home and many other resources for members, allow easy volunteer sign-up, accept payment and donations, calendar member events and programs, and do much more. It will be up soon, and you’ll be the first to know. In addition, committees have prepared membership and volunteer materials to be distributed at small house parties where friends can learn about Boise at Home. To attend or host a house party, please reply to this newsletter at your earliest convenience; we will begin scheduling them in January.
Other volunteer opportunities available now include website administration, outreach to potential strategic partners, data input, creating and managing a Facebook page, producing 2-minute info-videos to post on the website, program scheduling and friendraising. Just reply to this email to step into any of these or to volunteer for any other need you see unmet.
One brief note on a topic of immediate interest: Boise at Home Founding and Charter Memberships. Like any start-up, Boise at Home must be capitalized. To encourage people to join before operations begin, we are offering a 15 percent discount to Charter Members on the annual subscription rate ($500 individual/$650 household), so you would pay $425 individual or $552 household for Year 1. Charter Members also will be guaranteed no increase in annual subscription rate ($500/$650) for Years 2, 3 and 4! To become a Founding Member, you would invest $5,000, of which $4,500 (or $4,350 for a household) would be a tax-deductible donation and the balance would entitle you to Year 1 membership services and programs.
Charter and Founding Membership revenues will be placed in escrow until Boise at Home launches. If it fails to do so, 100 percent of fees will be returned. Only 75 Charter Memberships will be offered. In addition to being in on the “ground floor” for program and activities decisions, Charter and Founding Members will enjoy a special event before the official opening and be listed on the Boise at Home website and other materials if they so desire.
Do you want to step up now and invest in a more secure future for yourself and others? Do you want to retain your independence, maintain your own home in community as you widen your friendship circle, and explore new activities or share familiar ones? Boise at Home offers all this and more, at the touch of a computer key or with one phone call. We invite your ideas, suggestions and financial support. We need your help, and we want to help you. Together, we can make Boise at Home evolve from vision to reality, helping us all as we age in community. “We’re all in this together!”
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season from your Boise at Home Steering Committee: Susan Graham, Susan Allison, Carol Mitchell, Diane Ronayne, Chris Ocamica, Bev Taylor, Brittney Scigliano, Kathy Barrett, Marshall Brezonick, Tiffany Robb (EENA rep) and Nola Walker (NENA rep).
BOISE AT HOME – 1009 W. Fort St., Boise, ID 83702 – 208-297-0730
