The Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center seeks to prevent and eliminate elder abuse in the Pikes Peak region and beyond. Funding from the NextFifty Initiative for $25,000 will be used for staffing and administrative start-up costs for the organization’s elder shelter program, which aims to provide safe and temporary housing for at least 60 older adults who have been exploited, neglected, or mistreated.

“Our Board has worked hard to bring to fruition over 15 years of work from the Pikes Peak Elder Abuse Coalition,” said Melissa Marts, Program Development Administrator with the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging and Board member of the Center. “The elder shelter program is unique for the nation and relies on close partnership with Adult Protective Services, law enforcement, long term care communities and home-based programs.”

NextFifty Initiative has announced total giving of $328,418 in grants to six organizations in El Paso and Pueblo Counties that are working to improve the lives of older adults and their caregivers. NextFifty Initiative, which funds game-changing efforts to improve and sustain the quality of life for people in their second 50 years, announced a total of $3.5 million in grants to similar organizations around the state and $3.7 million in funding to organizations located outside of Colorado.

“The COVID-19 pandemic created exceptional challenges for many organizations that support older adults,” said Diana McFail, president and CEO of NextFifty Initiative. “We created the flexible support opportunity, in part, to simplify the process of applying for funds and to allow organizations to request the type of support they most need to meet the rapidly evolving needs of older people in their communities.”

The Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center Board thanks NextFifty for the support across the region and looks forward to further emergency shelter opportunities for older adults.