Telespond Senior Services Directors Attend AmeriCorps Conference Two Directors from Telespond Senior Services, Inc., attended the AmeriCorps Seniors Pennsylvania Directors Association (ASPDA) Conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Jodi Catania, Director of the Senior Companion Program of Lackawanna County; and Colleen Garrison, Director of the Foster Grandparent Program of Luzerne and Wyoming Counties, had an opportunity to engage with other program directors from across the Commonwealth and AmeriCorps Mid-Atlantic Portfolio Managers. They received valuable information on policies and procedures in order to maintain successful programs. In addition to the training, each director joined a committee. Catania is a member of the ASPDA Training Committee and will assist with training topics and speakers. Garrison is the Chairperson of the ASPDA Marketing Committee and will coordinate social media projects. For more information on Telespond’s Senior Companion or Foster Grandparent Program, call 570-961-1950.
Telespond Senior Services Event Brings Several Local Politicians Telespond Senior Services hosted an event marking World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and officially announcing that a 4 bed Senior Advocacy Center will be constructed next to our senior center, located on Saginaw Street in South Scranton! The event brought several local political dignitaries, including Pa. Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich, Sara McDonald, Director of the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak, and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti to name a few.
Telespond Senior Services Appoints Two Members to Board of Directors Telespond Senior Services is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its board of directors, Thomas DePietro and Michelle Carr. Thomas DePietro is the owner and pharmacy manager of DePietro’s Pharmacy in Dunmore. Since opening in 2012, DePietro’s Pharmacy has received numerous recognitions for excellence in customer service and community involvement, most recently being named “Best Local Pharmacy” by readers of the Scranton Times for the sixth consecutive year in 2021. DePietro serves on the board of directors for the Greater Scranton YMCA and the Lackawanna County Heritage Valley Authority and is also a member of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Spirit of Hope Gala Committee and the Lackawanna College Board of Trustees. Michelle Carr is Senior Vice President and Retail Banking Director at Fidelity Bank. She has over 30 years of experience in bank management and first joined Fidelity Bank in 2005. In 2020, she stepped into her current role and was also named Fidelity Banker of the Year. Carr serves on the Maternal and Family Health Services Resource Development Committee and the Area on the Aging Elder Justice Multi-Disciplinary Team. To learn more about Telespond’s board of directors and the organization’s mission of enhancing the safety and well-being of the region’s elderly, visit our website: http://www.seniordayservices.org/about-us/
Telespond Senior Services Awarded $5,000 to Support Operations Telespond Senior Services has accepted a $5,000 Critical Needs grant award from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to support operations of in-home and on-site senior services in Northeastern PA. Telespond’s on-site day program provides a community-based environment for older adults who require supervised care outside the home during the day. Telespond’s in-home personal care services assist seniors with non-medical activities of daily living so they can continue to live independently. Telespond is dedicated to enhancing the safety and well-being of the region’s elderly and has served the Lackawanna County community for over 40 years. To learn more, visit http://www.seniordayservices.org/
Telespond Senior Services Awarded $13,000 to Support Senior Companion Program Telespond Senior Services accepted a $13,000 award from the PNC Foundation to support seniors at risk of isolation in northeastern PA. Funds will be used within Telespond’s Senior Companion program, which has faithfully served the Lackawanna County community for over 40 years. Last year, 87 Senior Companions provided over 240 clients with socialization, recreation, and non-medical daily living assistance. The award will continue to support companions’ in-home engagement with seniors and will enable expanded and continued engagement through letter-writing and phone call campaigns through the COVID-19 pandemic. This program aims to alleviate burdens of isolation that have become especially prevalent for older adults due to COVID-19. Thanks to the generosity of federal funders and organizations including the PNC Foundation, the Senior Companion program remains completely free to the older adults it serves while providing volunteers with a small stipend for their services. To learn more about the Senior Companion program, visit http://www.seniordayservices.org/senior-companion/
Telespond Senior Services Receives Grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation Telespond Senior Services , Inc. is delighted to announce the award of a grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation is the amount of $19,500. The funds will be used for exterior safety and security improvements, benefiting daycare. clients and staff alike. The driveway and parking lot will be paved, security cameras will be installed around the entire building perimeter. New LED lights will provide safe entry and exit in early morning and late evening, and upgraded signage throughout the exterior portions of the property will add a much-needed facelift.
