Supportive Communities

Maryland Department of Aging (MDOA) has awarded $100,000 in aging-in-place grants for FY2027 to the following organizations for the development of creative approaches that help reduce social isolation, increase financial stability, and improve access to care in diverse older adult communities.

• Tamarack Triangle Village, Inc. in Silver Spring received $29,486 to map out local neighborhood resources and create a three-year plan to grow their neighbor-to-neighbor volunteer network and keep older adults connected.
  • MDOA Priority: Reducing social isolation through targeted community connectedness.
• Chinese American Parent Association of the Baltimore Community received $20,202 to create an AI-powered app called Community Connect that pairs low-income Mandarin-speaking older residents with college students to help them navigate health care using Mandarin translation tools.
  • MDOA Priority: Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through culturally-responsive models.
• Neighborhood Companions Inc. in Turner Station (Baltimore County) received $15,202 to bring different generations together to fight loneliness through community spaces like shared gardens and monthly Second Sunday Suppers.
  • MDOA Priorities: Reducing social isolation, operationalizing the Village model, and recruiting multigenerational volunteers.
• Resilient Health Communities, Inc. in Montgomery, Prince George's, and Charles Counties received $14,702 to run a public Brain Boost Boot Camp that uses proven mental exercises—like reading aloud, quick math, and writing—to help older adults keep their minds sharp.
  • MDOA Priorities: Supporting aging-in-place and targeted cognitive support.
• Friends of Calvert County Seniors, Inc. received $10,202 to give low-income older residents financial help to get off waitlists for critical dental care, helping to stop severe infections before they cause bigger health problems.
  • MDOA Priorities: Affording longevity/financial security, supporting a local longevity ecosystem, and health/wellness support.
• Vietnamese Americans Services, Inc. in Montgomery and Anne Arundel Counties received $10,202 to expand a local Senior Club that offers complete, language-friendly support, including health care guidance, English classes, and transportation.
  • MDOA Priorities: Reducing social isolation and ensuring equitable, culturally responsive care.

A neighborhood or housing development where a large percentage of residents have aged in place, meaning they've lived there long enough to become predominantly older adults. These communities aren't specifically designed for older people but evolve as residents age in place or younger residents move out. ​MDOA has awarded $1.3 million in state funds to 7 community-based organizations to provide programming, service coordination, and community support to concentrated areas where low-income older adults face problems of declining health, isolation, financial hardship, and language barriers. NORC encompasses three complementary projects—Elder Abuse Prevention, Holocaust Survivors Program, and Traditional NORC (the aging-in-place concept)—each tailored to meet the specific needs of older adults across the state of Maryland.​ FY26 grantees include: 

• Learn more about Jewish Community Services (Holocaust Survivors Program): $325,000
• Learn more about Jewish Community Services Millbrook (Traditional NORC): $125,000​
• Learn more about J​ewish Social Services Agency (Holocaust Survivors Program)​: $325,000
• Learn more about Jewish Social Services Agency Coming of Age Program (Traditional NORC): $225,000
• Learn more about City of Hyattsville Aging & Wellness Services Program (Traditional NORC): $150,000
• Learn more about CHANA Balt​​imore Inc. (Elder Abuse Prevention)​​​: $75,000
• Learn more about Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Inc (Elder Abuse Prevention)​: $75,000

This bill establishes the Miriam Kelty Aging and Senior Social Connection Hub and Spoke Pilot Program in MDOA. The goal of the program is to support villages that take advantage of operational proficiencies and existing systems, ​skills, and resources to expand services to more residents in the geographic region. MDOA must select the Montgomery County Village Consortium to implement the pilot program for a three-year period. Learn more about the Montgomery County Village Consortium and the Miriam Kelty Hub and Spoke Pilot.

The Village concept provides a holistic approach to aging in place by addressing the practical, social, and emotional needs of older adults within a supportive community framework. It empowers older adults to maintain their independence, dignity, and sense of belonging as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of aging.​

Resources for Villages

• ​Sign up to join Maryland's Village Directory and stay in the loop on funding announcement, news and resources to help your village thrive!​

• A Simple Guide for Village D​ata Collection - PDF provides guidance and resources to help Villages expand their data collectio​n capacity​
• Village to Village Network​ provides resources and support ​for Village members​
• Washington Area Villages Exchange​ offers resources and support for DC-area Village members​​​

Maryland’s designation as an Age-Friendly State by AARP marks a pivotal milestone in Longevity Ready Maryland. When local governments, employers, institutions, and organizations embrace age-friendly policies, they improve the lives of community members of every age. 

Maryland's Age-Friendly Ecosystem includes:

• Age-Friendly Communities
• Age-Friendly Universities
• Age-Friendly Health Systems
• Age-Friendly Employers
• Dementia-Friendly Communities