Sages & Seekers brings together younger and older adults for positive interactions and relationships. (photo courtesy of Elly Katz)

Sages & Seekers has announced that after 15 years, founder and executive director Elly Katz is stepping down, handing stewardship of the award-winning programs to Jenna Hauss, president and CEO of ONEgeneration.

Hauss and Katz have been colleagues and friends for nearly a decade. Hauss brought the eightweek program bringing older and younger adults together to the Los Angeles area in 2015 in a partnership to enrich the intergenerational activities at ONEgeneration.

“Two years ago, I spoke with Jenna as I began to contemplate the next chapter in my life. Without hesitation, Jenna said, ‘ONEgeneration would love to be involved,’” Katz said. “When I turned 74, I began in earnest to plan my transition out of the executive director role, and picked up the conversation with Jenna about integrating our two perfectly aligned nonprofits.”

ONEgeneration’s mission is to support and enrich the lives of older adults, children and families throughout diverse communities. Sages & Seekers programs develop empathy, combat social isolation and dissolve age-related segregation while meeting the needs of young and older adults. Hauss and Katz have co-created a plan for the sustainability, evolution and expansion of Sages & Seekers as a permanent program of ONEgeneration. Not only will all the current sites and participants continue to be served, but the proven Sages & Seekers methodology will continue to be licensed and shared with organizations across the country and abroad.

“The Eisner Foundation has proudly supported both ONEgeneration and Sages & Seekers for many years, as each attempt to bring people together intergenerationally,” said Trent Stamp, CEO of The Eisner Foundation. “At this moment when our society seems more divided than ever, we are excited that this new partnership will expand efforts to break down barriers and make our communities stronger.”

For information, visit sagesandseekers.org and onegeneration.org.