NORTHAMPTON, Pa.- Natalie Becker and Jean Faust say they were blindsided by news that the Northampton Senior Center was closing its doors.

“We didn’t know anything about it,” Faust said. “We were stunned.”

In April, Northampton County announced that both the Northampton borough facility at 902 Lincoln Avenue, as well as another senior center in Lower Nazareth Township, could no longer be supported by county dollars, due to a nearly $400,000 loss in revenue coming from the state of Pennsylvania.

Becker had volunteered at the center since last year, and Faust was a frequent guest, taking advantage of the food, activities and fellowship that brought many of her neighbors together throughout the week. “For some people, this is their only interaction during the day,” said Becker.

But instead of throwing up their hands, they’re rolling up their sleeves. The center has reopened on a part-time basis in the same place-the fellowship hall connected to Grace United Church of Christ- with a new name: Grace Seniors Social Club. “(The name) says where we are, who we serve, and what we do,” Becker said.

County well is running dry 

County support for both senior centers officially ended on June 30, leaving Northampton County with nine other facilities.

Northampton County Executive Tara Zrinski told the county’s human services committee last week that her administration was working on a “warm handoff” to keep the Northampton senior center going as an independent operation, after representatives from the center contacted her office. A spokeswoman for the county told 69 News separately that there didn’t seem to be a similar push to keep the Lower Nazareth senior center open, with many of the users transferring to another location at 15 Wood St. in Nazareth.

As for Northampton borough, the county will continue to pay the center’s $850 monthly rent through the end of the year. The county is also leaving behind all of the supplies that were already purchased for the facility.

In addition, Zrinski said she’s provided the Northampton team with an outline of the positions needed to run the center’s day-to-day operations, like a site coordinator, lunch leader, activities leader and cleanup team. “It empowers them to recruit other people to help and delegate tasks and form their own little community,” Zrinski said. 

In looking down the road a bit, Zrinski floated the ideas of a newly-formed, county-authorized nonprofit collecting philanthropic dollars for the center, and working with Meals on Wheels to deliver food directly to Grace UCC. “These are my recommendations,” she said. “We’re really trying to help this senior center stay afloat.”

Zrinski estimated that it costs the county about $150,000 a year to support each senior center, when factoring in needs like rent, meals and a salary for at least one staff member. “The county well is running dry,” she said.

Zrinski’s administration blames a change in state reimbursement policy for the reduction in Northampton County’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) budget. Previously the county was compensated for performing desk reviews that are used to determine senior citizens’ eligibility for long-term care services.

Last year, Northampton County’s AAA completed 1,440 of the desk reviews, generating $373,464 in revenue. Now, even though the desk reviews continue, the reimbursement does not.

Making the best of it

The Grace Seniors Social Club is officially closing out its first full week. It’s ready to welcome guests Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Last week, Becker was busy getting the word out, calling each and every senior who previously used the county-run facility. “I told them, look, we’re open, we’re going to make do with what we have and try to make the best of it, and see if we can keep this going.”

Now Becker is working to flesh out the calendar. A top priority is restoring the food offerings. Previously, the senior center offered a full lunch every day it was open. “We’re working with some local businesses, and we’re doing things like potluck dinners, where we cook and each bring a dish, so that the good, hearty meal is there for the seniors,” Becker explained.

Bingo will continue; the county left that machine at the center, as well as some other games and entertainment equipment. Becker is trying to line up speakers like local historians to talk to the group. She’d also like to get exercise classes back on the list of offerings.

‘Natalie is our girl’

Faust estimates the senior center, when under the county’s control, welcomed about 25 seniors every day in recent years. This week, the new Grace Seniors Social Club was drawing similar numbers.

She’s grateful she and her friends don’t have to make the trek to the Cherryville Seniors Center on Lehigh Drive, which was pitched as an alternative to the Northampton borough location after its closure was announced. “The roads are very winding,” Faust said. “You don’t want to drive there in the winter.”

As for what will happen when the county’s rent obligation to the Lincoln Avenue property ends, talks are happening now with Grace UCC, Faust said. She’s a member there, too. 

Faust also stands ready to help with whatever needs to be done during this new chapter for Northampton borough’s senior center. Not that Becker necessarily needs the help, Faust explained. “She is doing it all mostly on her own. She made up a calendar with the food. She’s been doing a lot of research. Natalie is our girl.”

Becker shrugged off the praise. “I guess I’m kind of very protective over the seniors,” she said.