News
Bergen County AAA Celebrates Milestone Anniversary
- By: USAging
- On: 12/12/2016 09:23:39
- In: Policy & Advocacy
Bergen County Division of Senior Services, the first Area Agency on Aging in the country, celebrated its 50th anniversary at an event held in Garfield, NJ on January 10. As the first AAA in the nation, Bergen County Division of Senior Services helped pave the way for the other 621 AAAs across the country.
The original office opened on September 9, 1966 and was housed in a basement with only two staff members. In the first four months of operation, they were able to serve 368 older adults. Fifty years later, the AAA is now a division of the Bergen County Department of Human Services with a staff of 87 serving 22,000 individuals.
“Over the course of fifty years we've been witness to historic changes in the delivery of services to our growing older adult population in Bergen County," said Lorraine Joewono, Executive Director of Senior Services. "I am proud that the County of Bergen, our staff in the Division of Senior Services and our partner agencies have been able to evolve, improve and meet the changing needs of a community of seniors who live longer, require more sophisticated services and deserve an enriching quality of life.”
The 300 attendees at the anniversary event included stakeholders from the national, state and local levels and a number of proclamations marking Bergen County's 50th anniversary were shared, including one from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. n4a was pleased to attend the ceremony and congratulates Lorraine and her team on 50 years of service to older adults!