In terms of funding and government support, the elderly population often fly under the radar. However, the John Knox Village of Florida is on a mission to change this for good – indeed, it hopes to provide retirees with a happy and healthy life post-retirement. As such, 16 years ago, the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation, an organisation that acquires funding and donations for the village and its mission, was established.
Everyone gets older – it’s inevitable. Therefore, it’s never too early to consider what your retirement plans are, for example, do you plan to stay at home or move into a retirement home or village? Both options offer numerous benefits; however, taking up residence in a retirement village can open you up to a whole host of new experiences.
Indeed, the John Knox Village of Florida offers just this – a resort to retreat to for your retired years. There are a range of residential options available, including comfortable apartments and luxurious bungalows, each coming equipped with security options that always ensure safety. Moreover, for over 50 years the John Knox Village of Florida has been providing a pleasant community for retirees, encapsulating what can only be described as a ‘relaxed, upscale South Florida beach vibe.’
If this is something that appeals to you, then perhaps you will be interested in the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation. Established in 2006, the non-profit was created in order to bolster the wellbeing and lifestyle of the village’s residents. In essence, it has been designed to make a difference. The foundation is fulfilling this goal via a plethora of means, with a primary focus upon funding and supporting programs, services and spaces that impact the seven areas of wellness – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, and occupational.
The foundation is wholly committed to the individual care of its residents. This is, of course, a non-negotiable aspect of its work. Consequently, it is this devotion that guides the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation to share the knowledge it has acquired through working with this population in order to change the narrative on ageism. As of now, it is targeting the local area, but the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation hopes to push this mission to a national and potentially international level. Furthermore, its core values act as a basis upon which it strives to attract philanthropists whose interests and passions centre on the seven areas of wellness and the needs of the aging population.
How exactly does the foundation operate? It’s simple – the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation largely relies upon donations. There are a variety of donation methods available, ranging from one-time donations to charitable gift annuities. Planned gifts are a core method that philanthropists opt for when donating to the foundation – for example, one may choose to provide a gift to the foundation via their estate in the form of a bequest. However, there are options available for smaller donations. Cash and cheque donations are accepted, as are payments made via its website.
For the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation this has been a significant challenge. A spokesperson for the foundation comments, ‘funding aging services can be a challenging opportunity for organizations and communities that either serve this population in structured facilities or in the general communities across our globe. The aging population is assumed to have accomplished it all and are all set in their life’s journey having all their needs met because of their preparation.’ It is safe to say that this is not always the case – they go on to cite isolation, lack of resources, food insecurity, and greater health needs as a selection of challenges that the older generation face. The clear solution for these issues is a government and non-profit shift towards prioritising this area of the population.
On top of this, the world has undergone a turbulent few years thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. For just over two years, human interaction has been limited, forced to adapt to a climate of isolation to protect others. Whilst this approach has been greatly beneficial, it has also paired itself with many challenges. The John Knox Village of Florida Foundation notes that the lack of face-to-face contact had a monumental impact on its community. Technology became more prevalent within the organisation, both within the day-to-day running of the foundation and within its fundraising efforts. Yet this transformation meant that the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation had to educate a generation of individuals who were not as familiar with new technologies.
Two years later, the foundation has successfully combatted the issues created by the pandemic. It has made significant progress and now conducts many of its philanthropic communications via e-mail and Zoom meetings. In fact, the foundation found that, ‘communicating tips on vehicles like Qualified Charitable Donations (QCD’s) through email increased the number year over year because our residents had become very accustomed to receiving important information electronically more often than pre-COVID.’
2022 is set to be a year of great success for the foundation. Recently, the foundation was awarded a million-dollar restricted endowment which has enabled it to fund its Residents Assistance Program – a fund that assures financial support to any resident that outlives their financial resources through no fault of their own. Subsequently, this means that no resident will be forced to leave the community if they cannot pay due to circumstances beyond their control. In addition, the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation is planning to launch a campaign that, over the course of five years, will build an unrestricted endowment that will cover any future unanticipated funding for programs, services, and spaces for its residents.
For further information, please contact Mark Knox Village of Florida Foundation Inc or visit https://jkvfoundation.com
