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Spotlight on Innovations and Achievements: KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living

We're proud to highlight the award-winning work of the 2019 winners of n4a's Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards in this weekly spotlight feature. This week, we are focusing on KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living's Fan Fair program. The agency was a 2019 Aging Innovations Award winner in the Healthy Aging category.

By partnering with local media, businesses and citizens, KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living created an event called Fan Fair. The now-annual event helps older adults in the community withstand the high temperatures in the urban heat island that is Louisville, KY where temperatures are 10° higher than in other parts of the county. The KIPDA team receives fans from local organizations or uses monetary donations to provide them to older adults over 60 or people living with disabilities.
 
Fan Fair doubles as an informational event for older adults. By offering health screenings and education about heat-related conditions, KIPDA is able to educate its community while providing a service in the form of fans. The fans that are not distributed during the fair are donated to older adults in other areas of the community, including those living in rural locations.
 
As there are many individuals in the region who need a cooling device, there are just as many who donate fans or money to purchase fans. The number of local businesses that have created fundraising drives to contribute has grown each year. Fan Fair is a great way to bring the community together and involve local businesses in helping older adults.
 
When advising other AAAs on how to start a similar program, the KIPDA team advises to start planning and securing donors during the winter months and to hold the event at the middle or end of spring. The team also encourages AAAs to reach out to the local news stations. WLKY, one of a few local news stations in the region, was excited to partner with KIPDA for the initiative. The station promoted the event during its weather forecast and became a local drop-off site for donations.
 
With the community, local news stations, older adults and KIPDA involved, Fan Fair is a true success.
 
To learn more about KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living's Fan Fair program, contact Jennifer Craig, ADRC/SHIP Coordinator at jennifer.craig@kipda.org.

Want to learn more about the 2019 AIA Innovations winners? REGISTER NOW for our four-part webinar series, n4a Lunchtime Innovations, to hear your peers' secrets to success for these award-winning programs.
 
For more information about the 2019 winners, read our press release and check out our book of winners to learn how your agency can implement this or similar programs in your community!

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