#USAgingHere4You: Molly French

• By: USAging
• On: 02/16/2024 09:58:03
• In: Program Update

Molly French joined USAging in April 2021 and serves as Program Director, Housing and Services. In this role, Molly designs and produces a variety of Housing and Services Resource Center (HSRC) technical assistance resources to support the formation and strengthening of aging, disability, health and housing partnerships. They also work to bring in additional housing or homelessness initiatives to expand how we serve our members.  
 
“Leaders in aging kept recommending USAging as a top employer, and the housing director position caught my eye as an opportunity to shape an exciting new initiative and draw upon earlier professional training in community planning.” 
 
Across her career, Molly has experience in improving the health and well-being of older adults and populations that have been underserved. She previously served the Alzheimer's Association as Director, Healthy Brain Initiative. As a consultant to national nonprofits, Molly elevated attention to the social determinants of health, including housing issues, through communications, technical assistance and policy analyses. She managed health policy and programs for state health care associations in California and gained hands-on experience by building homes for older Jamaicans during a year-long community-service project.
 
“USAging has a highly positive, supportive workplace culture, but the best part is working with our members who are simply amazing leaders. Through our HSRC work, I've learned so much about accessibility and inclusion. And still have more to learn.”
 
Molly enjoys reading literary fiction, especially “slow-lit” that focuses on everyday people over multiple years. Wendell Berry and Ivan Doig are two favorites, but listening to the What Should I Read Next podcast has helped Molly broaden her reading life. The recent season of Our Dream Deferred podcast is one she'd highly recommend to anyone concerned about polarization and intolerance in our country.
 
To learn more about the HSRC, visit acl.gov/HousingAndServices or consider contacting Molly at mfrench@usaging.org.