WASHINGTON, September 4, 2024 — HelpAge USA is thrilled to announce that it has received a $200,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to expand its Friendship Bench DC initiative. The innovative project aims to help to address the mental health crisis in Washington, DC, by adapting a proven model for delivering accessible, community-based mental health support.
The Friendship Bench model, developed by psychiatrist Dr. Dixon Chibanda in Zimbabwe, works by training older women, or “grandmothers,” to provide basic talk therapy to people of all ages on wooden “Friendship Benches” located in safe spaces in the community. HelpAge USA is adapting this model for Washington, DC, with a focus on serving low-income individuals and African Americans in Wards 7 and 8—who face disproportionate barriers to mental health care and are more likely to experience mental health problems compared with other DC residents.
The program offers a confidential and safe space for people of all ages to share their story with an older person they can trust. This grant follows a second $100,000 contribution from The Washington Home, further strengthening the program’s resources and capacity.
“We are deeply grateful to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for supporting this critical project,” said Cindy Cox-Roman, president and CEO of HelpAge USA. “By bringing the Friendship Bench model to Washington, DC, we aim to break down barriers to mental health care in Black communities, leveraging the wisdom and trust vested in older people to create safe, supportive spaces for anyone who needs a listening ear.”
Since launching the Friendship Bench DC pilot in early 2023, HelpAge USA has made significant progress, including recruiting and training 20 older men and women to serve as the first cohort of Friendship Bench DC “Grandparents” and launching the first bench at the Washington Seniors Wellness Center in July 2024. With RWJF’s support, HelpAge USA will complete the certification process for this initial cohort, train additional Grandparents, expand the program’s community roll-out, and support an acceptability and feasibility study to assess the model’s impact and cultural relevance in DC.
HelpAge USA extends its heartfelt thanks to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other funders—including NextFifty Initiative, The Washington Home, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, the Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation, the Agua Fund, and the RBC Foundation—for their generous support.
For more information about the Friendship Bench DC project and HelpAge USA, contact friendshipbenchdc@gmail.com or 202-709-8442.
About HelpAge USA
HelpAge USA is a nonprofit that advances the rights, well-being, and inclusion of older people in the U.S. and around the world. As part of the HelpAge Global Network, HelpAge USA works to ensure that the contributions of all older people are recognized and they have the right to a healthy, safe, and secure life. Visit us at helpageusa.org.
