A Pinnacle Moment for Aging with Dignity

“It was raining the day of the event, but no one seemed to notice.”
- Jeanne Molinari, Communications Coordinator, NCB Capital Impact

As part of my job, I help coordinate special events for NCB Capital Impact. The opening of the first urban Green House in Chelsea, Massachusetts in April stands out as a high point for me. The Leonard Florence Center for Living received $29 million New Markets Tax Credits from NCB Capital Impact and the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation to build ten urban Green Houses. This project brought together NCB Capital Impact’s lending team and technical assistance providers in a way that embodied our mission: to support people and communities reach their highest potential at every stage of life.

The Green House Replication Initiative is a flagship effort for NCB Capital Impact in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Green House model is different from traditional nursing homes and assisted living facilities as it creates small home-like settings with skilled nursing that maximize independence and dignity for the people living there.

Invitations went out to over 400 people, and as the contact for the RSVPs, I had the pleasure of meeting many new people, learning about Boston sites and restaurants, and making some great new friends.  Barry Berman, the Executive Director of the Leonard Florence Center for Living, and I worked closely together to coordinate the details of the day.  The Center chefs created a delicious traditional lunch of baked brisket and all the fixings complete with homemade challah bread.

It was raining the day of the event, but no one seemed to notice. The brand new facility with amazing state of the art technology developed with the help of those living with disabilities was phenomenal. The welcoming remarks from Barry Berman and two of the residents left us speechless, in awe of their courage and determination. The tours of the Green House for people living with ALS by two of the residents were inspiring.

Sharing this day with the community of people who made it possible and those thriving in it was a pinnacle moment for NCB Capital Impact.  At the risk of sounding schmaltzy, I was so very proud to be a part of the event and proud to work for NCB Capital Impact. 

Learn more about the back story…
Transforming Long Term Care
In “My Generation,” The Who wrote, “I hope I die before I get old.” This echoes the fear of many as they contemplate futures characterized by a loss of independence, self-determination and identity, and it rings especially true for elders and people affected with debilitating diseases. For those who lack the assets to pay for high-cost personal care, the only option when they are unable to care for themselves is an institutional skilled nursing facility that regulates the times they eat, sleep, exercise and socialize.  Read the full story by Scott Sporte in the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits, June 2010, Novogradac & Company LLC.