Supporting Older Adults with Care and Connection
As we age, our needs shift in ways that aren’t always obvious. Things that may seem simple to us in our younger years like a warm meal, enjoying live music, or spending time with friends, can become more difficult to access. But by thinking beyond basic health and wellbeing, our community can help residents stay engaged and fulfilled as they age.
Recent grants from the Community Foundation’s competitive grant programs – funded by gifts to its unrestricted Greater Good Funds – are helping nonprofit organizations do just that. From delivering nutritious meals and bringing live music into senior centers to raising awareness about the challenges of aging and creating new pathways to reduce social isolation, these organizations are helping older adults remain healthy, engaged, and connected.
Here are four examples of how Community Foundation grants are making a difference for aging residents across Linn County.
Horizons – A Family Service Alliance
Mission: Instill hope, strengthen communities, and brighten futures by providing life-changing services to underserved populations.
Grant: $30,000 Organization Support Grant for General Operating Support
Grant Purpose: A general operating support grant gives Horizons the flexibility to improve food security, financial stability, mobility, and overall quality of life for Linn County families and older adults. Through Meals On Wheels, Horizons helps homebound seniors meet their daily nutritional needs by offering well-balanced meals seven days per week. The program also provides safety checks and socialization for people who are at high risk for health issues and social isolation. Last year, volunteers delivered 245,230 meals to vulnerable seniors who often have to choose between buying food or medicine.
WND Services, Inc.
Mission: WND Services exists to ensure that for the seniors and disabled neighbors in Marion, a physical limitation never has to mean a loss of safety or pride in their home.
Grant: $5,000 Organization Support Grant for General Operating Support
Grant Purpose: WND Services aims to do ‘whatever needs done’ for local seniors and individuals living with disabilities. Through essential home maintenance and safety repairs, WND provides dignity and independence by allowing people to age in place. A general operating support grant will allow WND to help seniors stay safe and comfortable in their own homes.
Red Cedar Chamber Music
Mission: To enrich the well-being of our community through innovative, educational, and collaborative chamber music programs of the highest caliber.
Grant: $22,000 Program Support Grant for Into Nooks and Crannies: Chamber Music for Linn County
Grant Purpose: For nearly 30 years, Red Cedar Chamber Music has provided free musical performances in senior centers, schools, and other community spaces. Many performances included a post-concert reception, allowing seniors to enjoy music and hear from the musicians behind it. In the 2026-27 season, Red Cedar Chamber Music will perform in eight senior living communities, allowing hundreds of older adults to experience the joy of live music.
New Horizons Band of Cedar Rapids
Mission: To provide an opportunity for seniors to play in a concert band and to bring band performances to underserved populations in the community.
Grant: $4,000 Organization Support Grant for General Operating Support
Grant Purpose: Part of a national organization of concert bands, the New Horizons Band of Cedar Rapids is open to any adult of retirement age who would like to rehearse and perform in the community. A general operating support grant has allowed the organization to purchase new music pieces and waive fees for its 45 members in 2026. Besides returning to a healthy and enjoyable hobby in their retirement years, members also find connection and fulfillment through their rehearsals and performances. The band gathers once a week to rehearse and performs regularly throughout Linn County.
Learn about more nonprofits making a difference here.
Learn about the Greater Good Fund here.
Learn about recent grant awards at the Community Foundation here.