Collier Senior Center-Habitat Partnership Ensures Seniors Stay in Their Homes

Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate, Collier County’s first nonprofit senior resource center dedicated to addressing the needs of older adults and caregivers, has partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Collier County to ensure at-risk seniors can stay in their homes.

Collier Senior Center Social Services Coordinator, Alelaniz Rosario, and Senior Center Director Esther Lully met with Habitat CEO Rev. Lisa Lefkow to help address the growing problem of senior homelessness in the community by providing emergency financial assistance to seven homeowners, aged 60 years and older, that needed critical one-time support with their mortgage delinquency payment.

“In light of the growing housing crisis among older adults in Collier County, we are taking whatever steps we can to make sure seniors never have to make the horrific choice between food, life-saving medication and housing,” explains Lully. “Collier Senior Center’s Direct Assistance Program is one of our many free services that provides peace of mind, safety and security to all seniors living in Collier County.”

In addition to providing direct financial assistance for mortgage or rent payments, the Direct Assistance Program provides one-time financial assistance to any Collier County resident 60 years of age or older living within 175% of the federal poverty level for:

• Medical prescriptions and eye glasses
• Utility shut-off notices
• Durable medical equipment
• Small appliances
• Gas cards
• Additional items on a case-by-case basis

Concludes Lefkow, “With homeowners’ costs rising so dramatically, the assistance Collier Senior Center provided made a huge difference for these seven Habitat families who are now able to age in place. Not only are we grateful Esther reached out to us, we look forward to continuing to partner with Collier Senior Center to support the families who have provided many of the essential services that our community relies upon.”

In addition to Direct Assistance, UPSLIDE counseling, health screenings, seminars, fitness classes, creative arts, enrichment services, peer socialization and celebrations, offerings like our free daily hot lunch and coffee bar, plus a collaboration with Harry Chapin to provide “Care & Share” meal kits, help to ensure the physical, emotional and psychological needs of our 1,500 members and all Collier County seniors are met.

Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate, provides an array of free services for seniors, caregivers and those in-need throughout Collier County:

• More than 20 weekly programs plus other offerings: daily breakfast, hot lunch and coffee bar; weekly food pantry; monthly birthday parties; yoga, dance and exercise classes; art and craft classes; cards and games; holiday parties and additional life-enhancing offerings like blood pressure, vision and diabetes screenings; oral health assessments; balance testing and fall prevention lectures; counseling and support services.
• More than 1,200 hot lunches to seniors in-need and 90 older adults Harry Chapin “Care & Share” nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal kits each month.
• Centralized source for local and long-distance caregivers seeking senior-related information, services, and resources in Collier County. 
• Partnerships to provide programs, socialization, and convenient access to other agencies.
• Virtual Resource Directory.

The charity maximizes each dollar received by collaborating with trusted partners, including AARP Foundation (job placement and training for out-of-work, low-income seniors), Area Agency on Aging, Catholic Charities (social services), Collier Area Transport, Collier County Nutrition, Sheriff’s Office and more.

Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, at 4898 Coronado Parkway, Naples, Florida. To learn more about Collier Senior Center’s Direct Assistance Program as well as other programs and services for caregivers and seniors, please call 239.252.4541, or visit CollierSeniorCenter.org.