DAS commission OKs $12M-plus in grants to community providers for meals, digital access, caregiving and supportive services

The San Francisco Disability and Aging Services Commission approved a broad set of grant agreements and contract amendments funding community-based services for older adults and adults with disabilities.

On a single meeting agenda, commissioners approved: a modification to the Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO) grant adding $300,000 (10% contingency for a revised total not to exceed $638,252) to expand elder-abuse prevention outreach in limited-English communities; a new multi-year contract to fund village and community-bridge programming (SF Village, Next Village and Golden Gate Senior Services) totaling $3,205,352 plus contingency; a Community Living Campaign agreement for community connector programming ($2,844,484 plus contingency) targeting eight neighborhoods; and a Self Help for the Elderly contract for peer ambassadors and senior escort services ($3,312,876 plus contingency).

Presenters emphasized the operational goals: APILO will expand multilingual outreach and training for mandated reporters; SF Village will add care navigation hours (500 hours of care navigation noted); Next Village highlighted a new office at 704 Filbert Street and volunteer-driven services; Self Help and other senior-escort programs said services include individualized escorts to medical and civic appointments and group trips. Ben Zestadros introduced the APILO modification and APILO caller Estebia (APILO) spoke to capacity challenges and ongoing community outreach.

The commission also approved residential care facilities support grants (RCFEs) to Kimochi Home and Autumn Grove to preserve low-income placements, a money-management program with Bayview Senior Services and Conard House ($872,688), a five-year sole-source supplement for Felton Institute’s Senior Companion Program ($496,065), and a supportive-employment contract for The Arc San Francisco ($467,000). Finally, the SF Connected program was modified to add $2,428,973 to expand digital literacy, distribute 1,400 iPads and fund tech support and a SF Tech Council grant.

All items were approved by roll-call votes at the meeting; commissioner recusal was recorded for one SF Connected vote (Commissioner Barbara Sklar recused herself for a conflict). Grantees and callers on the record thanked the commission and described service outcomes and outreach plans.

What happens next: DAS staff will finalize scopes of work, budgets and procurement documents for individual grants where required and reported that most awards will be added to existing partner contracts for service delivery.