Puzzles To Remember: January 2023

Puzzles To Remember

PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a youth led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias through jigsaw puzzles, cognitive engagement, and social connection. Led by Executive Director Hailey Richman, Puzzles To Remember has distributed more than 236,000 puzzles valued at over $2 million to more than 5,000 memory care communities, nursing homes, veterans facilities, senior centers, and other organizations across all 50 states and 16 countries. Our programs have benefited more than one million people while diverting approximately 148 tons of puzzles from landfills through donation and reuse. Puzzles To Remember also promotes intergenerational connection through Puzzle Time, which brings young people together with individuals living with dementia for shared puzzle solving, conversation, and companionship. Our mission is to provide engaging and purposeful activities that promote connection, participation, and joy while enhancing the quality of life of those affected by dementia. Donate Puzzles If you have puzzles you would like to donate, please contact us at Puzzles2Remember@gmail.com. We will help identify a location where your puzzles can benefit individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Donation acknowledgment letters are available upon request.

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Thank You Jake Guttman - Our Long Island Puzzle Ambassador!

Jake Guttman, age, 16, has been delivering puzzles on behalf of PuzzlesToRemember since he was 13. He serves as our Long Island Ambassador. Jake is involved in Alzheimer's awareness and advocacy on many fronts. He has presented PowerPoint presentations in his high school to explain the disease, and was invited to present on behalf of the National Science Honor Society (in which his has exceled from the start of High School!) He collects and distributes jigsaw puzzles to memory care facilities and has also fundraised for our organization requesting banks to sponsor our organization. In his spare time his enjoys coding and is a Hugh O'Brien Youth Leader! We are so grateful for all of your efforts Jake!

Monday, January 16, 2023

Thank you to our Massachusetts Puzzle Ambassador - LILY MINKOFF!

Lily Minkoff, age 17, has been delivering puzzles on behalf of PuzzlesToRemember since she was 11 years old. She serves as our Massachusetts Ambassador. Lily is also an award-winning ice skater who also donates her time teaching ice skating to students with disabilities. She is also an accomplished saxophone player. Lily’s great grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease, so, at a young age, Lily became involved in distributing puzzles to help those with dementia. Lily recently received a large donation of puzzles from Ceaco Puzzles in Newton MA. She plans to deliver them to nursing facilities today and over the next few weeks in honor of Martin Luther King’s birthday. Thank you, Lily! You are making a big difference in the lives of many of our seniors!

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Thank you CEACO Corporation!

We are extremely grateful to the CEACO Puzzle Corporation for their generosity throughout the years! We are especially thrilled about their donation of 200 puzzles for our huge Martin Luther King Jr. PUZZLE DISTRIBUTION DAY!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others'"? -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Every year we honor Dr. King's memory by doing good deeds on that weekend. We will have our PUZZLE AMBASSADORS bringing puzzles to facilities for people living with Alzheimer's disease, we will be solving puzzles with residents at facilities and spending time there. We are planning to supply over 3000 puzzles to underserved and diverse communities who are in need of recreational activities to provide stimulation and hopefully slow the progression of the disease. Here are some shocking statistics that we need to be aware of: Age-specific prevalence of dementia has been found to be 14% to 100% higher in African- Americans. (While the rates vary among studies, three out of four report these higher prevalence rates.) The cumulative risk of dementia among first- degree relatives of African-Americans who have Alzheimer's disease is 43.7%. Approximately 13% of Hispanics who are 65 or older have Alzheimer's or another dementia. At some point my parents would like to have their garage again. But for now, it will be filled completely with jigsaw puzzles for people living with Alzheimer's dise