2025 Goals

DIRECT AND COLLABORATIVE SERVICES

1. FONS Chore Services: Develop and implement new methods of identifying and reaching potential clients (e.g., wider community word of mouth, partner w/new organizations, more direct communication) to increase unique individuals served by 50%.
2. FONS Newtown Rides: Clarify/raise awareness of the service to increase ridership by 100%.
3. Ensure new FONS Caregiver Respite Service is successful; identify learnings to scale service.
4. Continue cooperating with Newtown Human Services (NHS), Commission on Aging (COA), Newtown Senior Center (NSC), and others serving the senior community to provide and support senior services/programs.
5. Pursue one targeted collaboration with the Newtown Prevention Council in the area of mental health.

COMMUNITY SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES — COMPLEMENTING THE SENIOR CENTER

1. Host varied monthly FONS Socials (30 – 50 participants); attract and welcome new participants.
2. Hold Spring Annual Membership Meeting and two other innovative and broadly appealing social events that will attract members and non-members of various ages (> 100 participants).
3. Stay aware of and communicate to membership about all Newtown cultural events so we can continue to support community events (with volunteers, attendance, art, tables, etc.).

ADVOCACY — LONG-TERM, LARGE-SCALE IMPACT

1. Conduct the Timeless Newtown Embracing Every Generation program in collaboration with the CH Booth Library, COA, and other organizations.
2. Exert advocacy by bringing needs, issues, and opportunities to Town Officials, elected and appointed Town bodies particularly in the area of Transportation and Housing:
   a. Transportation services useful to seniors including public transportation, ride services, sidewalks, and bike lanes
   i. Work with NHS, local, regional, and state authorities to implement transportation strategy in Newtown.
   ii. Continue to seek out funding sources for transportation.
   iii. Lobby for additional position at NSC, i.e., transportation coordinator role.
   iv. Continue to campaign for bus loop to connect Newtown to regional network – Danbury, Brookfield, Bethel, New Milford.
   b. Advocate for more and broader housing options in Newtown.
3. Seek to understand what is important to Newtown seniors through FONS Roundtable discussions, surveys, and other means.
4. Review/renew the Livable Community Plan, noting progress made and identifying specific next steps.

OPERATIONS — NEXT GENERATION FONS

1. Pursue grants and fundraising to enable the expansion of programs and goals; with grants shrinking and services expanding, cultivate new methods of fundraising.
2. Enable online payments/signups. Automate/update all processes and technology.
3. Work with ProBono Partnership to complete enhancement of the FONS governance documents; update organization structure and create specific leadership succession plan.

Photos courtesy of Shannon Hicks, The Newtown Bee, & FONS Board Members