The Legacy Forum LIVE
Register now for The Legacy Forum LIVE
The Legacy Forum LIVE
Emergency Preparedness: Preparing Today for Peace of Mind Tomorrow
Registration is now open for The Legacy Forum LIVE, Compassion by Design’s in-person community forum dedicated to helping older adults, family caregivers, families, and community members prepare for emergencies with greater confidence and peace of mind.
In recognition of National Emergency Preparedness Month, Compassion by Design is bringing the Legacy Forum experience into the Baltimore community for a meaningful day of education, practical guidance, helpful resources, and face-to-face connection.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Location: Creative Arts Center, Enoch Pratt Free Library
City: Baltimore, Maryland
Cost: Free to attend
Format: In-person community forum
About The Legacy Forum LIVE
Emergencies can happen without warning, but preparing in advance can make an important difference—especially for older adults, family caregivers, individuals with disabilities, and families managing health or mobility needs.
The Legacy Forum LIVE will bring together caregivers, older adults, healthcare professionals, emergency-response representatives, advocates, service providers, neighborhood partners, and community leaders for an engaging and supportive in-person experience.
Participants will receive practical information they can use to prepare themselves and their loved ones before an emergency occurs. The program will explore how to create an emergency plan, organize essential information, prepare medications and supplies, communicate with family members, and identify trusted community resources.
Unlike Compassion by Design’s monthly virtual Legacy Forum sessions, The Legacy Forum LIVE is a special face-to-face community experience. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn directly from local professionals, ask questions, connect with community organizations, explore helpful resources, and meet others who understand the responsibilities and challenges that caregivers and families face.
What You Will Learn
The program will include practical guidance on topics such as:
Creating a personal or family emergency plan
Preparing for emergencies involving older adults and caregivers
Organizing emergency contacts and important documents
Planning for medications, medical equipment, mobility needs, and power outages
Identifying essential items for an emergency supply kit
Developing a family communication and reunification plan
Understanding when and how to contact emergency services
Learning about local emergency-preparedness programs and community resources
Helping older loved ones feel informed, included, and prepared
Taking small, manageable steps that can improve readiness and reduce stress
Prepared Caregiver Corner™
The Legacy Forum LIVE will also feature a special in-person presentation of Compassion by Design’s Prepared Caregiver Corner™.
This caregiver-centered segment will provide practical tools and guidance for individuals who are responsible for the safety and well-being of an older adult, family member, or loved one. Participants will learn how to think beyond a general emergency plan and consider the specific medical, emotional, communication, transportation, and caregiving needs that may arise during an emergency.
The goal is not to create fear. It is to help caregivers and families feel more informed, organized, and prepare,
Who Should Attend?
The Legacy Forum LIVE is designed for:
Older adults
Family caregivers
Individuals caring for a spouse, parent, relative, friend, or neighbor
Adults preparing for their own future needs
Healthcare and aging-services professionals
Community health workers
Faith and neighborhood leaders
Emergency-preparedness professionals
Social workers and care coordinators
Advocates for older adults and caregivers
Anyone interested in helping their family or community become better prepared
You do not need to be a professional caregiver or have previous emergency-preparedness experience to attend. The information will be presented in a practical, approachable, and supportive way.
What Attendees Can Expect
Attendees can expect a welcoming, informative, and community-centered experience designed to help older adults, caregivers, and families prepare for emergencies with greater confidence.
The Legacy Forum LIVE experience will include:
Educational presentations from emergency-response and community professionals
Practical emergency-preparedness guidance
Caregiver-focused information, tools, and resources
Opportunities to ask questions and learn directly from local experts
Connections to community organizations and service providers
Opportunities to meet other caregivers, older adults, families, and neighborhood partners
Take-home information to support continued emergency planning
A supportive environment where participants can learn, connect, and prepare together
We are proud to welcome AARP Maryland and the Baltimore City Fire Department as Legacy Forum LIVE community partners. Additional neighborhood, healthcare, emergency-preparedness, aging-services, and community partners will be announced as they are confirmed.
Become a Legacy Forum LIVE Community Partner
Compassion by Design invites businesses, government agencies, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, faith communities, senior-service organizations, emergency-preparedness professionals, and other community leaders to partner with us.
Partners can support the event by:
Providing an educational speaker or subject-matter expert
Sharing emergency-preparedness, caregiving, aging, or community resources
Hosting a community resource or information table
Providing refreshments, bottled water, breakfast items, lunch, or healthy snacks
Donating door prizes, gift cards, emergency-preparedness items, or attendee materials
Providing financial or in-kind support
Promoting the event throughout their organization and community networks
Volunteering during the event
Helping connect attendees with ongoing local services and support
Community partners may receive recognition during the event, placement in the digital program, acknowledgment on event signage, and recognition through Compassion by Design’s website and social media platforms, as appropriate to the partnership.
Ready to Partner With Us?
Organizations interested in supporting The Legacy Forum LIVE should submit their partnership interest through Compassion by Design’s online Partner With Us portal. This allows our team to review your organization’s information, proposed contribution, and preferred partnership opportunity through one coordinated process.
Complete the Partner With Us form:
https://bydesignpm.org/partner-with-us
Through the portal, prospective partners can express interest in:
Providing an educational speaker or subject-matter expert
Hosting a community resource or information table
Sharing emergency-preparedness, caregiving, aging, or community resources
Serving as a coffee, breakfast, lunch, hydration, or healthy-snack partner
Donating door prizes, gift cards, preparedness supplies, or attendee materials
Providing financial or in-kind support
Volunteering or helping promote the event
After the form is submitted, a member of the Compassion by Design team will review the information and follow up regarding availability, next steps, and partnership details.
All partnership requests should begin through the Partner With Us portal. For questions about the form or technical assistance, contact us at info@compassion-bydesign.org or 410-237-8977.
Together, we can create a meaningful community experience that helps Baltimore’s caregivers, older adults, and families prepare today for greater peace of mind tomorrow.
Why This Event Matters
Older adults and caregivers may face additional challenges during an emergency, including limited mobility, medication and medical-equipment needs, transportation barriers, communication difficulties, power dependence, and the responsibility of making decisions for someone else.
Preparation can help families respond more quickly, communicate more clearly, and make informed decisions during stressful situations. Even a few simple steps—such as organizing emergency contacts, creating a medication list, preparing essential supplies, or discussing a family plan—can make a meaningful difference.
The Legacy Forum LIVE is designed to help participants begin or strengthen that preparation while connecting them with people and resources in their own community.
A Community Built on Compassion
At Compassion by Design, we believe that caregivers should not have to navigate difficult situations alone and that older adults deserve to feel safe, valued, informed, and included.
The Legacy Forum LIVE extends the mission of the Legacy Forum Series beyond the virtual space and into the community. It creates an opportunity for neighbors, professionals, caregivers, older adults, and community organizations to learn from one another and work together toward a more prepared and connected Baltimore.
Registration
The Legacy Forum LIVE is free to attend, but registration is encouraged.
Register today and join us on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Creative Arts Center at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland.
Come prepared to learn, ask questions, connect with community resources, and take practical steps toward greater peace of mind.
Prepare. Connect. Learn.
Together, we are creating a community where caregivers are supported, older adults are valued, families are better prepared, and compassion leads the way.