Harvest Hope: A Celebration of 50 Years of Caring

CICOA, a beacon of hope for older adults and individuals with disabilities in our community, is proudly celebrating its 50th anniversary. Over the past five decades, we’ve been committed to providing essential services that empower individuals to age in place with dignity and independence.

A History of Care and Compassion

Founded in 1974, CICOA began as a small organization with a big heart. Our mission has always been to create a community where everyone, regardless of age or ability, can thrive. From humble beginnings, we’ve grown into a leading nonprofit offering an expanding range of programs and services.

Earlier this month, CICOA held our annual Safe at Home Day, when more than 100 individuals come together to serve our senior neighbors by cleaning up yards, installing grab bars and handrails, and even improving safety with free Ring devices. Seeing people come together to care for our senior neighbors reminds us that we have a great community rallied around our cause!

Whether your caring spirit comes to life through acts of service or donations, you are making a lasting difference right here in our community!

Harvest Hope – A Golden Anniversary Celebration

To commemorate our 50th anniversary, we invite you to join us for an online fundraising campaign, Harvest Hope, running from Oct. 1-12, 2024. The festivities include:

• A silent auction featuring trips, sports packages, and unique gift baskets
• Games
• Polls
• A party playlist featuring songs from 1974-2024
• Special videos
• And more!

Text “CICOA50” to 44834 or visit the Harvest Hope campaign website to check out auction items. Set your alarm for 9:00 a.m. on Oct. 1! Be sure to follow CICOA on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for all the fun and excitement!

A Diamond Future for CICOA

The Harvest Hope campaign is a fun way to support CICOA in honor of our 50th anniversary. In 2025, we will be embarking on a campaign to raise $250,000 for Wrinkle Innovation. What started at CICOA as a venture studio for employee ideas over three years ago is now a blossoming opportunity to reimagine social care and build on our rich past of providing key services to the community. Together, we can move big ideas forward and multiply our impact.

Celebrate With Us!

The Harvest Hope campaign begins at 9:00 a.m. on Oct. 1 and ends at 9:00 p.m. on Oct. 12. Join us in honoring our golden past and shaping a diamond future. Here’s how you can get involved:

• Bid on auction items
• Make a donation
• Follow CICOA on social media
• Like, comment and share our posts

Remember, text “CICOA50” to 44834 or visit the Harvest Hope campaign website to join all the fun!

Your support will help us continue our mission of providing essential services to older adults and individuals with disabilities in our community. Together, we can build a brighter future for everyone.

Steve Gerber

Steve Gerber brings experience in pastoral ministry, nonprofit management and fundraising team leadership to his role as CICOA’s chief development officer. Steve is responsible for the agency’s overall fundraising strategy, leading annual campaigns, major gifts, planned giving, grants and special events.

He holds designations for Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy^® (CAP^®), and the executive certificate in religious fundraising. Steve earned a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Temple University, a master’s degree from Grace Theological Seminary and a master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix.