A HUG HERE, A KISS THERE. A watchful eye, a gentle prod. The special bond between grandparents and grandchildren is particularly visible at Griot Village. The intergenerational housing community located in Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood was developed by the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corp. in partnership with Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Housing Authority.
Forty families and 70 children, ages 6 months to 18 years, live in the project’s two-, three- and four-bedroom townhomes. It’s a safe, nurturing environment that provides educational, social and recreational services to its residents. Completed in 2015, the community is the first project of its kind in Ohio to address the housing needs of low-income adults 55 and older with legal custody of minor children.
The McGregor Foundation, a private grant maker, has been a vital part of Griot Village’s success since its beginning. Denise VanLeer, executive director of the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corp., says her organization has partnered with McGregor since 2006. McGregor has helped fund the community’s initial planning grant, a national design competition for its buildings, a community center and now a service coordinator who works with children and adults.
“McGregor has been great,” says a grateful VanLeer.
To provide Safety Net Services to Griot Village residents and other seniors in need, McGregor Foundation partners with established organizations including The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Senior Transportation Connection, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry and ESOP (Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People).
Rob Hilton is president and CEO of The McGregor Foundation, which he started in 2001 with Susan Althans, now director of philanthropy and secretary to the board. Originally, trust money was earmarked exclusively for the McGregor Home, a 140-year-old senior living and rehabilitation center in East Cleveland.
“But we became painfully aware that we could only serve so many people with our existing facilities and staff, so we established our grant making in 2001,” says Hilton.
Grant-making priorities include home- and community-based care focusing on affordable housing with services; workforce development, with an emphasis on educational opportunities for those providing senior care; and total quality of life and cultural programming for seniors in all settings.
“There are challenges in each area, especially the sheer scale of the need Cuyahoga County has for affordable housing for seniors,” says Hilton. “By our calculations, we need in excess of 30,000 additional safe and affordable housing units for seniors — a bedroom, bath and kitchen all on the same floor. Even though we have focused on this need for the past 16 years, we just barely make a dent [for Greater Cleveland].”
Hilton struggles with the fact that he can’t save the entire world, but he can look at impressive successes, including funding a dental van operated in partnership with Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. The van serves residents in nursing homes and neighborhoods without access to dental care while also training dental students.
“We don’t provide individual scholarships. We would rather fund a project that helps many,” says Hilton, adding that successful Safety Net Services grant candidates are also those that have established management/boards and financial stability, as well as a worthwhile project.
Obtaining more partners is the number one item on Hilton’s wish list.
“We are committed to grant-making and the priorities we have established for our grant-making efforts for the foreseeable future,” says Hilton.
The McGregor Foundation is the only foundation in Ohio focusing exclusively on vulnerable seniors.