Welcome to the first newsletter about our campaign to make the Key Peninsula truly an elder-friendly community. We’re excited to share our plans to build the first assisted living homes on the Key Peninsula. This newsletter will keep you updated on the progress of our senior housing project on a quarterly basis.

Rice Fergus Miller’s concept of our assisted living longhouse – three homes under one roof.

Our Vision

Based on the results of our Market Analysis and Financial Feasibility studies completed in late 2014, we are building three assisted living homes in the heart of Key Center to be home to 10 elders each. These communal homes will offer the best in care and quality: a shared hearth and great room, private bedrooms with baths and kitchenettes, and 24-hour care onsite. The design for the project was inspired by The Green House Project, the national organization that is transforming elder care with its model of small residential houses that give elders a true home environment. Each home will feature accessible design and easy access to the outdoors. Intensive and innovative staff training will build a culture of deep respect for each elder’s personal needs and lifestyle, catering to individual preferences and encouraging elders to pursue their own interests and passions.

A view from above shows the three homes we are building.

Our Team

We are working with an outstanding team of experts and partners, including:

• Concepts In Community Living, an experienced assisted living developer/operator, provides project management and will most likely operate our assisted living homes;
• The Nielson Group addresses development, finance coordination and project management services;
• The Ostara Group is capital campaign counsel, directing our fundraising efforts;
• The project’s architects, Bremerton-based Rice Fergus Miller, are currently working with experienced contractors and engineers to lay the groundwork for our next phase of development; and
• Korsmo Construction, the project’s general contractor, is already working with the architects to keep the design within budget.

After years of dreaming, our vision is coming to life. We have secured initial financing, acquired land and launched a $2.5M capital campaign. A USDA Rural Development Loan will be the next step to make senior housing on the Key Peninsula into a reality.

Read more on Our Key Peninsula Assisted Living Project

Interview with campaign committee member Dr. Bill Roes

Why is “aging in place” important to you? The Mustard Seed Project’s main purpose is to foster a community that allows residents to “age in place.” It just seems right that people who have chosen to spend their lives on the Key Peninsula should be able to remain here as long as they want to. That means there may come a time when they need help from their family, friends, and the greater community to do so. I think it is critical to a community to have the insights, wisdom, and perspective of our elders to help guide us into the future. If this has been your home, you probably want to stay here, and the mission of The Mustard Seed Project has been to help make that possible. Why do you support the Campaign? As the community physician, my patients and I have been aging on the Key Peninsula for many years. Weekly I see instances where our community can no longer meet the needs of some of my patients and they have been forced to leave, often to places that may not have been the first choice for them or their family. I am acutely aware of the need for assisted living on the Key Peninsula, but to meet that need requires money. Money to plan, money to acquire property, money to build, and money to operate. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to have a group focused on raising those funds, and I’m happy to contribute in my small way to its success, to make senior assisted housing a reality for our community. What do you think others should know about the project? From its inception over 10 years ago, Edie and The Mustard Seed Project have worked to provide more services for the community, with the ultimate goal of facilitating assisted living housing. There have been extensive studies using nationally known planners, and literally years of time, meetings, and focus groups. The amount of time spent by the board, community elders, and various committees is staggering, and the plan being implemented is a combination of dreams and compromises to best serve our community in a central location. We welcome your support, interest, and involvement in this exciting project!

Help us meet the Challenge!

The Mustard Seed Project’s Campaign has received an anonymous challenge grant to help us exceed the $1.2 million mark on our capital campaign! All new pledges and gifts over $2,000 received before December 31, 2017– up to $100,000 in total – will be matched. We are nearly there, having raised more than $950,000.

Remember – giving appreciated stock or directing a distribution from your IRA to The Mustard Seed Project in 2017 can reduce your tax burden.

Please help us reach this milestone! Please contact Edie Morgan, Executive Director, or Marion Sharp, Development Manager.