Private foundations make new and innovative OASIS programs and services possible through their philanthropic support.
The Atlantic Philanthropies... Supporting the Expanding Aging Population
“We are guided by a mission to bring about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people,” says Gara LaMarche, President and CEO of the Atlantic Philanthropies.
Through their support of OASIS’ five-year national business plan to foster lifelong learning and civic engagement among low-income older adults, the Atlantic Philanthropies is helping OASIS build its capacity to bring about lasting changes within the nation’s fastest-growing segment of society, adults aged 60 and older.
According to OASIS Institute President, Marcia M. Kerz, “The U.S. is on the verge of unprecedented growth in the aging population. Between 2000 and 2030, the number of older adults will grow from 35 million to 72 million, eventually representing nearly 20 percent of the total population. It is critical that an infrastructure for this population to age with physical, cognitive, and social activity is in place. The Atlantic Philanthropies recognizes this and has invested in OASIS to address this important need.”
The Atlantic Philanthropies has a strong track record of investing in targeted initiatives with broad social impact. Recent initiatives range from the Treatment Action Campaign, which influenced the government of South Africa to provide effective medications to people with HIV/AIDS, to the legal team which persuaded the Supreme Court to abolish the juvenile death penalty in the United States, to the effort to increase the number of religiously integrated schools in Northern Ireland.
In addition to these tangible campaigns, the Atlantic Philanthropies seeks always to strengthen the capacity of leaders and institutions in specific fields as a way of ensuring lasting change. OASIS is applying the Atlantic Philanthropies’ support to build its capacity to serve a broader aging population by strengthening both the OASIS national headquarters and the local OASIS centers in 27 cities where programs and direct services are delivered.
“We are incredibly grateful for Atlantic’s commitment to social impact among the aging and intend to make their investment in us achieve lasting impact for years to come,” says Kerz.