The City of Morgan Hill this week accepted a $50,000 donation to the Morgan Hill Senior Center—funds that will go a long way toward improving service at the local center, city staff said.
The donation was made by the nonprofit Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center. The $50,000 donation will go into the city’s general fund and directly support the senior center’s staffing and program costs, allowing for a “higher level of service than what would be provided by city funds alone,” says a press release from the City of Morgan Hill.
The Morgan Hill Senior Center is located at the Centennial Recreation Center, 171 W. Edmundson Ave. The Friends’ generosity has made a significant difference, especially in the last several months while city recreation staff have faced difficulties with the Covid-19 pandemic, says the press release.
The pandemic forced the city’s Recreation Division to restructure its operations with reduced staffing levels and limited programming, city staff said. However, because of the Friends’ continued fundraising efforts and donation, the Senior Center has been able to reopen as quickly as possible with the reinstatement of older adult programming.
Friends was established in 2011 with the primary purpose of raising funds to support the Senior Center’s operations. It is a group of more than 40 community volunteers who organize and manage “Tuesday Night Bingo” at the Community and Cultural Center as its primary fundraising activity.
While the weekly Bingo event is currently on hold, the Friends volunteers are working toward restarting the program in early 2022, city staff said.
The City of Morgan Hill took on management of the Senior Center in 2015, says the press release. At that time, the Friends’ funding goal was to support the City’s Senior Center operation with approximately $20,000 per year. The Friends organization has provided at least that much funding every year except 2020-21.
“Financial sustainability continues to be a focus area for the Senior Center, and the City is grateful for the Friends’ ongoing philanthropy to help meet the Center’s goals,” says the city’s press release.
The Friends is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity focused on improving the quality of life in the greater Morgan Hill region.
To donate to the Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center, visit: morgan-hill.ca.gov/267/Donate-to-the-Senior-Center. To learn more about the Friends or how you can volunteer to help raise funds, call 408.219.4136.
