Moses Lake senior center short of funding

Nutrition program in greatest need

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Senior Center is taking several steps to strengthen its financial state, but money is still needed, organizers reported.

It costs the senior center approximately $600,000 to $700,000 per year to operate, and the senior center raises 70 percent of the funds.

Board Director Mike Conley said the senior center is in better shape than it was one year ago but work must still be done to improve finances.

"We're trying to break even," said Board President Mary Kile. "We haven't broke even in years."

Some changes include raising dues, raising rents and holding more fund-raisers, Conley said. A yearly membership fee is $13, but the center now offers silver, gold and platinum memberships for people who want to contribute more.

"We have a lot more people who are renting the facilities than we have in the past," Conley said.

Organizers said the biggest need is for the nutrition program, which includes lunch served Monday through Friday at the center, a Meals on Wheels delivery program, and COPES, a delivery program for homebound individuals who are a ward of the state.

Office Manager Don Newton said the nutrition program is short $14,000 to $15,000 for the remainder of the year.

"This year, to balance our budget we had to do some things we really didn't want to do," Newton said.

To save money, staff decided to change the number of hot meals served to seniors through Meals on Wheels. Instead of delivering five hot meals per week and two frozen, the center now serves one hot meal per week and six frozen.

To serve five hot meals per week again, the center would need $45,000 on top of the $14,000 to $15,000, Newton said.

The most recent fund-raiser the senior center held was a Mother's Day breakfast, to which the center sold 1,200 tickets and served 400 people. Proceeds went to the Meals on Wheels program.

Newton said the senior center began selling business memberships, giving businesses the opportunity to advertise in the center's newsletter.

"Our goal is to raise $20,000 a year by doing that," he said.

Organizers noted every year, the Creative Cut-ups quilting group creates a quilt and donates it to the senior center to raise funds.

In addition to meals, the center offers activities to seniors nearly every day, with clubs, classes and other activities. Some activities are bingo, Bible study, bridge, computers, dancing, exercise, pinochle, and quilting.

To donate to the center or for more information, call 509-765-7809.