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Parkville Senior Center urges Hartford council for added funding after meal program cuts
Summary
Parkville Senior Center Director David Yonan told the Court of Common Council during public comment that the center faces a gap after Community Renewal Team cut support for a cafe manager and food; center leaders asked the council to consider funding during the upcoming 2025–26 budget process.
David Yonan, director of the Parkville Senior Center, told the Court of Common Council during the meeting's public comment period that the center needs additional city funding after its meal provider reduced services.
"Community Renewal Team ... they're not gonna cover a cafe manager," Yonan said, listing two specific shortfalls: $18,000 for a certified cafe manager and roughly $25,000 for food, figures he said were communicated to the center by CRT. He said CRT provides pre-made meals Monday through Friday from its Windsor Street location.
Yonan gave recent service numbers to illustrate demand. He said the center averaged 150 to 175 meals per week, served 6,954 meals in February 2024 and that in recent months weekly and monthly totals had fallen (he reported January attendance of 555 and February attendance of 482). "This one meal that they do receive here Monday through Friday at our center is very vital to them," Yonan said, referring to senior participants.
A council member asked Yonan to clarify the dollar value of CRT's reduced support; Yonan repeated the $18,000 figure for the cafe manager and about $25,000 for food, and said the cuts stem from reduced federal funding to CRT through the North Central Area on Aging.
Yonan asked councilors to consider the request during the 2025–26 budget process. He also noted the center's request for a kitchen cafe manager position and for continued support of the center's food program.
Why it matters: Parkville Senior Center leaders told the council that many of their members are age 55 and older and rely on the center's daily meals for nutrition and social contact. Yonan said about 90% of their seniors live alone and that loss of meal services would affect a vulnerable population.
The council did not take any vote during the public comment period. Yonan left the request on the record for the budget season and provided figures for councilors to consider as they prepare the 2025–26 budget.
