EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ESTABLISHED IN 1973, THE NORTH STAR COUNCIL ON AGING (NSCOA), AKA THE FAIRBANK SENIOR CENTER, STRIVES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS BY PROVIDING SERVICES WHICH ENHANCE AND PROMOTE QUALITY OF LIFE, SELF-DETERMINATION, INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND DIGNITY. NSCOA SERVES THE FAIRBANKS NORTH STAR BOROUGH (FNSB), WHICH COVERS SOME 7,444 SQ. MI., AN AREA SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND HAS A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 100,000 RESIDENTS. OF THOSE 100,000, 18 % (18,000) ARE SENIOR AGED 60 OR OLDER. NSCOA ALSO SERVES THE RURAL AREAS OUTSIDE THE FAIRBANKS CITY LIMITS. AS A RECIPIENT OF THIS GRANT, NSCOA PLANS TO ESTABLISH VOLUNTEER STATIONS TO SERVE THE OUTLYING COMMUNITIES OF NORTH POLE, SALCHA, WHILE MAINTAINING OUR CURRENT SATELLITE STATION IN DELTA JUNCTION, WHICH RECRUITS VOLUNTEERS IN DELTA JUNCTION AND TOK. ALASKA HAS ONE THE FASTEST GROWING SENIOR POPULATIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE SENIOR POPULATION WITHIN THE FNSB ALONE IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 22%. THIS INCREASE WILL PLACE A FURTHER DEMAND ON THE SERVICES ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE NSCOA, WHICH ENHANCES THE LIVES OF OUR SENIORS WHO RECEIVE NUTRITION, BOTH IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND THROUGH CONGREGATE MEALS, TRANSPORTATION, HOME CHORE SERVICES, EXERCISE AND EDUCATIONAL CLASSES, OUTREACH AND INFORMATION, AND COMPANIONSHIP. NSCOA VOLUNTEERS PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS WILL BE HEALTHY FUTURES AND AGING IN PLACE. NSCOA CURRENTLY WORKS TOWARDS THESE OBJECTIVES BY PROVIDING SUPPORT TO OVER 270 HOME-BOUND SENIORS THROUGH OUR MEALS ON WHEELS AND WELLNESS CHECK PROGRAMS. ANNUALLY, OUR MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM SERVES OVER 52,000 MEALS WITH OUR CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAM SERVING 10,000 MEALS AT THE THREE SEPARATE LOCATIONS, AND OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICE PROVIDES UP TO 2,500 DOOR-TO-DOOR RIDES. IN ADDITION TO HOME CHORE SERVICES, OUR VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE COMPANIONSHIP, AND THE FAIRBANKS SENIOR CENTER PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT HUB FOR OUTREACH AND INFORMATION WITH EXERCISE AND SENIOR BENEFIT CLASSES. ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED TO LOOK FOR AND RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND FINANCIAL FRAUD. OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THESE PROGRAMS WITH 40 SCP TRAINED SENIOR VOLUNTEERS OVER THE THREE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD. THESE COMBINED 40 VOLUNTEERS MEET THE 38 VSYS REQUIRED TO MEET SCP GRANT PERFORMANCE LEVELS. THE ESTIMATED 40 SCP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE CLIENTS BEGINNING IN FNSB, DELTA, AND TOK AND EVENTUALLY STATEWIDE. OF THIS NUMBER, 40 WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PROVIDING WILL INCLUDE HOME CHORE SERVICES, NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH MEAL PREPARATION, TRANSPORTATION, WELLNESS CHECKS, RESPITE CARE, PREVENTION AND AWARENESS OF ELDER ABUSE, AND OUTREACH AND INFORMATION. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE TO SUPPORT AGING IN PLACE, AND PROVIDING SUPPORT TO OLDER ADULTS AND/OR THEIR CAREGIVERS. AT THE END OF THE GRANT CYCLE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT 96% OF OUR CLIENTS WILL REPORT THEY HAVE RECEIVED SERVICES THAT HELP THEM CONTINUE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND IMPROVE THEIR SOCIAL TIES. THE CNCS INVESTMENT WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A MATCH OF $37,880 IN NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES.