San Rafael, CA (March 2013) — Two well-known local organizations, Bank of Marin and Whistlestop, have enjoyed more than a decade of collaboration and community partnership together. Whistlestop’s increasingly popular Jackson Café was named in honor of H.C. Jackson, one of the founders and past Board Directors of Bank of Marin. H.C. and Beverley Jackson made several generous gifts to Whistlestop to support access to proper nutrition for older adults in Marin. The Bank of Marin made a gift earlier this year to help upgrade the Café’s aging kitchen equipment. Whistlestop volunteers cheerily serve fresh and affordable lunches for about 100 diners a day. The restaurant is open to everyone, and you can be assured, everyone will feel more than welcome.Since 1954 Whistlestop has been helping the Marin County’s older adults stay independent and active by avoiding social isolation. Whistlestop is best known for providing specialized transportation for people with disabilities. Their fleet of over 55 specialized buses run seven days a week from early morning to late night, offering over 150,000 rides yearly throughout Marin and surrounding counties.
In addition, Whistlestop’s Active Aging Center, located in downtown San Rafael, provides socialization for older adults through participant-centered services and activities. These include educational classes, exercise classes, and multicultural groups for Spanish, German, and Farsi-speaking older adults. Invaluable services like citizenship assistance, translation, ESL, tax preparation, and legal advice are offered as part of Whistlestop’s ongoing mission.