City of Milwaukee Wins America’s Best Intergenerational Communities Award
Awarded to Community with Emphasis on Programs, Policies Benefitting All Generations
MILWAUKEE – The City of Milwaukee has been awarded the MetLife Foundation/ Generations United America’s Best Intergenerational Communities Award. Since 2010, the awards program has recognized 18 innovative communities across America that are leading the way by incorporating intergenerational solutions that engage the wisdom and vitality of all generations.
Mayor Barrett, in partnership with the St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, applied for the award. A blue-ribbon panel of judges selected the winning entries from among a host of applicants from across the country.
“When individuals from all walks of life come together, positive things happen,” Mayor Barrett said. “I’m proud that residents of all generations are working together to build a stronger Milwaukee and that our efforts have been recognized with this award.”
As a Best Intergenerational Community, award recipients will join a national network committed to increasing intergenerational communities throughout the country.
“We congratulate the City of Milwaukee on being a winner,” said Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United. “It takes a great deal of effort and forward thinking to create a community where members of every generation thrive and want to live.”
“MetLife Foundation understands the value of programs that encourage generations to work together for the benefit of the entire community,” said Dennis White, president and chief executive officer of the MetLife Foundation. “Communities that care for and engage all members – regardless of age – deepen bonds between the generations and set an important example for other communities to follow. We applaud the two communities selected to receive the 2016 Best Intergenerational Communities Award, as well as the National Finalist.”
The other winning community is Eastman Community Association of Grantham, New Hampshire. The City of Coral Springs, Florida was named a National Finalist.
Presentation of this year’s awards will occur at a reception on Tuesday, April 19, at AARP’s Innovation Lab in Washington, DC. The Best Intergenerational Communities awards program is made possible with a grant from MetLife Foundation. The 5th annual awards program coincides with Generations United’s 30th Anniversary.
“This award recognizes the value Milwaukee places on the gifts of our young people and our older adults, and how much they can accomplish together. It celebrates our inclusivity—how we are keeping older adults engaged in community and family life, and how we are nurturing the potential of our youth,” said Sister Edna Lonergan, president of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care. “Our children are stronger because of the presence of older adults in their lives who lead by example. And our older adults experience a sense of purpose when they interact with children and see the hope and energy that’s going into Milwaukee’s future.”
About the MetLife Foundation:
MetLife Foundation was created in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Today, the Foundation is dedicated to advancing financial inclusion, committing $200 million over the next five years to help build a secure future for individuals and communities around the world. MetLife Foundation is affiliated with MetLife, Inc., a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
About Generations United:
For three decades, Generations United (www.gu.org) has been the catalyst for policies and practices stimulating cooperation and collaboration among generations, evoking the vibrancy, energy and sheer productivity that result when people of all ages come together. Generations United believes that they can only be successful in the face of their complex future if generational diversity is regarded as a national asset and fully leveraged.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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