Friday, October 23, 2009

Reviving Self-Help in the Bronx, NY, USA

Neighborhood Self Help by Older Persons Project (SHOPP) helps older adults to help themselves. Founded in 1980, and based in the gritty Hunt’s Point section of the Bronx, SHOPP’s ethos revolves around self-help and mutual assistance.

Relying on informal support systems, SHOPP’s efforts lighten the numerous burdens that older people face. Their social service is specifically targeted to those community groups that compose the rich diversity of the Bronx. Programs include transportation to health and wellness services, among many others.

SHOPP’s Senior Network Groupwork Program serves senior groups in partner sites such as senior housing buildings, churches, and community centers. Latino seniors can find Spanish-speaking social opportunities at the “Casa Boricua Senior Center.” The bilingual “Proyecto Salud/Healthy Living” Project offers activities that focus on wellness and health, while providing counseling and support for seniors who suffer from abuse or are victims of crime.

To get involved and volunteer at SHOPP, visit their website: http://volunteer.nycservice.org/org/10324516743.html

Or contact their office directly:
953 Southern Boulevard Suite 203
Bronx, NY 10459-3428
Evelyn Laureano, Executive Director
(718) 542-0006
Jasmine Ellis-Carless, Assistant Director
(718) 542-0006

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