Published August 12, 2020

LOS ANGELES – Keiro announced its 2020-2021 Grants Program cycle, which will award up to $250,000 to community organizations. This year, greater emphasis will be placed on supporting programs that provide outreach to and inclusion of members in the community who are at risk of social isolation. Outreach can include seeking new participants in activities or reengaging with past participants in programs. The Grants Program will support new and ongoing programs that focus on reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults and caregivers in the Japanese American and Japanese communities in Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties.  

“Keiro is proud to continue working with our community partners to combat social isolation and keep older adults connected,” said Gene S. Kanamori, Keiro president and CEO. “COVID-19 has further demonstrated the impact of isolation and loneliness, especially for high-risk older adults who may have limited accessibility. Through this year’s Grants Program, we want to support organizations and their efforts to reach out to those most vulnerable and connect with them.”

The 2020-2021 Grants Program will offer grants of up to $15,000 to qualified applicants through a competitive, committee-driven review process. Priority will be given to applicant organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $1 million. The proposal deadline for this year’s grants cycle is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2020.

The goals of Keiro’s Grants Program are to:

• Enhance the quality of life of older adults and their caregivers in the Japanese American and Japanese community
• Reduce social isolation and loneliness among Japanese American and Japanese older adults and their caregivers
• Reach out to those at-risk for isolation and provide support through community programs, events, and increasing capacity to provide these services
• Promote culturally-sensitive programs and services accessible to our community

Keiro will also offer three, one-hour informational online workshops to discuss the goals of the program and eligibility requirements, and guide prospective applicants through the application process. Registration is required to attend the workshops and can be accessed at www.keiro.org/grants.

Workshops are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday, August 27, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. Online Webinar
• Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | 2:00 p.m. Online Webinar*
• Wednesday, September 9, 2020 | 5:00 p.m. Online Webinar

*Denotes that the workshop will be offered in Japanese

For additional updates related to the workshops and information regarding Keiro’s Grants Program, including downloadable grant applications, guidelines, and to register for an upcoming informational workshop, please visit www.keiro.org/grants or email [email protected].

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About Keiro

Keiro is a mission-driven organization engaged in improving the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers in the Japanese American and Japanese community of Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties. Keiro delivers a wide range of resources to address the challenges and barriers that aging presents: isolation, limited financial resources, complex health conditions, and cognitive and memory disabilities. Keiro also partners with companies and organizations that can expand its services and ability to reach seniors and caregivers, and participates in research and innovation work where Keiro can contribute to advancing progress in resolving the challenges of aging. Keiro is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information, visit Keiro.org