Image courtesy of Buffalo trace Distillery
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We provide mobility, quality of life improvements, recreation opportunities, companionship, and spiritual support to thousands of seniors in 79 nursing homes across Kentucky & Indiana. Opal’s is a 501(c)(3) charity accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
Our services are desperately needed, as Kentucky seniors suffer from highest rates of depression in the U.S., and the second highest rates of social isolation. Despite the hard work of the many dedicated health professionals who work around the clock to care for our seniors, Kentucky ranks 45th in the U.S. for nursing home quality and 48th in senior outcomes. Indiana seniors fair slightly better, but the Hoosier state is ranked only 39th overall for senior outcomes.
Click for additional information from The United Health Foundation about the challenges facing Kentucky or Indiana seniors.
Watch the video below to see what inspired us to take up this mission, or click these links to learn about our flagship programs.
Summer of Fun
Christmas Gift Bag Program
Video courtesy of Paul Goodyear.
The easter bunny is great…
but opal’s bunnies visit every week of the year!
Many studies have demonstrated the profound & lasting benefits of engaging with animals. Our Chaplain works full-time to bring non-denominational spiritual care and comfort in over a dozen facilities. Our Animal Ministry is an integral part of that work, as seniors enjoy meaningful interactions with rabbits, guinea pigs, ducklings, and our cat. Whenever our furry ambassadors appear, every face lights up, and every heart is warmed.
We also engage seniors with
the power of music
The gift of music, a core component of the Summer of Fun program and our ongoing Music Ministry, has been demonstrated to provide substantial mental health benefits, and is broadly effective in reducing depression. Opal’s has provided full-size jukeboxes to dozens of facilities, which serve as focal points of social activity, and have provided countless hours of entertainment and comfort to thousands of seniors. For seniors whose physical condition prevents them from accessing common areas, we also provide individual CD players, boomboxes, radios, and MP3 players.
The Lives We Touch: 2018 Year In Review
Below are a few of the thousands of dreams we've helped come true over the years. Requests range from small items like blankets and stuffed animals, to life-changing items like electric wheelchairs or a bucket list trip for a hospice patient. We make dreams - big and small - come true whenever we can. We partner with businesses, and work with people just like you to make good things happen in the lives of local seniors - and Opal's knows how to get our money's worth.
Things We Gave Away…
Over 5,900 Christmas Gift Bags
(with >75,000 individual gifts; CLick here for details)
227 cases candy & snacks
85 stuffed animals
80 Christmas decorations, a Christmas train set & 3 trees, plus a 12-foot Santa inflatable
38 TV’s (and 27 brackets) for residents, plus 3 sets wireless TV speakers
30 pumpkins
26 boxes bingo prizes & miscellaneous small items
16 visits from Elvis, 2 from Hank Williams, 2 from Santa, and 6 magic shows
15 CD players & boomboxes, 3 MP3 players, and one handheld radio
15 large print bibles
15 garden boxes with plants, dirt, tools, and gloves
12 DVD Players, one VHS player, and a DVD shelf
10 jukeboxes & 1 karaoke machine
20 DVDs and CDs
7 animatronic dogs & cats
6 electric wheelchairs
6 popcorn machines, 2 cotton candy machines, and a snow cone maker
6 boxes clothes, purses, and jewelry
5 weighted blankets
5 flag poles & service flags
3 big screen TVs & wall mounts for common areas
3 sets dentures
2 desktops computers, 2 printers, 1 laptop, 1 tablet PC, 1 wireless headset, and a computer table
2 small refrigerators, small microwave, 2 griddles, 2 blenders
1 each: lift recliner, bongo drums, gas grill, electric scooter, charcoal grill, electronic dart board, GYENNO Steady Spoon, and items for 5 other personal requests
PLUS $3352 for >800 seniors to enjoy parties, trips, cookouts, movie nights, the Senior Olympics, and a Belle of Louisville Cruise
Hand-made garden boxes were an instant hit - and are already a staple of our Summer of Fun Initiative!
Things we did…
Provided 2,000 spiritual care & counseling
Hundreds of visits from our animal ministry (rabbits, ducklings, guinea pigs, and a cat)
Supplied tickets, transportation, and volunteers to take 41 people to the KY State Fair
Took 10 seniors on a Fishing Trip
Repaired 8 wheelchairs
Took a hospice patient on the trip of a lifetime to see her beloved UK Wildcats
Helped one resident become radio DJ for a day – and a local celebrity
Rented a van & took a resident on a road trip to visit family
Rented a van & took a resident to a family reunion
Arranged for senior to be moved to facility near family, in Illinois
Financial Transparency for Prospective Donors
Click here to view Opal’s Dream Foundation 2018 Federal Form 990
Click here to view our 2018 Annual Report
Click here to view Opal’s Dream Foundation 2017 Federal Form 990
Click here to view our 2017 Annual Report
We’re committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards, including transparency with the public. If you would like to know more about our operations, use of resources, governance, or nonprofit philosophy, please contact us at admin@opalsdreamfoundation.org
Growth in Services
Christmas Program Growth
Let's Work Together
By contributing your time or money, you can work with us to bring comfort and smiles where they're needed most. We are always looking for compassionate volunteers, new donors, and community partners. Take the first step toward changing someone’s life.
Opal’s 2019 Gala Sponsors
Every year, Opal’s relies on our generous community partners to help us ensure our annual Gala is successful in raising the funds necessary to sustain our important mission. Below, you’ll find a list of companies who have chosen to engage with their community and help make dreams come true for local seniors - in turn, we hope you’ll consider engaging with them, too.
Presenting Sponsor
Media Sponsor
Read Opal's Story In Her Own Words →
We have taken up our mission in loving memory of Opal Grubbs, a kind woman with a great smile, who spent 43 years of her life in a nursing home, and worked tirelessly to make the dreams of her fellow residents come true.
