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Saratoga Senior Center outlines services and growth; city contributes roughly $104,000
Summary
Saratoga Senior Center Executive Director Lois Celeste described expanded services, a $1.5 million annual budget and growing demand; she thanked the council for roughly $104,000 (about 7% of the center's budget) in city support.
Lois Celeste, executive director of the Saratoga Senior Center, told the Saratoga Springs City Council the nonprofit has expanded from a traditional senior center into a regional social-services "impact sector" provider and now operates a $1.5 million annual budget.
Celeste said the center, founded in 1955, now provides programs ranging from volunteer matches and transportation to a four‑year-old "Senior Life Transitions" case-management program for seriously ill residents. "All of those services are free and we fundraise quite a bit," she said, noting the city provides about $104,000 a year—"that's 7% of the budget." She said current service metrics include roughly 3,300 program attendees, 700 clients, 2,800 members and about 240 visitors a day.
Why it matters: Celeste stressed the center's work reduces social isolation, helps residents age in place and can avoid costlier institutional care. She said the center now fields referrals from local hospitals and has 16 open cases in the Senior Life Transitions program.
Council follow-up and questions: A councilor who identified themself as the finance commissioner confirmed the center reports that about 70%–75% of members are Saratoga Springs residents and asked about additional municipal support; Celeste said the center receives limited county program grants (about $7,500 last year) and some state funding that was cut this year. She said outreach to neighboring towns and the county is a potential future revenue stream but noted many nearby municipalities run or support their own senior services.
Celeste also said the center doubled its space two years ago (from 7,500 to 14,000 square feet), reported an enrollment spike that included 500 new people this year, and emphasized that scholarships and fundraising aim to keep programs affordable. "There should be no barrier to keeping people from being together and social," she said.
Provenance: Celeste's presentation and the council's finance questions occurred during the meeting's presentation segment; councilors thanked the center and accepted the update.
