City and Senior Action Announce Changes in Service Delivery Partnership
July 10, 2011
Long-term agreement streamlined to better serve city’s senior citizens
GREENVILLE, SC – July 8, 2011 – City of Greenville and Senior Action officials announced changes to the organizations’ long-term partnership for delivering services to Greenville’s senior citizens today.
Senior Action is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening Greenville County’s maturing population and provides over 450 lunches each day (55,000/year) to senior citizens at 11 locations in Greenville County through the use of federal funds and in partnership with facility owners. In August, Senior Action will begin providing hot lunches, free of charge, to senior citizens attending programs at the City’s David Hellams Community Center, located at 111 Spartanburg Street. Participants at the David Hellams Community Center will also be able to take advantage of swimming programs offered by Senior Action at the Westside Aquatics Center through a partnership between Senior Action and the Greenville County Recreation District.
One day each week, senior program participants will be transported from the David Hellams Community Center to the Westside Aquatics Center, where they may participate in classroom or swimming pool activities. On that day, participants will receive their lunch at the aquatics center.
“We are excited to announce that Senior Action will begin providing expanded access to health and wellness programs, social and civic involvement initiatives and dining and transportation services to seniors over the age of 55 from the David Hellams Center,” said Andrea Smith, Senior Action Executive Director and CEO. “This is an expansion of the City’s and our role in serving area seniors, and we are thrilled to begin serving these important city residents at an even-higher level.”
As a part of the revised partnership, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department will resume operation of the Sears Shelter and Log Cabin at McPherson Park, which Senior Action has managed for the City since 1993. Beginning September 1, the Sears Shelter will be closed to the public to allow the City to complete renovations. When the building reopens, a new slate of programs will be offered to residents of all ages.
“The Sears Shelter, like all of our other community centers, will host a variety of programs that will serve residents of all ages between Monday and Saturday,” said Dana Souza, Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Greenville. “We are excited to have a new opportunity to base community recreation services at the Sears Shelter and we are already working to develop programs that capitalize on the unique assets of both the Sears Shelter and McPherson Park.”
According to Smith, the programs that Senior Action currently offers at the Sears Shelter will be relocated to its Directors Drive facility and Senior Action staff will be reaching out to all groups currently using the Sears Shelter for activities and recreation to assist them in the transition.
“We will not miss a beat in the delivery of our services,” said Smith. “Beginning immediately, we will be reaching out to the activity directors of all of these groups to help them schedule their activities at new locations, and at times that are convenient for all parties.”
The City’s Parks and Recreation Department is a full-service parks and recreation agency providing recreation, athletic, educational and community programming at a number of publicly owned facilities. According to Souza, the City’s Parks and Recreation staff is currently developing quarterly programs for all community centers and athletic fields operated by the City and is focusing on the delivery of senior programs at the David Hellams Community Center.
For additional information on the City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department or its services, call 467-4355 or visit www.greenvillesc.gov.
For more information about Senior Action or its services, contact Andrea Smith at 467-3660 or visit www.senioraction.org.
