St. Mary's Annual Thanksgiving Dinner- Thursday, November 23rd

St. Mary's in Iowa City will be providing a to-go style Thanksgiving dinner. Meals include turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, dinner roll, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

You may either pick-up your meal curbside between noon and 1PM or have it delivered to your home. Please RSVP by noon on Monday, November 20th and let them know which option you prefer and how many you will need by emailing icstmary@icstmary.org or by calling 319-337-4314.

*Donations are appreciated, but are not required.

North Liberty Community Thanksgiving Dinner- Thursday, November 23rd from 1AM-3PM at South Slope Community Center, 908 Front Street, North Liberty, IA 52317.

Contact Jenny at 319-430-8232 or email nlthanksgivingdinner@gmail.com for more information. For delivery please register by Sunday, November 19th by using the contact information above.

Free Cook at Home Thanksgiving Dinner- Iowa Giving Crew is providing free Thanksgiving Meals to families in need through their Operation Give Birds event. Visit https://iowagivingcrew.org/ for more information or click on the button below to sign up.

ERMAR Program

Written by: Edith Jones, Helping Hands Program Coordinator, Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity

Through the Helping Hands program, Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity provides low-income households in Johnson County with emergency repairs and major appliance replacements (ERMAR), critical repairs, and accessibility modifications. The program is designed to make homes safe and livable without creating a financial burden for homeowners.

ERMAR services address pressing issues quickly and include projects such as water heater, furnace, and fridge replacements and repairs to HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. Critical repairs include a whole-house assessment and focus on issues which are detrimental to the home’s integrity and occupants’ health and safety. Examples of projects include roof replacements and flooring repairs. Accessibility modifications enable older adults to age in place and individuals with mobility issues to navigate their homes safely and independently. These projects may include building ramps, widening doorways for wheelchair access, and installing low-clearance showers, grab bars, and raised toilets.

To receive repairs, accessibility modifications, or major appliance replacements, applicants must reside in Johnson County, own their home, and meet income requirements. For more information or to apply for the program, please contact Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity at 319-338-8949 or visit iowavalleyhabitat.org/helping-hands.

Caregiver Communication Tips for Memory Impairments

By: Madalyn Schiffer & Harrison March, Heritage Area Agency on Aging

National Family Caregivers Month takes place each November. It’s a time to celebrate and uplift the family, friends and neighbors who provide care to an older adult in ways big and small.

At Heritage AAA, we have the fortune of hearing inspiring and heartwarming stories of caregiving. There’s the mailman who brings letters to the door when it snows. There’s the daughter who made room in her home so her elderly mother could spend her final years surrounded by family. The spectrum is wide, which is what makes each journey unique and worth celebrating.

More recently than ever, we’ve also heard stories of memory loss caregiving: parents starting to forget names; spouses with profound, sudden mood swings; and neighbors who aren’t sure what season we’re in.



The Alzheimer’s Association estimates 1-in-9 Americans age 65+ live with Alzheimer’s, which is the most common type of dementia. That’s more than 60,000 Iowans – not even including those with other forms of dementia.

When your care receiver has a memory impairment, communication can be hard. Try using these tips that other caregivers have found successful:

• Keep your tone positive and friendly
• Avoid arguing and correcting
• Be mindful of your body language
• Use simple words and limit choices by asking yes/no questions
• Try to keep the environment calm and not too loud
•  Use visual examples when able
• If tension rises, try a distraction like going for a walk or looking through old photos
• Laughter and humor make for great medicine
• 
  

While the celebration of caregivers formally ends on November 30, there is help in your corner 365 days a year. Contact Heritage AAA and Johnson County Livable Community to learn more.

Volunteers Needed for VITA

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a national IRS sponsored program that provides free tax preparation of federal and state tax returns for low income households. On average, it costs a taxpayer nearly $300 to have their return prepared and filed by a tax firm. This money can instead be used for basic needs, such as groceries and rent. 

Volunteers are critical to the success of the VITA program. VITA volunteers are needed to help prepare and file tax returns. No previous experience is necessary. Volunteers will complete IRS training to become certified tax preparers. Volunteers greeters are also needed to welcome tax payers to the tax clinics and gather needed paperwork. To learn and to sign up to volunteer, visit; https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/become-vita-volunteer