About Us

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Mission

The Silver Century Foundation (SCF) promotes a positive view of aging. The Foundation challenges entrenched and harmful stereotypes, encourages dialogue between generations, advocates planning for the second half of life, and raises awareness to educate and inspire everyone to live long, healthy, empowered lives.
 

Our Vision

The Foundation envisions a society where:

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People no longer fear their own aging.


Formal education about aging abounds, and people are educated not just for the tasks of early adulthood but for the middle and later years as well.

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Viable social roles for older adults exist.

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Aging adults and the work they undertake are valued.

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Different age groups are not in conflict but are interdependent.

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Aging is seen as the anticipated fulfillment of life, not as its inevitable decline.

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Old age is respected and honored.
 
 

 

What We Do

SCF is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 2002.

We have undertaken three major projects. We also have a grantmaking program that focuses on both community and national needs.

 

Silver Century Foundation Projects

This website is our primary initiative and educational effort. It’s designed to address your concerns and issues, whether you’re in midlife and just beginning to think about your later years, or you’re older, approaching retirement or past it. You’re apt to live a long time, and what you do from here on out will largely determine the quality of your life in the future. Will it be productive and enjoyable? Will you be comfortable financially or age into poverty? We think you’ll find a lot here that’s helpful.

The Silver Cinema has been our other major endeavor—a way of reaching out to local communities by showing films that deal intelligently with aging. After every screening, we invited the audience to participate in a facilitated conversation about issues the movie raised.

SCF also sponsors broader community conversations about aspects of aging, led by a professional facilitator.  Read more...

SCF Grantmaking

SCF provides grants for projects that will further our mission or reinforce our initiatives.

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We support efforts to combat ageism—for instance, a program designed to challenge medical students’ worst-case assumptions about their older patients.

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We’re especially concerned about ageism in the media and the detrimental images of older people so often seen in films, television and elsewhere. To counteract those negative portrayals, our photo gallery, for example, features images likely to change the way we see aging.

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We support projects that will help older individuals stay active and healthy, such as strategies to improve their transportation options.

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We also fund efforts to help people who are facing financial insecurity in later life.

In the first years after SCF was founded, our grantmaking focused on safe mobility for people of all ages. We’re convinced that quality of life depends on being able to get around, and we know that as people age, they can become isolated and depressed if they are no longer able to drive. 

 In 2010 as the Great Recession dragged on, SCF began to move into other areas. We became concerned about people who were aging into poverty—particularly women, who generally have fewer financial resources than men do.  Read more…

 

Collaboration

In order to keep in touch with other philanthropic organizations concerned about aging, SCF has joined an affinity group focused on the issue.  The group was organized by the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. It brings funders together to exchange information about key concerns state residents face as they grow older and to explore ways to work together.

At this time, SCF does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding. Periodically, we send out requests for proposals (RFPs) to organizations and individuals, inviting them to submit ideas for specific projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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Our Mission

The Silver Century Foundation promotes a positive view of aging. The Foundation challenges entrenched and harmful stereotypes, encourages dialogue between generations, advocates planning for the second half of life, and raises awareness to educate and inspire everyone to live long, healthy, empowered lives.

Notable Quote

"It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment; in these qualities old age is usually not poorer, but is even richer."

Cicero (106-43 BC)



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