Celebrate Black and Brown Senior Adult Appreciation Month at Rochester City Hall

ROCHESTER, NY – The Senior Adult Community Engagement (SACE) group invites the community to join in celebrating Black and Brown Senior Adult Appreciation Month from noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Rochester City Hall. This annual event recognizes the wisdom, leadership, and contributions of senior adults of color who strengthen and shape our community.

SACE, a project of Common Ground Health, brings together older adults of color from diverse backgrounds to share talents, knowledge, and lived experience to address community challenges. Members promote health literacy, food access, safe and affordable housing, mental health awareness, and social connection.

“SACE members are out in our community ensuring that Black, Brown, and Indigenous seniors along with their families and caregivers are valued and included in decisions that impact the lives of our seniors,” said Jackie Dozier, director of Community Health and Well-Being at Common Ground Health. “Each year, SACE members lead the Not Forgotten project, ensuring that isolated older adults in nursing homes at holidays receive gifts to meet their needs and to remind them that there are people out there who care about them.”

During the celebration, SACE members will present the inaugural Martha Hope BIPOC Award, which memorializes SACE member Martha Hope, who dedicated her life to advocating for health equity and uplifting seniors facing isolation and inequities. She organized the senior ball, a social event that addressed isolation among older adults. The award will recognize community champions continuing her legacy by advancing health equity, mental health awareness, and inclusion.

“Rochester’s senior leaders are an inspiration and motivation to all of us to help each other and make this community stronger,” said Phyllis Jackson, SACE founder and community wellness project manager at Common Ground Health.

About Common Ground Health

Founded in 1974, Common Ground is the health research and planning organization for the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. We bring together leaders from health care, education, business, government and other sectors to find common ground on health challenges. Learn more at commongroundhealth.org.