Collier Senior Center Receives Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Grant

Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate, Collier County’s first nonprofit senior resource center dedicated to addressing the needs of older adults and caregivers, was recently awarded a $30,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for the charity’s Emergency Direct Assistance Program. 

Launched in 2018, Collier Senior Center’s Emergency Direct Assistance program provides any Collier County adult 60+ years of age living within 175% of the federal poverty level one-time direct financial assistance to meet their most basic needs:

• Medical prescriptions, including eyeglasses
• Utility shut-off notices
• Rent/mortgage payments
• Durable medical equipment
• Small appliances
• Gas cards
• Additional items on a case-by-case basis

“From 2021 to 2022, we saw a 258.7% increase in Emergency Direct Assistance requests, revealing how precarious life has become for many older adults in Collier County,” shares Collier Senior Center Director Esther Lully. “The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Grant ensures seniors in our community never have to choose between safe housing, life-saving medication and food.”

The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation began its work in 2004 to support transformational change for the benefit of mankind. The Foundation has consistently directed its primary efforts and resources toward matters of importance in human and social services, education, and health and medicine. In all of its activities, the foundation embraces its founder’s beliefs in the value of innovation and in improving the lives of middle- and working-class families.

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

• More than 10 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.

• 1,000+ hot lunches provided each month to seniors in-need plus weekly access to a Meals of Hope food pantry to 780+ Collier County families, including 330 needy seniors; and 200 older adults access Harry Chapin “Care & Share” nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal kits each month.

• Emergency Direct Assistance and UPSLIDE (mental health counseling with peer support) programs open to all seniors in Collier County in need.

• 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, FL. To learn more about the “Technology Seminar with Eric’, as well as other programs and services for caregivers and seniors, please call 239-252-4541, or visit CollierSeniorCenter.org.