The Pleasant Senior Center is the only senior center in Nevada that operates independently of city or county governance as a nonprofit. They provide invaluable services to local seniors with meals, transportation and access to social services, but with recent hikes in rent for senior residences and significant reductions in food assistance, the facility is likely to see some significant financial burden.
Pleasant Senior Center Director Brandie Pettis presented an update to the Winnemucca City Council on March 7 in regards to some of the things that the community can expect to see because of the soaring prices of living, foods and other goods for senior citizens.
According to Pettis, during February, the Senior Center saw an uptake of 170 meals being served from Jan. to Feb. (2768 meals in total for Feb.), which equates to a $13,840 loss in meal costs alone.
“Remember, that’s just meals. This isn’t the cost of operations or anything else,” said Pettis.
The Senior Center is funded through a combination of federal and non-federal grants and donations. This allows the Center to ask for (not require) a donation of $4 for a meal, despite the actual cost of the meal varying from $12 to $17. The Center is then reimbursed for the food through the grants.
“No one is turned away that cannot produce that suggested donation,” explained Pettis.
Food security in most rural areas is also being threatened by the reductions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for low-income households. It is estimated that the amounts are going to go down as much as 90 percent, so seniors are likely to rely even more on the meals that the Center provides.
“I see the Senior Center feeding more seniors with a decrease in donation that could potentially cause financial strain on our food program,” said Pettis.
Pettis also explained that 19 different compliance complaints against a local low-income residence owned by Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA) and managed by Blue Bird Property were recently substantiated by a NRHA Chief Compliance Audit Investigator Denise Cox. Along with the compliance issues, rent is also being increased in higher increments than has ever been done historically.
“So far, I know 10 Seniors who will be moving out of their homes due to this increase… This is going to devastate our senior population, homelessness through disparities and medically fragile seniors are in our midst, increasing isolation, suicide and other mental issues will arise.” said Pettis.
Cox was unable to provide any comments because the investigation is still ongoing, but said that Executive Director for Nevada Rural Housing Authority William Brewer made a special trip to Winnemucca to speak with residents to address resolutions to the compliance issues.
The Senior Center has launched a new website (http://www.pleasantseniorscenter.com/) which allows individuals to make donations and see the monthly meal menu, activities, and get involved in community outreach at the Center.
“As one of the only Senior Centers in Nevada not governed by a city or county, it has grown to what it is today by Federal Grants, County Tax Override and of course the tremendous support from our in-kind donations that come from our community businesses and members…We always welcome donations for our meal programs, transportation programs and social services programs,” said Pettis in an email.