Executive director of 50 Forward Mohawk Valley discusses how the group is helping seniors in the region
By David L. Podos
Q: What is 50 Forward Mohawk Valley?
A: We are the oldest and largest senior center service provider in Oneida County.
Q: When you say you are the oldest when did it all start?
A: We started in 1957 with Senior Days out of Utica as well as Senior Services out of Utica. Eventually we merged and rebranded with a new name, Elder Life and that was in 1998. We became 50 Forward back in 2021.
Q: How many locations do you have?
A: We have three locations. So, we are at the Parkway Rec Center building in Utica, our second location is at Verona Beach, Verona, and our third location is at the West Side Senior Center in Utica. We had a regrant opening of that location this past September where we did a $2 million renovation project. At that time 50 Forward took over operations of the West Side Senior Center.
Q: Where did the money come from to complete that project?
A: The money came from a number of sources, The city of Utica, Oneida County, The Community Foundation and DASNY [Dormitory Authority of the State of New York] and that particular funding was through the efforts of our Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon.
Q: How many employees do you presently have and I believe you also have a very strong volunteer presence as well, is that correct?
A: We are at 17 employees which includes both full-time and part-time. In regards to our volunteers we are so fortunate to have a dedicated and robust volunteer base. In 2025 we will be focusing a lot of energy on discovering volunteering. We are the go-to for volunteer opportunities for older adults. We also have partnerships throughout Oneida County with different nonprofits to provide volunteers.
Q: Besides the obvious of a good feeling lending a helping hand to someone in need, what other benefits do volunteers say they receive?
A: That’s a great question. So, let me first start off by mentioning what our mission is, which is to provide programs and services to individuals 50 years of age and older; to keep them healthy and independent as possible so they can live vibrant and healthy lives. That can be from our fitness programs that we offer, social engagement programs, transportation that we provide (through our volunteers) that helps a person to keep their doctor appointments, etc. In regards to benefits that our volunteers receive there are many. Volunteering is a key component of healthy living. Whether we hear it from the volunteers themselves and or the people that they help. This has a win- win effect.
Q: I came across an article published by the Mayo Clinic that talked about the health benefits for those who volunteer. They say that volunteer activities keep people moving and thinking at the same time. And what I thought quite interesting was their research has found that volunteering among adults age 60 and over provided benefits to physical and mental health, as well as volunteers having a low mortality rate. Are you finding similar benefits when you talk to your volunteers?
A: Absolutely, the benefits they are receiving that they tell us are very similar to the benefits you mentioned from the Mayo Clinic research. First and foremost, they [the volunteers] really want to help other people and when helping others, they feel good because they are also helping themselves. For example, our volunteer drivers. Oftentimes after they have taken someone to a doctor’s appointment, that very day the client will call us and say how grateful they are for that service and how wonderful the driver was. That really makes a volunteer’s day when they hear that, and being happy can make you feel really, really good. It is heartwarming!
Q: If someone wanted to volunteer and was interested in where they could best fit in, who would they call?
A: There are several ways. They can stop in at any of our locations or call. We have two volunteer coordinators; they can ask for David at 315- 223-3973 or call our Verona Beach office at 315- 235-2029 and ask for Stephanie.
More information about 50 Forward can be found at info@50forwardmv.org