LSMNJ Receives Grant From Friends Foundation for the Aging

BURLINGTON, NJ – Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSMNJ), a faith-based nonprofit organization based in Burlington, New Jersey, recently received a grant from Friends Foundation for the Aging to support Mt. Olive Senior Residence in Morris County, New Jersey. The grant has increased outdoor recreation and social connectedness for Mt. Olive residents by providing for the construction of 15 raised garden beds, plus filler soil and starter plants.

Mt. Olive residents enjoy getting out in nature and working together in the garden, and this grant makes those activities much easier. “There were garden beds already there, and many residents were already utilizing them,” shares vice president of philanthropy Alison Lauck. “However, as we get older, we can’t do what we used to. Bending over to ground level proved difficult for some.” With the new raised garden beds in place, residents can flex their green thumbs without having to bend or kneel on the ground.

Loneliness and isolation were some of the hardest challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic for Mt. Olive residents. Thanks to their new raised garden beds, residents can get together again to regain the feelings of connection that were lost in 2020. The whole community is thrilled with the results.

Funded largely through the Section 202 Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program, Mt. Olive Senior Residence is an affordable housing property with 110 units for those 62 years or older located in Flanders, New Jersey. If you or your organization would like to provide financial support or volunteer assistance to Mt. Olive, LSMNJ, or any of its many programs and services, please contact Alison Lauck at alauck@lsmnj.org or call (609) 500-0753.

About Friends Foundation for the Aging

Friends Foundation for the Aging a private foundation and an independent, nonprofit corporation that funds innovative and collaborative programs to improve the lives of aging adults. Its values and philosophy flow from the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality (equity), and stewardship. To learn more, visit their website at friendsfoundationaging.org.