First of Its Kind Mayoral Candidate Town Hall to Address Seniors and Adults with Disabilities

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Apr 25, 2018, 10:05 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today 1 in 4 San Franciscans are seniors or adults with disabilities. By 2030, 1 in 3 San Franciscans will be over the age of 60.

For this growing population, a first of its kind mayoral candidate town hall for seniors and people with disabilities on Thursday, April 26, 2018 at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., comes at a critical time. "Seniors and adults with disabilities are facing unprecedented challenges in today's current economic climate," said Fiona Hinze, Co-Chair of the Dignity Fund Coalition sponsoring the event. "Our ability to remain safely and actively a part of local life is under threat and with it, the diversity of our great city."

The leading candidates for mayor, Angela Alioto, London Breed, Jane Kim and Mark Leno will share their leadership vision for addressing the needs of San Francisco's seniors and adults with disabilities before a live audience of more than 800 people and a live-streamed audience of hundreds more. Community and disability rights advocate Yomi Wrong, will emcee the event which will take questions from the live and live-streamed audience.

Participants are eager to hear how the candidates will integrate seniors and adults with disabilities into their plans for governing San Francisco."Seniors and adults with disabilities must be a part of the conversation and solutions on the major issues facing San Francisco today," said Marie Jobling, Co-Chair of the Dignity Fund Coalition. "It is not an exaggeration to state that the life and dignity of our city and thousands of San Franciscans is at stake."

In 2016, more than 40 community organizations joined together as the Dignity Fund Coalition to support the ability of seniors and adults with disabilities to age safely at home in San Francisco. The Coalition together with 9 members of the Board of Supervisors and Mayor Ed Lee, successfully passed Proposition I (the Dignity Fund) which guarantees baseline funding for supports and services for San Francisco seniors and adults with disabilities, veterans, those aging with HIV and other chronic conditions and caregivers.

Timely implementation of the Dignity Fund is underway, but more will be needed to ensure equitable access to Dignity Fund supports and to address growing need.

The Dignity Fund Coalition calls on the mayoral candidates to:

Champion the Dignity Fund. The City has gone on record in support of efforts to make San Francisco an aging and disability friendly city. Leadership is urgently required to protect and implement the Dignity Fund.
Elevate issues of seniors and adults with disabilities as a citywide concern and resource. Challenges facing seniors and adult with disabilities should be at the forefront of current city strategies and discussions to address housing, homelessness, street/sidewalk safety, transportation and employment to name a few.
Harness all city resources and lead innovative collaboration within city departments and offices, among service providers, non-profits and business. Challenges facing senior and adults with disabilities cut across multiple issue areas beyond the supports offered through the Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS).
Promote a vision that leverages the prodigious resource of 25% of the city's population on behalf of San Francisco's overall quality of life.

The mayoral candidate town hall is being co-sponsored by the SCAN Foundation (http://www.thescanfoundation.org) and the San Francisco Bay Times (http://sfbaytimes.com).

San Francisco Thrives With Dignity. To learn more about the Dignity Fund Coalition and the Dignity Fund visit www.sfdignityfund.org.

Media Contact: Erin Saberi (916) 952-5080 / [email protected]

SOURCE The Dignity Fund Coalition