Our top 12 stories from 2023
Here at 2Life, it’s been a productive year full of important milestones and continuous innovation as we work to address the critical shortage of affordable housing for older adults and make the life-changing benefits of “aging in community” accessible to every senior.
Every once in a while, it’s important to take a step back and appreciate the progress you’ve made toward an important goal. To cap off the year, we’ve assembled 12 of our favorite stories from 2023 to give you just a taste of what it means to be part of the 2Life community. More to come in 2024!
In January, 2Life announced that a new campus in Lynn will carry the name of noted philanthropists David J. and Mary Jane Solimine. “Enabling people to remain viable and present in the community is one of the intangible aspects of 2Life that we’re excited about. That will be a game-changer for Lynn,” asserted local businessperson and philanthropist Magnolia Contreras about 2Life’s expansion to the North Shore.
In February, local news station WBZ covered a beautiful Valentine’s Day wedding for a couple who met and married at 2Life’s Shirley Meadows campus. "I'm really excited to start a new chapter in my life, just being happy and growing old together," shared bride Nancine Osborn, a perfect example of 2Life’s “defiantly joyous aging” motto.
In March, we shared how a construction project led Nora Raikh, a resident at 2Life’s Ulin House in Brighton, and Ana Impellizeri, 2Life’s Capital Projects Manager, to collaborate on a children’s book. “Through this process,” said Impellizeri, “I came to learn a lot about Nora and her life. It opened up for me a new way of seeing our residents and the value of living in community. I realized that reaching out to someone else can have a big impact.”
In April, we announced our important initiative to address the “forgotten middle” — U.S. seniors aged 75 and older who are both unable to afford market-rate community living options and unable to qualify for subsidized housing. 2Life is bringing its aging in community model to this middle-income bracket with Opus Newton, slated to open by the summer of 2025. For an update on our progress and additional context about the issue, check out this article from GlobeSt.
In May, 2Life's Construction Project Manager Arthur Samuels was named one of the “50 Most Influential Business Leaders of Color in Greater Boston's Western Suburbs” by the Charles River Regional Chamber (in collaboration with Colette Phillips Communications and Get Konnected!). According to the announcement, “Diversity, equity and inclusion is a best business practice: enhancing recruitment, retention, innovation and fiscal performance,” a sentiment 2Life embraces.
In June, 2Life hosted its annual “Raising the Roof” fundraising gala, this year honoring Irma Schretter and Roger Cassin with the L'Dor VaDor award for their influential impact on affordable housing for older adults. “By the time we hit 70, 80, 90, there’s still room and possibility to have the best day of our lives,” Rabbi Giulia Fleishman, 2Life’s Director of Spiritual Care, asserted in a powerful video created for the event.
In July, 2Life volunteer Jennifer Liu discussed her family’s commitment to volunteerism with the organization: “This past winter I decided to see if 2Life had any volunteer positions. I thought it would be a great way to get a small taste of what my parents did here, while giving back a little bit.”
In August, 2Life broke ground at Leland House, an affordable senior housing development in Waltham. “This truly affordable housing project is what we need. I want to thank everyone who put this together, you deserve great thanks from the seniors whom I represent,” Jeannette A. McCarthy, Mayor of Waltham, shared in her remarks at the event.
In September, Zoe Weinrobe, 2Life’s Director of Real Estate Development, discussed 2Life’s green leadership and its lengthy commitment to sustainability — long before that was a common catchword. “We believe in making the world a better place, and our sustainability initiatives are helping achieve this, one community at a time,” Weinrobe shared. For a glimpse into the health impacts of 2Life’s building initiatives, check out this piece from NPR on ways to reduce indoor pollution.
In October, Newton’s Golda Meir House celebrated the addition of 57 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom affordable and accessible apartments for seniors to its existing 199 apartments. A ribbon-cutting event brought local dignitaries to the consolidated campus to praise partnership efforts and 2Life’s vision for affordable senior housing and supportive services. In a statement, U.S. Senator Ed Markey noted, “The Golda Meir House expansion project embodies the kind of housing everyone in Newton and Massachusetts deserves — affordable, accessible, safe, and welcoming.”
In November, four 2Life athletes — each over 70 years old and residents of 2Life’s Brighton campus — competed in the 60+ division of the Chinese Cultural Connection’s 9th Annual Thanksgiving Ping Pong Tournament. They had an outstanding showing at the November 18 event, finishing in second place. Local TV station WBZ filmed the team as they prepped for the event.
In December, Shixuan Ai, 2Life’s Joyful Connections Programs Coordinator, talked about the power of music when it comes to memory loss: “One day, I played a Chinese song and she just opened up. The music became a conversation tool that opened her memories.”
