Description
Philadelphia Senior Center (PSC) was founded in 1949 as the Philadelphia Center for Older People by a Quaker Organization - The Female Society for the Relief and Employment of the Poor. The present name, Philadelphia Senior Center was adopted in 1990.
PSC's Main Branch is located at 509 S. Broad Street. The Tioga Branch, which was started in 1972, currently exists at 16th and Tioga Street,where it serves 65 seniors per day. The Coffee Cup Satellite on South 10th Street in Center City opened in 1973. It serves 40+ people a day through a lunch program and the Asian Pacific Resource Center.
Philadelphia Senior Center is supported by the Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging, The United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, foundations, corporations and individuals. The annual operating budget is currently $2.6 million for three locations and outreach services.
PSC facilities and programs are available to more than 10,000 members, age 55 and older, who come to the three locations, and who are also confined to their homes. Members live in every residential zip code in Philadelphia, as well as in a variety of suburban locations.
Anyone 55 and older can join PSC free of charge, or choose to upgrade their membership to Silver or Gold levels and receives special discounts. Programs and services offered to members include:
- Nearly 400 nutritious midday meals are provided daily, and 70,000 yearly, at PSC Branches, subsidized housing complexes and other community sites.
- PSC offers more than 80 different classes and activities each week. Hundreds of older adults participate in activities such as art, education, health screenings and support groups.
- Service is provided in the homes of nearly 2,200 elderly through our In-Home Support Program and contracts with federally funded senior housing apartment buildings.
- Financial Management Service, the only one of its kind in Pennsylvania, enables clients to maintain sound household financial management through our bill-paying service.
- Counselors and trained staff help find appropriate housing and resolve housing issues including landlord tenant resolutions. Additionally, the counselors can provide HEMAP (Home Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program) for people of any age who meet the qualifications.
- Social workers assist those who are homebound obtain services and benefits to continued independent living. They also facilitate support for family members caring for older adults.
- The Main Branch features a fitness center available for members' use with a doctor's approval. The Main Branch and the Tioga locations have computer labs.
PSC is engaged in both a strategic planning process, and a development audit, to define and organize our programs, resources and activities to create more meaningful lives for our constituents in the future. The process includes updating the mission to include the following goals and ideals:
o PSC will serve people with high needs, but will also seek to serve a broader spectrum of people across income, well-being, education, etc.
o PSC will serve a fuller spectrum of age groups
o PSC will be both a physical "place" and a set of services
o PSC will expand the mix of programs and services it offers
o People are capable of both receiving services and making a contribution to the broader community at the same time
Volunteers are needed to help PSC with a variety of exciting activities which will engage our members and increase our ability to serve the greater Philadelphia community. Positions range from office assistance to community events, on-going leadership opportunities to one-time activities, fundraising to program-related positions, from highly skilled tasks to tasks requiring little education or training.
