Covid 19: Cares Future

Dear Friends of CARES:

      Thanks to each of you for your continued financial support as our nation and the world navigates the response to COVID-19. As you may know, CARES and the nonprofit sector is committed to ensuring that an essential, yet often overlooked, a segment of our infrastructure receives access from the government in a situation like this. Seeking aid, CARES have applied for the SBA 7(a) loan provisions of the CARES Act and have been told that we are one of a million applicants and there is no guarantee to receive such assistance. Now more than ever Community Aging & Retirement Services (CARES) needs your support. I am asking you to advocate for our seniors and assist us in raising the necessary funds to continue our mission. We must continue to promote quality of life and independence for adults through social and supportive services.   

CARES plays a vital role in meeting the needs of our less fortunate and frail senior citizens in Pasco County in times of crisis like COVID 19. Even as this public health crisis has shut down enormous portions of our nonprofit, CARES will continue to serve on the front lines to meet a wide range of needs in our communities. From providing meals to our seniors, medical health care at our FREE Senior Health Clinic, personal and respite care to caregivers of dementia/Alzheimer’s patients, and housekeeping to maintain a contamination-free atmosphere throughout this pandemic. As many organizations and community groups are doing an exceptional job of protecting the children, the sick, the poor, and the seniors, our society has been bombarded with the request for meals to feed the hungry and the poor. While good nutrition is the base for a healthy life, our seniors have other needs such as isolation, unhealthy environments, lack of adequate income, no family or other informal support, lack of transportation to get to medical appointments and shopping for necessary life-sustaining items and others.   

COVID 19 is not only a threat to our health and the health of others, for CARES it is a threat to our organization and the frail seniors we serve. CARES is especially vulnerable because of what we expect to be a fast decline in charitable giving. Together we need to get this right for the seniors that protected us during the great depression and several wars. We owe it to them. Please visit us at www.caresfl.org for ways in which you can help us help our senior citizens. You may also contact me directly at 727-378-6395.  

By working together, we can save lives and make a better living for those needing us the most during this pandemic. The future of CARES, our seniors, and those less fortunate are in our hands. On behalf of CARES Board of Directors, our frail and vulnerable seniors, our volunteers and our dedicated staff who continues to provide in-home care for our susceptible clients, despite the risk and exposure to COVID 19, we thank you.                                                                                                                                     

 Stay home, stay safe and stay healthy, together we can save lives.

Regards, 
Jemith Rosa, MPA
CARES President-CEO