Central Area Senior Center receives $92.5K in one-time county funding

The Central Area Senior Center was one of 38 senior centers to receive funding through a first round of new investments through King County’s Veterans, Seniors and Human Services levy.

King County Executive announced the nearly $3.5 million in one-time funding in early August, with CASC marked to receive $75,000.

CASC director Dian Ferguson said the total ended up being $92,500, which allows the senior center to increase outreach to people experiencing homelessness, connecting them with housing services, and informing seniors about their qualifications for a property tax exemption.

Ferguson said she appreciates all of the more than 60 percent of voters who supported including seniors in the veterans and human services levy that was renewed in 2017.

The Central Area Senior Center continues to work toward acquiring the property where it has been operating for the past 50 years, and a portion of the King County funding will allow for the hiring of a consultant to determine whether an additional story can be constructed over the dining hall, as well as what structural supports would be needed to accomplish that, Ferguson said.

Because of the competitive nature of grant funding, Ferguson said it’s important to have the ability to show how many people CASC has served and who those people are. Some of the King County funding will go toward purchasing new computers, she said, and also to train volunteers how to enter data into new programs being used by CASC.