A Community Initiative
Nobody Should Grow Old Alone
Campus by EdOnTheGo is a planned Jewish community campus in Upstate New York for older adults who need friendship, Shabbat, learning, nature, and a caring community. Phase 1 raises the land deposit and builds the network of families, donors, volunteers, and partners.
Campus Summary
What to Understand in 30 Seconds
- Who runs it
- Education On The Go Corp, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 92-1172505.
- What Campus is
- A Jewish community initiative against senior loneliness, built around friendship, Shabbat, learning, nature, and intergenerational connection.
- Who it serves
- Jewish seniors, families, adult children, volunteers, donors, synagogues, schools, healthcare professionals, and community partners.
- Current stage
- Founding phase: raising the land deposit in Upstate New York and building the supporter network before opening a permanent location.
- How to help
- Become an Outreach Ambassador, founding donor, partner, or discuss a land/property gift with legal and tax advisors.
For Donors
A clear first goal: land deposit, 501(c)(3), EIN 92-1172505, and a transparent path from first gift to permanent location.
Support CampusFor Volunteers
2-4 hours a week from home: calls, a warm script, training, and a simple one-contact-at-a-time calling system.
VolunteerFor Families
If an older relative faces loneliness, a language barrier, or loss of community, leave your contact for a conversation.
Discuss a RelativeThe Problem
The Crisis Nobody Talks About
Senior loneliness is a recognized public-health and community issue
The WHO identifies social isolation and loneliness as a global issue, and the CDC highlights health risks for older adults. Campus responds with community, connection, and regular human support.
Behind every statistic is a mother sitting alone in a quiet apartment.
A grandfather whose phone rarely rings.
A widow who has not shared a Shabbat meal with friends in weeks.
Loneliness leaves no visible scar, but its impact is real.
It affects health, emotional well-being, dignity, and quality of life.
Campus exists because loneliness is not only a personal issue. It is a community issue. And community must be part of the solution.
Research
The Proximity Paradox: urban loneliness after 45
Why Campus is about health and life itself — not just “activities for seniors.” We gathered the data from AARP and the National Institute on Aging into one short, visual report.
- ◆1 in 3 adults age 45+ live with chronic loneliness — 42.6 million Americans.
- ◆Its health toll rivals smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, or obesity.
- ◆Isolation accelerates cognitive decline, heart disease, and premature mortality.
- ◆The hopeful part: simple neighborly contact nearly halves loneliness (61% → 33%).
15 slides · PDF · ≈2 MB · data from AARP & the National Institute on Aging
All the statistics, sources & reports →Why This Matters
Give your parents back their taste for life — while they can still savor it
Old age does not have to be about illness and loneliness within four walls. It can be about nature, friends, and new memories. We are building the place where that is possible.
What Adult Children Say
Guilt, exhaustion, and a desperate wish to help.
The “TV syndrome”
“My parents just sit all day — TV or sleep. It hurts to watch: it’s like they’re waiting for the end instead of living.”
After retirement, parents withdraw into four walls. Children search desperately for a way to wake them back up to life — and find none.
A vacation torn in two
“I feel guilty spending all my PTO sitting at my parents’ place watching TV. But I know their time is running out.”
Visit aging parents, or take a real break with your own kids? Every summer this choice tears adult children apart.
They want to be active — too scary to let go
“My dad loves nature and walks, but he’s 80, and I panic that something will happen on the trail if he goes alone.”
Parents long to stay active — children fear for their safety. So they lock them in “for their own good”.
Travel has become too hard
“I want one steady place I can bring my mother to for the summer — and finally breathe.”
Flights, layovers, hotels — pure stress for an older person. They need one stable base, not a suitcase marathon.
What Seniors Themselves Say
They don’t want rest and a clinic — they want life.
They need “their” people
“The most precious thing is the camaraderie. We’re the same age, we share memories, we get each other’s jokes. It heals loneliness better than any medicine.”
To live, not to wait out the end
Seniors stubbornly refuse “sanatoriums” and nursing homes — it reeks of frailty and finality. They want a garden, walks, games, books, conversation.
Quiet without isolation
Even loving their grandchildren, a long summer in the noise wears them out. They need a calm, safe place — but with people one step away whenever they want.
