Friends of Iowa City Senior Center reports $55,000 raised, endowment funds weekday and weekend hours

Heather Shane, Iowa City Senior Center development specialist, told the advisory board that Friends of the Senior Center, the nonprofit fundraising arm tied to the center, has raised about $55,000 so far this fiscal year and maintains an endowment of roughly $1,200,000 that supports night and weekend hours.

Shane described the Friends organization as a 501(c)(3) that provides the center flexibility to fund items and programs not covered by municipal budgeting rules. "Sometimes in the senior center municipal budget has to be spent within a certain time period in certain ways. And so friends is nice because it doesn't have those regulations," Shane said.

The report said donations and event revenues underpin several recent activities. The Black History Ball, held within the past week, sold out; staff reported about a hundred tickets were sold and that roughly 23 tickets were donated to allow low-income seniors to attend. Shane said Friends and staff also operate other fundraisers such as a pickleball jamboree and two winter appeal drives.

Shane summarized fundraising performance and risks: national and…