Southside Senior Activity & Community Center Receives $47,200 Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Southside Senior Activity & Community Center recently received a $47,200 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, bringing closer to reality the building of Spokane's first privately funded activity center for adults 55 and older.

"In the past, senior and community centers were built with federal money. Today that isn't possible, and we are delighted to see that supporters from within the community and throughout the region are stepping forward to help this important effort," explained Myrna Johnson-Ross, the Center's Executive Director. With the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant, the Center is two-thirds of the way to collecting the $2 million needed for the new facility to be located at 29th and Ray, adjacent to Thorton-Murphy Park.

The Southside Senior Activity & Community Center has attracted regional attention for forging intergenerational partnerships that link schools with senior volunteers. "We've always provided social activities, recreation and education for seniors, but with an emphasis on community service," Johnson-Ross added. "It was our seniors who noted the increased demands placed on nearby schools. They saw that teachers challenged to provide a good solid education were also being called on to support students with special needs – kids who were struggling academically, behaviorally, or because English was a second language."

The Center's response was to bring young and old together. The Center's efforts are modeled after the DOVES program (Dedicated Older Volunteers in Educational Services). Principals and teachers identify specific needs that are filled by trained volunteers. Seniors may, for example, act as classroom tutors, language and literacy instructors or technology teachers. A program called "Granny Bells," to be implemented this fall, will have senior volunteers calling latchkey children daily to confirm their safe arrival home and provide help with homework as needed.

"We are proud to support the Southside Senior Activity & Community Center," said William H. Gates, Sr., Co-Chair and CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "It is a program that marshals the resources of seniors – wisdom, life experience, volunteerism, cultural diversity and education – and applies them to specific community needs."

Groundbreaking for the new Center, which includes space for meetings and community events, will take place this fall. Campaign fund raising will continue through year-end and grand opening ceremonies will take place in the summer of 2001. For information on the Center or to contribute to the capital campaign, contact Myrna Johnson-Ross at(509) 535-0803.