Elderly too often overlooked by philanthropists
Kick-off is almost here as the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in this year’s exciting championship game. The big game, which is taking place in Las Vegas this year, will no doubt bring in revenue for businesses and the local government while giving the world another chance to witness our hospitality and why we are a great destination city.
Hosting the Super Bowl is part of Las Vegas’ sports revolution, and there’s more to come with baseball, more Formula One racing, and the continuation of our beloved local major league basketball, hockey and football teams. Our local sports franchises’ charitable foundations all play a crucial role in giving back to the community, and we’re grateful for their existence.
In the midst of this Las Vegas sports excitement, charitable giving often prioritizes causes such as helping children and veterans, which is wonderful; certainly, we need to care for vulnerable populations, starting with our kids and those who have dedicated their lives to this country. However, I fear some of our neighbors, including older adults and individuals with disabilities, are being left behind. We cannot forget about our older population, an invisible group that played a vital role in building this country and raising our working generation.
My organization, Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada, does what we can to help them, but more is needed.
As a top demographic in Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada’s client base, I personally witness the daily struggles of people living on low or fixed incomes. They are striving to maintain aging homes that are often in need of maintenance and repairs that they are unable to afford. These repairs are especially troubling when they are needed for roofs or HVAC systems that can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
In addition to helping protect and preserve our neighbor’s quality of life, there’s also a very practical economic and community benefit to revitalizing and repairing senior housing: our work saves our city money on the back end. When older adults can stay in their homes, aging in place and living healthier and longer lives, it alleviates strain on our health care system, saving space and resources at assisted-living facilities and hospitals. Additionally, maintaining real estate properties within Southern Nevada families allows our community to preserve affordable housing and generational wealth, and prevents more properties from becoming rental units, thus maintaining the allure of proud, resident-owned neighborhoods.
Flagship events like the Super Bowl play a role in this movement as they come to the city and bring in corporate assistance to organize massive volunteer events like Rebuilding Together’s Kickoff to Rebuild, a Super Bowl-sanctioned event held annually in the Super Bowl host city.
On Friday, Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada and Lowe’s, the official home improvement partner of the NFL, will join forces to provide essential repairs to six homes in the Valley View neighborhood. These home improvements will ensure that our neighbors can safely live in their homes and pass them down from generation to generation. Additionally, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada’s John C. Kish Club will receive a fresh coat of paint in its large gymnasium, creating an enjoyable space for youths to play, learn, build relationships and grow. If all that community goodwill isn’t inspirational and a key benefit of Las Vegas hosting a major sporting event, I don’t know what is. We can’t wait to get it going.
Whether you’re an industry leader with the influence to channel major dollars or someone who just wants to spare a few bucks for an extremely worthy cause, please keep our treasured older adults top of mind. One day, we’ll all need help as we hopefully age with dignity. Our neighbors in need are too precious to be left behind.