The City of Evanston invites all local businesses to participate in the Age-Friendly Business Initiative.

Why should businesses strive to be age-friendly?

Older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the population in the country. Businesses that adapt their services and environment help older adults age actively and independently, while also expanding their revenue and customer base. Age-Friendly Evanston is launching an Age-Friendly Business campaign to recognize businesses that make an extra effort for their older adult customers. We invite you to become one of the first businesses in your community to be recognized as Age-Friendly.

Your participation is important!

By actively engaging in age-friendly business practices and helping Evanston build an age-friendly business community:

• You will better serve all customers, not just older adults, which makes Evanston a great place to grow up and grow old.
• Word of mouth recognition will make other potential customers aware of your stand-out business.
• Other businesses will become more aware of best practices, encouraging them to also adopt an age-friendly perspective.

Each of the following are in the final stages of becoming an Age-Friendly Business, but need your feedback to confirm their age-friendliness:

If you would like your business to be considered for Age-Friendly Business status, please complete the following steps:

• Review the Age-Friendly Business Resource Guide.
• Complete the Age-Friendly Business Checklist.
• Once you have completed the Checklist, you will be contacted by a representative of the Age-Friendly Evanston Task Force to schedule a free collaborative consultation regarding low- or no-cost ways to make changes in your business to best accommodate this customer base, ultimately making your business more inviting to all. 
• The final step in becoming an Age-Friendly Business entails having your checklist reviewed by your customers! After your free collaborative consultation, your business will be visited by secret shoppers and/or administrative staffers who will review their experience. If their experience matches your checklist self-report, your business will be granted the designation of being an Age-Friendly Business!

What do businesses receive when they have been determined to be Age-Friendly by the City of Evanston?

• More visibility to older customers and the general public.
• Promotion of age-friendly features to current and potential customers.
• Utilization of the Age-Friendly Business logo on your business' website and marketing materials.
• Window decals acknowledging the City of Evanston's recognition of your business as age-friendly. 
• Opportunities for business to host special events, in conjunction with the City, to promote and advertise age-friendly status.
• Advertisement of business' age-friendly status on the City's website as well as to age-friendly community partners and organizations.

Enjoy the following discounts at businesses already designated as Age-Friendly:

Please call the City's Senior Services division at (847) 866-2919 with any corrections or recommendations.