Why Campus Is the Answer for Both Sides
For Children
✓ Guilt lifted
You work or travel in peace, knowing your parent isn’t locked in a stuffy city but out in nature, among people, fed, busy, and happy.
✓ Safe socializing
The “how do I find mom a hobby” problem solves itself: gardens, shared spaces, volunteers, neighbors. Here, being active is just part of the day.
For the Seniors
✓ Dignity and freedom
Not a hospital (their deepest fear) but a “summer retreat for grown-ups” and a community of peers. It sounds dignified, not pitiful.
✓ Balance of quiet and company
Your own cabin means privacy. Shared spaces and volunteers of every generation mean you’re inside real life, not erased from it.
We are not welcoming guests yet. Right now we are raising support to build this place. Every contribution brings closer the day you can bring your own parent here — and finally breathe.
How Campus Will Work
First, a people network
Families, volunteers, donors, and partners join now, before the land is purchased.
Then, a permanent place
Phase 1 raises the land deposit in Upstate New York and creates the foundation for the future campus.
Then, living programs
Shabbat, holidays, learning, nature, intergenerational connection, and support for older adults.
Why Campus
Campus by Education On The Go Corp is a Jewish community-centered response to senior loneliness.
Campus is not a nursing home, a medical facility, or simply a summer retreat.
It is a place where older adults can reconnect with people, purpose, Jewish life, nature, learning, prayer, friendship, and community.
A place where someone knows your name. A place where someone notices when you are missing. A place where aging is accompanied by dignity, belonging, and life.
Community
Purpose
Friendship
Jewish Life
Fresh Air & Nature
Intergenerational Connection
Volunteer Support
Aging with Dignity
Phase 1 Goal: Land Acquisition Deposit
Before we can welcome a single senior, we must secure a permanent location.
The land is not the mission. The people are the mission. The land gives us a place to begin. After the goal is reached, we can move into due diligence, site selection, and the next campaign stage.
Founding Campaign
Phase 1 Goal: Land Acquisition Deposit
Goal
$250,000
Raised
$5,384
Supporters
56
2.2% to goal
Help Secure Our Future CampusHow You Can Help Build Campus
Help Us Build the First Senior Summer Campus in Upstate New York
We are looking for land donations and capital-campaign partners to turn this vision into reality.
Property & Land Donation Criteria
- ✓5+ acre parcel
- ✓Upstate New York or the Tri-State area
- ✓Zoned for community or residential use
- ✓Ideally with water access or a wooded area
- ✓Suitable for a summer campus of cabins
Donating appreciated land lets you deduct its full fair-market value and offset capital-gains tax. 100% Tax-Deductible.
Financial Support & Corporate Sponsorship
Where your support goes:
Modular cabins
Purchasing and installing comfortable cabins for campus guests.
Infrastructure
Water, power, pathways, a shared kitchen, and common areas.
Setup & grounds
Gardens, porches, fire pits — everything that makes a campus alive.
Education On the Go Corp is a registered 501(c)(3) organization (EIN 92-1172505). Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Founding 100
Become One of the First 100 Founding Supporters
Every movement begins with a small group of people who believe that something must change.
We are inviting the first 100 supporters to help lay the foundation for Campus.
Your gift — whether $18, $36, $100, $1,000, or more — helps us build momentum, demonstrate community support, and move closer to securing the first location for Campus.
Stories We Hear
These stories are anonymous. They reflect the reality of senior loneliness we hear about every day.
“My mother spends most days alone in her Brooklyn apartment. In July, the city gets unbearable, but she has nowhere to go.”
Anonymous story · read more →
“I call my grandfather every day because he rarely sees anyone. But a 10-minute phone call cannot replace a community of peers, shared meals, and daily life.”
Anonymous story · read more →
“After my father passed away, my mother became quieter every month. What she needs most is not only help — she needs people.”
Anonymous story · read more →
Community Voices
What Children and Seniors Themselves Say
Real opinions about summer rest for older adults. Read them — and leave your response under any one.
Loading opinions…
Become a Voice for Campus
Fight senior loneliness from home.
Great communities are not built by budgets alone. They are built by people.
To secure our first location in Upstate New York, we need to reach hundreds of hearts across our community. We are looking for volunteer Outreach Ambassadors who can dedicate 2–4 hours a week to helping us build support for Campus.
