The great majority of immigrants to the U.S. are young and of working age. But in recent years, an increasing number of immigrants are in their 60s, 70s and older. More than 100,000 elderly immigrants a year come to the U.S., and for many life here hasn't turned out they way they hoped. A new program in Fremont is designed to help.

This story, which aired on The California Report on March 11, is about the Community Ambassadors Program for Seniors (CAPS) funded as part of Robert Wood Johnson's Fresh Ideas grant. The photo below is of recent CAPS graduates.

At the Caring Across Communities conference today in Los Angeles, Mary Anne Mendall who works with Aging and Family Services at the City of Fremont screened a video about the program. She told us about Lonny Shavelson's radio report on this innovative, community-based approach.

We'll post the project video here as soon as we can. Meanwhile, you can download the story and listen to The California Report story from the March 11 edition.

And you can read what the City of Fremont Web site says about their project:

The newly launched Community Ambassador Program is drawing notoriety from all comers. The project, also funded through Robert Wood Johnson, is training volunteers from 6 of Fremont's faith and cultural based communities about issues that confront older adults and community resources to assist them. The Ambassadors from such groups as, the Muslim Support Network, India Community Center, Sikhs Engaged in Volunteer Activities, Taiwanese Help Association, Centerville Presbyterian Church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish will assist seniors in their communities, in their own languages in places where their seniors feel most comfortable congregating. All cultural groups will continue to meet to learn about each other and to share best practices. A replicable training curriculum is being developed by the Human Services Department in conjunction with staff members from San Jose State University and Stanford's Geriatric Institute.

Here's a SF Chronicle story on the project.