Intergenerational Program Database

CATCH brings children and adults age 50+ together to learn good eating and physical activity habits for a lifetime. The program combats obesity by engaging adults age 50+ as mentors to teach healthy lifelong habits to kids in grades K-5. Adults in the program benefit in several ways. Research shows that volunteers have lower rates of depression and mortality and greater functional ability than those who do not volunteer. As they promote healthy habits for kids and for themselves, they also experience the rewards of meaningful community service.

Garden Mosaics is a youth and community education program that combines science learning with intergenerational mentoring, multicultural understanding and community action. Garden Mosaics was created at Cornell University and is now maintained and hosted at the American Community Gardening Association.

The Beacon After School Program is offered throughout the week by the Trinity Lutheran Church. The teachers share the love of Christ as they help with homework, tell Bible stories, and lead many exciting activities. This ministry began several years ago here and currently serves over forty children in grades K-4 from the Ashland City Schools. These elementary-aged children are referred to us by the Ashland schools' liaisons.

The OEA-Retired Intergenerational Mentoring Program is an ideal way for retired educators to continue their commitment to public education in Ohio, to the children who attend our schools, and to the pre-professionals who will benefit from their experience.

Dynamics Community Theater is an intergenerational volunteer program in the Tallmadge City Schools. It begins when each new cast and crew assembles– young people sitting with their peers and adults off to the side. Drawn together by the roles they play, they begin to interact. Both students and adults learn and grow from the experience. By the time they’ve taken their final bows, they are like family! Intergenerational friendships made during productions continue. More than 700 people from the ages of 3 to 80 have been involved in some capacity with one of our productions.

The public charter school will serve 96 kindergarten thru 2nd grade students in its first year with multi-age classrooms and 17 students per teacher in August 2014 at St. Casimir Parish on Neff Road in Collinwood neighborhood

The Toledo Mudhens are a minor league baseball team in Toledo, Ohio. The Mudhens reached out to our low-income seniors here at Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA), and provide us every year with free ticket vouchers for our seniors and their guests that include a free Tarta Bus Ride to come and watch the game for free.

The Intergenerational School (TIS) is a successful community public school located in Cleveland, Ohio. In this elementary school adults of all ages participate as co-learners in supporting life-long learning and spirited citizenship. The recipient of many local, national and international awards the model is now being replicated in Cleveland (Near West and Lakeshore Intergenerational Schools) and elsewhere. Studies demonstrate the value of the model for both children and elders, including those with cognitive challenges like dementia. The school has developed innovative programs in literacy, environment, health, information technology, and the arts. The school fosters collective wisdom in service of a sustainable future. Keyword: Shared Site

Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program for people with dementia. Its failure-free program provides opportunities for creative self-expression and social engagement for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of neurocognitive disorders. Developed at Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center, the program is grounded in person-centered care principles with a mission to build bridges across age and cogni¬tive barriers through art. OMA sessions are led by trained facilitators. Each elder is paired with a trained volunteer who provides guidance during the art-making process but who makes no aesthetic decisions for the artist. The art-making sessions culminate in a gallery exhibition celebrating the art¬ists’ accomplishments while educating the public about the creative capacities of people with dementia. Awards: • Designated as a “Program of Distinction” by Generations United • Endorsed by the Ohio Department of Aging as a Quality Improvement Project • Best Practice award from Leading Age Ohio Keyword: Shared Site, Program of Distinction

One of our most successful relationships has been cultivated with Judson’s Daily Enrichment Center where adult daycare participants with developmental disabilities are so excited and appreciative to have TIS students join them for craft projects and learning based enrichment activities. These visits were 2-3 times more frequent than our traditional facility visits, and facility staff confirmed that there was a significant increase in resident involvement and participation when TIS students were working with them, along with a notable reduction in stress. TIS students were among hundreds in the community and thousands across the country serving through this program. TIS students chose to visit local assisted living facilities to talk with seniors as part of the Business Volunteers Unlimited Global Youth Service Day. Students as teachers is where TIS students worked with National Black Caucus clients who were trying to reenter the workforce, but needed basic computer skills. Our students taught the seniors how to navigate the internet, create a resume in Word, and set up and use an email account.