Page 24 - Gilbert Awards 6-Year Scrapbook

2012 Winner, Policy & Advocacy:

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation - St. Paul, MN

The Wilder Foundation is a nonprofit health and human service organization that assists thousands of

people each year through direct service programs, research, leadership and community capacity building.

The Foundation serves children and their families in the greater Saint Paul, MN metropolitan area through
comprehensive approaches to early childhood education, mental health, housing, school success, and

social adjustment services for new immigrants and refugees. Wilder provides community-based health and

support services that improve the quality of life for older adults and caregivers. Website: www.wilder.org

Program: “What Is a

Caregiver?” Public

Awareness Campaign

Only 19% of caregivers self-identify

as such. Most caregivers do not ac-

cess resources to help them in their
role, and as a result do not access

supports that could help them in

their role. This creates a domino ef-

fect of negative health and econom-

ic consequences. Wilder’s response
to this problem was to develop and .
.
launch an innovative approach to
.
identifying and engaging caregivers
T
before the crisis. This year-long pub- I

lic awareness campaign was the first L
L
of its kind—and has had a tremen-
dous impact on creating community A
C
awareness of caregivers.

Website: www.whatisacaregiver.org
caregiving
E
W

““Receiving the Rosalinde Gilbert Caregiving Legacy Award will provide us another opportunity

to . . . make visible the vital role that caregivers play in caring for our elders and the importance of

acknowledging and supporting their work.” - Kirsten Johnson, Community Leadership Manager

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