Adult Day Center Hosts Alex's Lemonade Stand Fundraiser

Press release from the Adult Day Center of Somerset County:

Aug. 31, 2020

The Adult Day Center of Somerset County (ADC) hosted an Alex’s Lemonade Stand on Friday, August 28, 2020. Friends of the ADC were invited to drive through to receive a cup of lemonade and wave hello to ADC staff. The ADC raised more than $250 for the Alex’s Lemonade Foundation.

ADC staff and members wanted to give back to the community and recognize Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s “Lemonade Stand Days” celebrated earlier in the month. They set a goal to raise $250 and asked caregivers, volunteers, and friends to pledge their support. The mission of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is to change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families, and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer.

The Adult Day Center, a compassionate community of acceptance, is a non-profit agency committed to providing extraordinary day care services for vulnerable seniors, adults living with a disability or dementia related illness, and support and education for their caregiving families.

Friday socials are in important part of the ADC’s day program. While they are closed, the ADC has missed the social interaction between members, caregivers, and staff. They adopted the pandemic tradition of drive throughs and car parades. They carried out a drive-by car parade at members’ homes in celebration of National Road Trip Day and monthly birthdays. They invited members to drive through the parking lot at the ADC building for National Red Rose Day and National Ice Pop Day. The August event was Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Diann Robinson, Executive Director for the ADC says “The ADC is grateful for the community’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and we are honored to give back. It was a wonderful event, we loved seeing our members, and raising funds for a good cause.”

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the ADC’s physical facility is closed to members but is offering virtual programs and expanded resources for older and vulnerable seniors, adults living with a disability or dementia- related illness, and support and education for their caregiving families. Since March 23 rd , the ADC staff have been offering a full virtual activity program consisting of real time call-in groups and Facebook live events, videos and downloadable activities, weekly nurse wellness calls, and weekly caregiver support groups through Zoom. Staff also mail and drop off ADC Care Packages to show their families how much they care and want to support them during these difficult times. The Friday socials are a component of this programming.

About the ADC’s distance programming, caregiver Debbie Falconeri of Manville says, “The distance programming is wonderful, mom gets to see the staff and participate in the games. Every time they mention her name, she is shocked. and then gets a big smile on her face. She loves the drive throughs and talking with everyone face to face. When we leave, she talks about the experience of seeing everyone just like when I used to pick her up from the center. Mom and I used to do so many things together, since the dementia those are all just memories. The programs at ADC gives us a chance to do fun things together again and to make new memories that I will cherish forever.”

The ADC does not have a re-opening date. Its members are older adults who are most at risk of complications from COVID-19. For the foreseeable future they will continue distance programming and the public is invited to like the ADC on Facebook to participate in the virtual programming and connect with other families. On it they are presenting: 

• Facebook live events such as virtual bingo, word-in-a-word, crosswords, and Pictionary 
• A video library featuring staff cooking demonstrations, word games, riddles, and puzzles 
• At-home exercise routines
• Virtual performances by ADC entertainers

The center’s website content has been expanded to curate links to county and state resources, caregiver hotlines, and support services. Activity staff compile and post printable home activities such as word searches, crosswords, adult coloring pages, and discussion guides, regularly. These free resources and activities are available on the ADC website and can be accessed at www.adultdaycenter.org .

“We plan to reopen as soon as we safely can so that we may offer vital, in-person services again,” said Ms. Robinson. “The ADC staff and program volunteers are heartbroken that we can’t be there in person to support our members and their families, but we will continue to remain connected and offer as much as programming and assistance as possible during these challenging times.”

The ADC’s operating plan for this year has been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Their annual schedule of fundraising events, which raises significant operating funds, is in jeopardy. They have cut back extensively on monthly expenses, but with the lack of private pay fees coming in, they have a large gap to fill. The ADC is proud of its longstanding history of never denying service due to a person’s limited resources and offering a sliding fee scale. They have launched their spring appeal to raise funds to meet the gap. To learn more or to make a donation, please visit their website at www.adultdaycenter.org .

To learn more about the ADC, including membership, its new activities and resources, or to become a volunteer or donor, contact Hilary Kruchowy for more information at hilary.kruchowy@adultdaycenter.org or 908-725- 0068.

This press release was produced by the Adult Day Center of Somerset County. The views expressed here are the author's own.