For Immediate Release

Media Contact

Eileen Mitchell

Marketing Communications Manager

Peninsula Jewish Community Center

800 Foster City Blvd. Foster City, CA 94404

Direct: 650.378.2723

PJCC Senior Program wins Award

(Foster City, Calif., May 25, 2010) –Get Up & Go, a senior transportation and socialization assistance program at the Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC) in Foster City has received the 2010 JCC Association Recognition Award. The annual awards presentation was held earlier this month at the JCCs of North America Biennial Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. The JCC Association is the continental umbrella organization for the Jewish Community Center Movement, which includes over 350 JCCs in the U.S. and Canada.

“Transportation is one of the greatest unmet needs among older adults,” said gerontologist Betty Burr, Get Up & Go Program Manager. “The lack of mobility can be a significant impediment to health and well being. Our program helps older adults enjoy the freedom that comes with easy-to-schedule transportation.”

The JCC award is just one of many accolades that Get Up & Go has received since its inception three years ago. In 2007 and again in 2008 the program was recognized as “Best Seniors Day Program” by J. Jewish News Weekly of Northern California, and in 2009 Get Up & Go was a finalist for Program of the Year by the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco.

The program has been acknowledged for meeting a vital community need: focusing on the needs of older adults who no longer drive and consequently face increased isolation. Trained volunteers are also provided as needed to assist riders with walking, handling cumbersome packages while shopping, taking notes at medical appointments or consultations, and picking up prescriptions, orders and supplies.

But the benefits of Get Up & Go extend beyond transportation. “What distinguishes this program from other transportation services is its unique social aspect,” Burr advised. “On alternating Wednesdays, participants can enjoy a low-cost lunch and events such as theater, live music, health lectures, holiday celebrations, discussion groups and more.”

Get Up & Go serves all older adults in San Mateo County regardless of cultural, ethnic, or religious background. The program provides door-to-door transportation to San Mateo County locations for medical and personal appointments, shopping, errands and other services on Mondays and Tuesdays. Due to an unprecedented increase in demand, starting in July the service will also be available on Fridays.

Get Up & Go is offered to all non-driving older adults in San Mateo County regardless of cultural, ethnic, or religious background. To learn more about Get Up & Go or to volunteer, please contact Betty Burr at 650.378.2750 or . The PJCC is located at 800 Foster City Blvd. in Foster City, CA. For more information, visit www.pjcc.org or call 650.212.PJCC (7522).

Get Up & Go is made possible, in part, by grants from the Jewish Community Endowment Newhouse Fund of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties and Mills-Peninsula Health Services.

About the PJCC
The Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC) was established over 60 years ago and partners with various organizations around the Peninsula to help build a more caring and connected community. Offering life-enhancing programs for people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds, the PJCC is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties and enjoys a 4-Star rating with CharityNavigator, America’s largest charity evaluator. To learn more about the PJCC, visit www.pjcc.org or call 650.212.PJCC (7522).

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