Letter from the Director: February 2022

Letter from the Director: April 2022

Posted on by anwishtaa

Dear Friends,

For those of you that have collaborated with me during these past few years, you are aware that I do not promote
politics within the senior center as we are a welcoming community for all healthy thought processes and beliefs.
With a heavy heart for our family and global friends abroad, we are all hurting at this time, as we view photos of
lovely residential communities bombed and innocent lives taken. It is in these times that we must remember what
truly matters in our lives — family, friends, faith, and health.

The staff of Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center would like to share how we choose to promote our mission
at the center. We are a safe place for all – regardless of religion, race, culture, gender choice or national
origin. In addition, w e w ant all to know , that during hours of operation, Monday–Thursday 8:30a.m.–
4:00p.m. and Friday 8:30a.m.–1:00p.m., we are a safe zone for anyone fearing harm as they travel through our
neighborhood. While our front door continues to remain locked, we are in full operations and will open our doors
to anyone fearing for their safety.

Each year, the staff sets goals that we strive to accomplish over the year. While we’ve worked for the past 3 years
in developing our diversity at the center, 2022 will be the year that provides us the opportunity to implement
programs, classes, and services that we have been laying the groundwork for. We are so excited to share that
our staff has the capacity to communicate in English, Bengali, French, Spanish, and Hindi, to better serve you.
We are global citizens that believe the beauty and harmony of the center exists in the participants as they share
their languages and cultures, actively engaged in our programming. We thank you for sharing ‘who you are’,
opening our world to new understandings and working towards becoming a stronger and happier community.
Each month, we will be adding new classes and programs, moving us into a wonderful diverse center. Thank you
for your support towards our goal of becoming a ‘senior center without walls’, as we could not achieve it without
your energy and willingness to represent our communities more fully.

As you browse this month’s newsletter, remember to check out our new classes: English as a Second Language
(ESL), Veterans’ Yoga Classes, Rainbow Bingo, Climate Support Yoga, Get Fit Stay Fit, Tuesday Afternoon at The
Movies, and Financial Workshops.

We continue to grow, gradually returning to our pre-COVID participation numbers and love hearing laughter and
conversations in the halls. Due to overwhelming demand, we are continuing our COVID safety mandates of mask
wearing while in the center and providing the required Proof of Vaccination. Every 2 weeks, staff will review the
county’s stats on hospitalizations by age, of COVID positive cases and gradually reduce our mandates.

Stay safe and see you at the Center!

Our true nationality is mankind.”
— H.G. Wells

 

Theresa LaCroix

November 2020 Newsletter

Posted on by jarrodw

November 2020 Newsletter

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

A big hello to all of our friends!  It has been a long 8 months not having your wonderful smiles and laughter filling the halls of the center.  We have adopted a saying at the center, “We are open for business but our doors are locked”, and because of this policy, we have maintained full operations since March 13th, adapting our programs and services to become a critical Essential Service site for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park seniors.  Through the amazing support of our cities, residents, King County and the Office of Rod Dembowski,  we were able to quickly develop and implement the following services through September, 2020 (not including October’s counts).

· Home delivered 11,009 hot cooked meals M-F in our new TO GO Community Dining Program
· Home delivered 9,805 frozen meals through the Meals on Wheels Program
· Provided 1,045 bags of groceries to low income senior households
· Spent over 340 hours in Wellness Calls—friendly telephone call to check on members & assist with their needs
· Provided 82 mental health counseling sessions
· Provided an estimated 347 hours of Resource Management-assist seniors through personal challenges created by Covid-19; managing over 300 urgent needs
· Re-instated in-house Foot Care on June 15th and have already provided services to 423 participants
· Have had 723 guests participate in our online Zoom classes since July 1st – September30th

As we move into the last quarter of 2020, we are heavily focused on two major issues:  a) creating programs and services to address the effects of Social Isolation and b) developing our 2021 Annual Operating Budget.  In order to understand our operations, we’d like to share with you how we build financial resources.  First off, we are a 501-C3 Independent Senior Center.  We are housed under a larger organization called Sound Generations, which is the  largest non-profit senior service provider in the state.

While they provide our back-office administrative services such as IT, Human Resources to name a few, they do not financially cover our yearly budget.  We are responsible to raise the $630,000 that we require to provide the level of services and programs offered each year.  We build our budget through 8 various revenue generating programs:
Membership Receipt – Class Fees -Special Events (such as Holiday Bazaar) -Fund Raising
Corporate Sponsorship – Legacy Giving (Bequests) – Grant Funding  -Cash Donations

Throughout the year, we not only focus on that year’s funds but always building a reserve to move us into the new year.  As you review the list mentioned above, you will see that we have not had any opportunity to raise funding in several of our normal revenue generating opportunities.  You can help us this fall by purchasing a membership    (see the new levels of membership noted in this newsletter), participate in classes, attend a drive-by fund raiser,    or donate on our website or through our office.  December 3rd, is the Global Give Big Tuesday and we will be participating on our website at www.shorelinelfseniorcenter.org or accepting your checks through the mail sent    to the center.  Join us in developing our ‘new senior center’ concept.  One with onsite programming plus a variety   of online classes/courses, ever increasing our medical services to the community and broadening our community wide/family Special Events.

This month, we will begin hosting on-site classes, meeting all required safety precautions as well as offer additional online classes.  If you see a friend who is in need, let us know and better yet, help them make that first phone call to our social worker and/or mental health counselor.  You know the saying, “We are stronger together”!

In closing, on behalf of the staff, board and volunteers, we cannot express to you, our gratitude for the many donations of food, finances and cards.  You’ve made it possible for us to serve our community.  It has been rough, but what a pleasure it has been, learning how amazing the residents of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park are. Our cities have stood at our side, providing every financial and physical resource they could.  Please review our    corporate sponsors and support their businesses.  We are so grateful to them for their partnerships.

You are out of site, but never out of our minds,
Theresa LaCroix