In 2002, a group of friends in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston set out to change the experience of aging. They created Beacon Hill Village, a local, nonprofit organization that would support them in maintaining their independence and making choices about where and how they lived. A core goal was to keep members living and thriving in their own homes in the neighborhood they loved as they aged.
As word of Beacon Hill Village’s success serving its members spread, people from across the country requested help in creating villages of their own. In response, just a few years after it opened, Beacon Hill Village became the chief force behind the creation of the Village to Village Network, dedicated to helping communities everywhere design their own villages reflecting local needs and using local resources. Today more than 300 villages are open or in development in the US and beyond, serving over 40,000 older adults.
To celebrate this achievement, on February 15, 2022, Beacon Hill Village and the Village to Village Network will cohost a National Villages Day webinar to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the village movement. The webinar will take place from noon to 1:30 pm EST. Attendees will hear about the village movement from several perspectives. Beacon Hill Village founder Susan McWhinney-Morse will share the story of how the village concept began. Representatives from villages from across the country will trace the growth of the movement and share how the model has evolved to meet local community needs. Experts in aging will join us in guest appearances. Please join us in this celebration by visiting National Villages Day on BeaconHillVillage.org to register for this free event or call Beacon Hill Village at (617) 723-9713.