Caregiver Action Network Assembles Winning Team for National Volunteer Care Corps

Washington, DC, September 10, 2019 – The Administration for Community Living (ACL) awarded a five-year cooperative agreement to the team that Caregiver Action Network (CAN) assembled to establish a National Volunteer Care Corps. CAN, the nation’s leading family caregiver organization, put together the winning team that includes the Oasis Institute, the National Association for Area Agencies on Aging (N4A), and Altarum Institute. This team will launch a national program to foster innovative models in which local volunteers assist family caregivers, older adults, or persons with disabilities with nonmedical care in their own homes in order to maintain their independence. 
 
“This unprecedented, new program will be a great leap forward in helping seniors, persons with disabilities, and family caregivers with much-needed non-medical assistance,” remarked John Schall, CAN’s CEO. He continued, “Rarely is there an opportunity to create a new federal program from the ground up. Yet, that is exactly what this is.” 
 
The amount of the grant in its first year is $3.8 million, of which 75% will be awarded to local organizations across the country to establish, enhance, or grow model volunteer programs. Caregiver Corps volunteers will handle simple non-medical tasks, provide companionship, and relieve over-burdened family caregivers, and will offer tremendous benefit to older Americans and their family caregivers.  
 
“The National Volunteer Care Corps will help countless families and will have a lasting impact not just on the families and individuals served, but also on those who have the opportunity to serve their community as volunteers,” said John Schall. “Caregiver Action Network is honored to be part of the team receiving this important grant from the Administration for Community Living. We look forward to working closely with communities across the country and the Department of Health and Human Services to launch the National Volunteer Care Corps program.” 
 

About the Team

Caregiver Action Network is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. CAN serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers ranging from the parents of children with special needs, to the families and friends of wounded soldiers; from a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, to adult children caring for 
 
Founded in 1982, Oasis Institute is a national nonprofit organization that is active in over 250 communities and reaches more than 50,000 individuals each year. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO and dedicated to promoting healthy aging for older adults through lifelong learning, health programs and volunteer engagement, Oasis enables adults age 50 and over across the country to pursue vibrant, healthy, productive and meaningful lives. 
 
N4A is the only organization that represents the nation’s 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and 246 Title VI Native American Aging Programs that serve millions of older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers. N4A is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of its members to: advocate on behalf of older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers; take action to ensure that communities are equipped to support and enhance the health and well-being of older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers, and serve as the focal point in their community to connect people with home and community based services. 
 
Altarum is a nonprofit research and consulting organization that serves government health insurers, health foundations, and other nonprofit clients that focus on health and healthcare. Altarum works closely with government insurance programs to conceive of and implement improvements to address the unique population health challenges of their beneficiaries. Altarum emphasizes solutions that are holistic, enabled by technology, and intently focused on prevention and appropriate care. From low-income children to frail elders, Altarum addresses the most vulnerable in society, those whose health is negatively impacted by social determinants.