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The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is pleased to announce the Kent County Senior Millage (KCSM) partners for 2022 with funded services amounting to $13,309,835. The KCSM has helped fund vital services for older adults in Kent County since 1999 with the goal of enabling them to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

The 2022 funding will support a variety of services throughout Kent County with special attention to priority services; which includes meal delivery, transportation, in-home services, adult day, and outreach and assistance. For 2022 there are 32 agency partnerships and 51 unique services funded with an additional 43 purchase of service agreements in place, all coming together to provide resources for older adults in need. Services such as these, and the variety of others in place for 2022, not only give older adults the ability to remain independent, but they also come alongside to support the care that families and friends are providing to their loved ones during this crisis and beyond.

The KCSM Review Committee, comprised of community members and County Commissioners, came together in early October to review proposals and hear presentations from the agencies that requested funding. Recommendations for the KCSM were made and they were then approved by the Kent County Board of Commissioners on November 18, 2021. Of the process, Director of Contract Services, Kendrick Heinlein, shared, “Ultimately, we want to ensure that the services funded through the millage are designed to support older adults as they age. Each year we consider how these services come together as a comprehensive system; eliminating gaps in care, coming alongside caregivers, and allowing seniors to stay engaged in their communities. When determining funding, we also look to the larger KCSM partner network as a whole. The way that this partner network supports one another and problem-solves together, especially throughout the ongoing pandemic, has been outstanding. Their steadfast commitment to older adults in Kent County is apparent, and 2022’s partner network embodies this same dedication.”

To be eligible to participate in a KCSM funded program, individuals must be a Kent County resident and 60 years of age or older. Donations are accepted and, in some cases, co-payments may be required.

Kent County residents approved a renewal and increase to the millage in August 2014 and it is currently an 8-year millage cycle. The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is contracted through Kent County to administer the millage, ensuring that it directly supports services that help older adults remain independent. You can learn more at www.aaawm.org/kcsm