It takes a village: a conversation with Laurie French, President of Providence Village

Active Living at the Seniors Centre: a conversation with Executive Director Don Amos

"We're built on four pillars as an organization and the key pillar is socialization. When retirement hits, often people will say, oh, I've got this great bucket list. And often people will plow through it in the first year, then sometimes the couch turns into your friend.  The TV turns into your friend, and then you become a little bit more sedentary, and that's when it becomes dangerous for your health. And so that's why the social component for us is so important." -Don Amos, Executive Director, Seniors Association in Kingston The Seniors Association in Kingston is a not-for-profit, charitable volunteer run organization dedicated to keeping seniors active, involved, connected, and supported. Members can choose from over 250 engaging and stimulating programs, both at the centre on Francis Street in Kingston, but also through online courses and a phone from home program.

It takes a village: a conversation with Laurie French, President of Providence Village

"How do we connect care and services and support to people? How do we consolidate care in one place? How do we remove those barriers for agencies to work together?  I think that really is the beauty of the village. So a caregiver, for example, could be taking advantage of a program while their loved one is receiving services at a different space in the building. We're already seeing the collaboration between the partnerships. They're volunteering in each other's programs. They're doing outdoor gardening activities together." Providence Village is a new community of partners providing care and services to support the health and wellness needs of people living in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington. Guided by the values of compassion, integrity, and inclusion, Providence Village is a safe and inclusive space where individuals and families can find hope, belonging, and wellbeing.  We had a conversation with Laurie French, the President and CEO of Providence Village to talk about the initiative and the vision of the Sisters of Providence. Laurie began her career as a registered nurse before transitioning to roles in healthcare management. Today she leads strategic development, capital projects, and partner engagement for the Village.

Libraries as a 'third' space in our community: a conversation with KFPL Programming/Outreach Manager Liz Coates

The 'third space' is often defined as that social environment separate from home (first space) and work (second space). Examples include libraries, gyms and cafes. "We're a third space in the community, where everyone is welcome to come no matter who you are, no matter how old you are, no matter your life circumstances, you're welcome. You can stay as long as you want. It's like a community living room." Liz Coates is the Manager of Programming and Outreach at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library. She is passionate about literacy, inclusion, and the role that public libraries play in helping people feel connected and supportive.

Creating community for older adults: a conversation with Community Development Worker Spencer Lanthier

"The Older Adults Hub is bringing in as many programs and providers as possible into one space, and truly creating a community space where people can come and access multiple services and attend multiple programs all at one time. It's bringing people together and giving them an opportunity to share their stories and get to know each other." Spencer Lanthier is a Community Development Worker with the Kingston Community Health Centre. He, along with the Community Development Team at KCHC, work alongside the Rideau Heights community to develop accessible programs and events for people of all ages, including an Older Adults Hub.

Creating a compassionate city: a conversation with City of Kingston's Ruth Noordegraaf

"I think we're really trying to create and strengthen the nervous system of our community through programming and access and services, balancing bigger systems change work with more smaller scale pilot projects in neighbourhoods or with certain community groups. And ultimately those two things at the same time  will really help to make our community more connected and more resilient."  Ruth Noordegraaf is the Director of Community Development Wellbeing and IIDEA with the City of Kingston. Her portfolio includes areas such as food security, aging, community safety, neighbourhood activation, equity, diversity, and Indigenous initiatives.  Ruth's work focuses primarily on the system-wide social issues that communities in Canada are facing and the preventative actions municipalities can take in building and fostering the social infrastructure. She is passionate about building communities where everyone belongs and feels safe, healthy, and connected.