Through its mission, Vida aims to improve the wellness, self-sufficiency, and independence of Spanish speaking seniors residing in the District of Columbia and the metro area. Vida’s members have worked through their adult lives, but often find themselves at an economic disadvantage in their golden years. Vida is a gathering place to seniors who find themselves isolated culturally and linguistically. By providing food security, health information, education, and social interactions with other Latin seniors Vida is a critical lifeline supporting them to age independently and in place as part of a community.
Vision
We envision a community where seniors aged 60 and over, living in isolation, feel supported, heard, and cared for through a sustainable support system which advocates for those who are most in need.
Mission
Our Mission is to maintain and improve the quality of life of Hispanic/Latino seniors living in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area by effectively providing culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and services in a “home away from home” setting.
Our Core Values
RESPECT
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At Vida, our clients are empowered to find their voice. An environment of respect is fomented through increased sharing and understanding of our shared life experiences and varied backgrounds, so that all voices are heard. Vida follows a high level of ethical conduct, conducting its daily business with honesty, transparency, and high ethics.
ADVOCACY
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Vida’ DNA is to promote awareness and advocate for seniors’ rights, improving the quality of life of those who are being served.
INTEGRITY
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At Vida, we provide quantifiable improvement in the quality of life and well-being of our clients through collaborative programs and varying in-house services.
We believe in integrity to be the angular stone as a foundation of our team, our partnerships and our relationships in general to deliver the work we do.
COMMUNITY
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Vida partners and collaborates with community organizations, local government and the private sector to optimize resources in benefit of our growing aging client base. Vida’s team engages in inclusiveness through shared leadership and partnerships across diverse target groups.
EMPATHY
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Vida leadership and team members share native language and similar backgrounds as our clients thus, we understand the limitations and impediments many of our Latino clients’ face.
SERVICE
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We serve and empower the Latino aging community by through support services which provide a safe place to learn and gain the tools for a better quality of life. Vida is an extended family and a home away from home.
RESPECT
LEARN MORE
At Vida, our clients are empowered to find their voice. An environment of respect is fomented through increased sharing and understanding of our shared life experiences and varied backgrounds, so that all voices are heard. Vida follows a high level of ethical conduct, conducting its daily business with honesty, transparency, and high ethics.
ADVOCACY
LEARN MORE
Vida’ DNA is to promote awareness and advocate for seniors’ rights, improving the quality of life of those who are being served.
IMPACT AND INTEGRITY
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At Vida, we provide quantifiable improvement in the quality of life and well-being of our clients through collaborative programs and varying in-house services.
We believe in integrity to be the angular stone as a foundation of our team, our partnerships and our relationships in general to deliver the work we do.
COMMUNITY
LEARN MORE
Vida partners and collaborates with community organizations, local government and the private sector to optimize resources in benefit of our growing aging client base. Vida’s team engages in inclusiveness through shared leadership and partnerships across diverse target groups.
EMPATHY
LEARN MORE
Vida leadership and team members share native language and similar backgrounds as our clients thus, we understand the limitations and impediments many of our Latino clients’ face.
SERVICE
LEARN MORE
We serve and empower the Latino aging community by through support services which provide a safe place to learn and gain the tools for a better quality of life. Vida is an extended family and a home away from home.
Our History
Vida Senior Centers (VIDA), the first Hispanic nonprofit organization in the capital city, was founded in November of 1969 under the name of EOFULA (Educational Organization for United Latin Americans). As EOFULA, the organization provided the local Hispanic community with tools and technical assistance in education, health, welfare, housing, legal services, and employment, and also promoted community organizing to improve the quality of life of the whole Latino/Hispanic community. In 1972, the members of the Board decided to focus on providing services specifically to the Hispanic seniors, who were the biggest group of its participants.
In 2002, the organization acquired its headquarters location at 1842 Calvert Street Washington DC. In 2009, the organization changed its name from EOFULA to Vida Senior Centers (VIDA). In 2011, Vida, together with other partners, completed the construction of a 5-story building with 36 one-bedroom apartments, a community center, and a commercial kitchen. At that second location, Vida Senior Centers has its Meal-Site and also provides services and activities from Monday to Friday.
In November 2019, Vida Senior Centers celebrated 50 years of being the home away from home for thousands of Latino seniors in the nation’s capital and the oldest Hispanic non-profit in Washington D.C.
Whom We Serve
Vida’s clients are mainly Hispanic seniors who have worked hard all their lives, but getting older find themselves with limited access to resources and in many cases alone, in a country that is culturally and linguistically foreign to them. By providing food security, information, education, and social interactions with other seniors, Vida offers them the possibility of having a more independent, happier, and healthier life.
In 2015, 15% of adults 60 and over living in the U.S. were foreign-born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. About 40% of immigrant seniors live in low-income families. While only 8% of American-born elderly live below the poverty line, 16% of foreign-born elderly do. Low-income older immigrants typically have less than high school education. More than two-thirds of recent older immigrants don’t speak English well. They tend to be dependent on their adult children for almost everything — money, shelter, and transportation. Despite family support, individuals who immigrate later in life confront many challenges to healthy aging in their adopted country. These include language barriers, limited access to health care and public assistance, inability to drive or access to transportation, lack of independent income, social isolation, and deteriorating physical health. The natural stressors of aging, combined with the challenges of resettlement, predispose this population to poor health outcomes. Despite their swelling numbers and America’s near-national obsession with retirement, older immigrants are often ignored. They seem almost invisible.
27,000+
Meals served
2
Vida Senior Centers Sites
1,800
Total of Seniors Served
100+
Partnerships
20,119
Volunteer Hours