SWAC’s mission statement is: “to serve the older population of Southwest Austin by providing services that include transportation (for medical appointments, grocery shopping and personal business), social contact (home visits and caring phone calls), errands, minor home maintenance and referral information about services for older adults.”

After nine-months of organization development, SWAC became an operating entity on October 1, 2008. The founders were five southwest Austin residents representing five major faith communities: St. John Neumann Catholic, Westlake Hills Presbyterian, Westlake United Methodist, Promiseland West, and Riverbend.

SWAC is an outgrowth of the national Faith in Action Caregivers (FIAC) national network. The Greater Austin area is a leader in this national volunteer effort to serve seniors who live independently. There are ten Caregiver groups in the metropolitan Austin area. A traditionally unserved area had been Southwest Travis County; a 60-square mile area southwest of downtown Austin.

A 2001 Travis County Aging Environmental Scan Project report revealed 74,000 people living in the County who were 60 and older. The assumption is that 4% of the total, or 3,000, live in the SWAC service area. We also assume that 10% of the 3,000 need our services.

There is no charge or income eligibility test for persons receiving SWAC services. A community resident who meets our service criteria is eligible.

Demographic information provided by the Capital Area Council of Governments reflects the aging population in the SWAC service area is growing.

Southwest Austin Caregivers provides simple assistance to older adults with long-term health needs and challenges. Services include:

Transportation: providing personalized transportation to medical appointments, shopping, and other destinations for persons who are unable to drive and are living in a home/apartment in the community. The practice among area caregiver groups is not to serve those who live in an eldercare setting that has transportation available as part of the living situation. Care recipients must be ambulatory with or without a device (cane, walker, etc.). Volunteers do not physically move persons from wheelchairs to vehicles.
Errands: picking-up and delivering groceries, prescriptions and other items.
Social Contact: Personal visits and telephone calls to help decrease social isolation.
Minor Home Repair: doing minor household repairs and maintenance.
Case Management: helping to find needed community resources and services.

Currently 20 elderly clients are being served; many who require multiple transportation or other caring services each week.

Referrals from sponsoring congregations and area health care providers and social service agencies.

Prospective clients of SWAC are older adults who are age 60 or older, able to walk independently with or without a device but are unable to drive due to a chronic illness.

1. 78-year old retired physician who has suffered heart attack/stroke and requires weekly transportation to physician and physical therapy appointments.
2. 75-year old retired teacher who requires twice-weekly transportation to alzheimer’s support group.
3. 98-year old who benefits from weekly social visits.
4. 82-year old retired teacher who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and requires weekly transportation to medical appointments.

Executive Director is only paid staff members; all other functions are performed by volunteers.

Twenty trained and engaged volunteers drive clients to their medical appointments as well as provide other caring services.

Volunteers come from all walks of life. Many are familiar with the challenges facing homebound seniors from their own family and network of friends. Several are retired and desire to payback to the community.

SWAC relies on volunteers to carry out its mission:

1. Volunteer drivers to take senior clients to their medical and other appointments;
2. Volunteer office workers from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon daily to handle administrative duties; and
3. Volunteer callers to make friendly calls and visits to homebound seniors.

Primarily through the outreach programs of sponsoring churches.

SWAC has developed a Volunteer Manual and it forms the basis for a two-hour training and orientation session. Volunteers get to this point by first completing an application and undergoing a personal background check.

Yes. SWAC maintains insurance that provides personal liability, accident, and excess automobile liability protection for its volunteers while providing services to its clients.

Funding sources include:

• Core Churches: 20%
• Foundations: 20%
• Corporate/Business Donors: 30%
• Individual Donors: 10%
• Special Events: 20% (such as Spring Wine & Art Auction)

2009 cash budget is $55,000: staff salaries consume more than 50% with the balance directed to administrative costs of the office (equipment and supplies, printing and copying, postage and stationary, software, insurance and background checks, and volunteer recruitment, training and recognition.

Initiated a broad-based community fundraising program targeting corporations, businesses, and individuals. Supplemented this effort with special fundraising events such as the “Neighborhood Treasures Wine & Art Auction” in February, 2009; attended by 130 persons and raised more than $14,000.

As of April, 2009 we have achieved 55% of our annual goal.

Yes, in addition to above cash budget we receive in-kind contributions totaling $20,000 (rent, printing & mailing, legal services, website development and maintenance, etc.)

Sponsoring congregations appoint one Board member and one alternate.

To articulate the mission, vision and values of the organization, provide policy governance and operational oversight, and lead community fundraising initiatives.

Southwest Austin Caregivers has a three-year Strategic Plan together with a current year Action Plan and Goals approved and lead by our Board of Directors. At the conclusion of 2009 we will measure our success in achieving the following goals:

• Financial/Fundraising: $55,000 cash and $20,00 in-kind.
• Interfaith Community Membership Growth: Grow from five to nine supporting congregations.
• Volunteer Recruitment: Grow from 20 to 50 active and engaged volunteers.
• Service Delivery: Grow the number of clients served from 20 to 100.
• Community Awareness-Building: Conduct nine congregation presentations, six presentations to community and civic organizations, publish regular articles in community newspapers, newsletters, and other widely circulated media, and forge alliances with other caring organizations serving the “aging in place” population (e.g., Meals on Wheels & More).
• Leadership Capacity-Building: Recruit ten new board/advisory council members with specific skills in the areas of law, accounting, banking, management and leadership (profit and nonprofit), fundraising, marketing, health/medical care, and public relations.

From the positive feedback we receive from clients and their families.

Strategic electronic and hardcopy mailings recapping growth and development benchmarks. A good example if the April, 2009 Stewardship Report.

Sponsors and donors receive high profile mention in all publications and on the web site.

See above Community Awareness-Building goal.