Commentary: SHARP aims to help Newport Beach senior citizens

To paraphrase former U.S. Sen. Hubert Humphrey, one moral test of society is how it treats those who are in the twilight of life.

Newport Beach is blessed to have an active senior population who serve one another and many others through groups like Friends of OASIS or our award-winning Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), just to name a couple.

When our seniors need help, Newport Beach’s OASIS Senior Center provides or facilitates many support services. These services range from health screenings to Meals on Wheels; medical lecture series to caregiver support groups; ukulele lessons to health care directives.

One relatively new program can really help seniors’ standard of living and retain independence at home.

The Senior Housing Assistance Repair Program (SHARP) is a public-private partnership between OASIS and Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. SHARP aims to help low-income seniors in need of critical home repair or modifications due to accessibility needs, safety concerns, health and well-being, or citation by Code Enforcement.

The program exemplifies the creativity and compassion shown by our OASIS team, headed by Recreation and Senior Services Director Laura Detweiler and Senior Services Manager Celeste Jardine-Haug.

The city of Newport Beach has committed $600,000 out of its affordable housing fund to this endeavor.

That said, we need our fellow citizens’ help to spread the word. If you have a friend, neighbor or family member who could use SHARP, reach out to Celeste’s OASIS team, direct them to the city’s website (newportbeachca.gov), or swing on by OASIS to pick up a pamphlet.

Together, we remain proud to serve those who have served us.

WILL O’NEILL is a Newport Beach city councilman in District 7.