What Ambassadors Do
- •Call potential supporters
- •Share the Campus mission
- •Invite people to join the movement
- •Help identify donors, volunteers, and partners
- •Help build the network of Founding Supporters
What We Provide
- •A warm conversation script
- •Simple training
- •Full support
- •Flexible hours
- •The ability to help from home
No cold-calling experience? No problem.
Community Partners
We are actively seeking partnerships with synagogues, schools, healthcare professionals, senior service organizations, nonprofits, businesses, community leaders, and local institutions.
If your organization believes that no senior should face loneliness alone, we would be honored to speak with you.
Contact
Have a question?
Write to us to learn more, become a volunteer, support the project, or leave your contact information. We reply by email.
✉️ Write to UsWhy EdOnTheGo
EdOnTheGo is already dedicated to education, Jewish learning, community connection, and accessible programming.
Campus is a natural extension of this mission.
We bring:
- ✓experience creating educational initiatives
- ✓multilingual community outreach
- ✓relationships within Jewish communities
- ✓commitment to Torah learning and human dignity
- ✓ability to mobilize volunteers and supporters
- ✓long-term vision for building meaningful programs
Campus is not simply a real estate project. It is a community initiative rooted in responsibility, dignity, and care.
Questions and Answers
Common Questions About Campus
What is Campus?
Campus is a community initiative by Education On The Go Corp dedicated to ending senior loneliness through friendship, Jewish life, intergenerational connection, and a future summer community in Upstate New York.
Is Campus a nursing home?
No. Campus is not a nursing home, assisted-living facility, or real-estate project. It is a community of people committed to making sure no senior has to grow old alone.
Who is Campus for?
For older adults seeking friendship and Jewish life, for their families and adult children, for volunteers who want to help, and for partners — synagogues, schools, healthcare providers, JCCs, and community leaders.
How can I volunteer?
Apply as an Outreach Ambassador on /campus/volunteer. We provide a warm conversation script, simple training, and flexible hours. No cold-calling experience needed — you can help from home, 2–4 hours a week.
How can I support the project?
Visit /campus/donate to give a one-time gift, or join the Founding 100 to help us secure the first location for Campus. Education On The Go Corp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Can organizations partner with Campus?
Yes. We actively seek partnerships with synagogues, schools, healthcare professionals, senior service organizations, nonprofits, businesses, community leaders, and local institutions. Reach out via /campus/partners.
Is the project already operating?
Campus is currently in the founding phase. Before we can welcome a single senior, we must secure a permanent location. The first phase focuses on land acquisition and building the community of volunteers, donors, families, and partners.
What is the first fundraising goal?
Phase 1 Goal: Land Acquisition Deposit — $250,000. Every gift, whether $18, $36, $100, $1,000 or more, brings us closer to securing the first Campus location in Upstate New York.
How can I donate land to a nonprofit?
Contact Education On The Go Corp (EIN: 92-1172505) to discuss donating land for Campus. A charitable land donation typically requires an independent appraisal and documentation with your CPA or attorney.
What kind of land is Campus looking for?
We are looking for a 5+ acre parcel in Upstate New York or the Tri-State area, zoned for community or residential use, ideally with water access or a wooded area — suitable for a summer campus of cabins for seniors.
Can I donate land to a non-profit in New York?
Yes. Education On The Go Corp is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit (EIN 92-1172505) and accepts donations of real property in New York. We work with your attorney and a qualified appraiser to complete the transfer cleanly and issue your tax receipt.
What are the tax benefits of donating property to a 501(c)(3)?
Donating appreciated land to a 501(c)(3) generally lets you deduct its full fair-market value and avoid the capital-gains tax you would owe on a sale, while removing future property-tax and maintenance costs. Your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Always confirm specifics with your own CPA or attorney.
The Community We Build Today May Care for Us Tomorrow
One day, every one of us will grow older.
The community we build today may one day serve our own parents, our loved ones, and ultimately ourselves.
By supporting Campus, you are not only helping today's seniors. You are helping shape the kind of community we all hope to live in.
Founding Advisory Board
We are forming the Founding Advisory Board: rabbis, physicians, nonprofit leaders, aging specialists, community organizers, and family-support advisors.