By SaTrice Coleman-Betts, Executive Director

Over the past 52 years individual and corporate generosity helped us evolve – from serving seven home-cooked meals our first day into a model health, wellness and activities center offering dozens of services to help support St. Patrick Senior Center – more than 3,000 older adults.

Now we need your help again.

St. Patrick Senior Center needs your help. Like other non-profits, we are seeing a significant reduction in grant funding over the next year.  This could impact the services we provide, and it is essential that we secure more donations, business sponsorships and in-kind support.

St. Patrick Senior Center has always depended on our generous friends, sponsors and donors including Comcast, Molina Healthcare, MGM Grand Detroit, Wolverine Packing Co., Dwyer Marble and Stone, Detroit Area Agency on Aging, Forgotten Harvest, Panera Bread and many others who support our mission through sponsorships and in-kind donations.. Every donation makes a difference – helping Detroit’s seniors live happier, healthier and more independent lives.

While we are grateful to the organizations funding our building renovations, technology lab and other programs, those funds are earmarked for specific purposes. We need additional non-restricted funds to keep the doors open and continue to take care of all the people who depend on us.

Together, we’ll make sure St. Patrick Senior Center continue to be a support system, safety net, and home away from home – and that our greatest years are yet to come!  Here are some ways you can help:

1) Make a Donation

There are many ways to support all the activity you see on these two pages. Every donation St. Pat receives makes a difference. Even a gift of $20 helps defray the cost of over 3000 meals, 100 dance and exercise classes, and 400 rides to medical appointments every month.

You can make an online donation to St. Patrick Senior Center by using the credit card or PayPal options.

Donations can also be made by checks payable to St. Patrick Senior Center, and mailed to 58 Parsons, Detroit MI 48201.

2) Become a Member

Joining St. Pat is the best deal in Detroit! For just $15 a year (ages 60+) or $40 (ages 55–59), you can enjoy:

• Nutritious $2 meals
• Dozens of health & wellness programs
• Dozens of dance and exercise classes
• Assistance with benefits and other resources
• Technology and career education
• A welcoming community of 3,000+ seniors

Whether you want friendship, fitness, or fun – St. Pat is the place. Become a member online – or visit the center in person.

3) Check with your Employer

Many businesses provide matching funds for employee donations to charities. If your employer is one of them, your $25 donation would be doubled to $50. You may not be aware your company offers this benefit, and you can contact your human resources department for details. Also, check into your company’s community initiatives – including who decides which organizations to support. If you share that information with us, we can follow up and introduce them to St. Patrick Senior Center.

4) Become a Sponsor

If you own a business – even if you don’t – you can support St. Pat by becoming one of our sponsors. There are a number of options:

• Support one or more of our programs as an annual sponsor, or an event like the annual spring Irish Festival or Strides for Seniors campaign each September
• Create your own event to support St. Pat – a social media fundraiser, a bake sale, a night of music or karaoke, whatever you decide. It would be a fun and rewarding experience for you and your family, friends or colleagues – and St. Pat would work with you to plan and execute the event.

Find out more about becoming a sponsor.

5) Planned Giving

Over the years, many friends and supporters who have grown to love St. Patrick Senior Center have made provisions to provide some long-term gifts. Planned Giving can include:

• Remembering St. Patrick Senior Center in your will, which you can arrange with your attorney or financial advisor.
• Donating a mandatory age 73 distribution, which is a direct transfer from your IRA, to St. Patrick Senior Center. This allows you to satisfy all or part of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) without paying income tax on the gifted amount, and the gift will count toward your annual RMD requirement.
• Designating St. Patrick Senior Center for memorial donations.

If you’re interested in creating a giving plan that benefits St. Patrick Senior Center, we will consult with you at your convenience.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss any of these ways to support St. Pat, please contact us and we will respond immediately.

The post Video Message: St. Patrick Senior Center Needs Your Help first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.

Mature Adults open to short-term training for guaranteed employment can sign up for our Community Health Worker Training.  For those thinking about opening a business or a non-profit, our Entrepreneurship Training is perfect.

(To be eligible for Ageless Innovations, you must be 55 years old, a resident of Michigan, and possess a high school diploma.  Participants may sign up for only one of the two programs.)

For Community Health Worker Training, Visit HERE  

For Entrepreneurship Training, Visit  HERE  

The post Entrepreneurship and Community Health Trainings Going Strong in Year Two. first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.

There are also auction items, activities for kids, and the famous $10,000 drawing!  Funds earned at the event are especially important to St. Pat during these challenging times.

Come back to this page for updates over the next few weeks

The post 49th Annual Irish Festival on May 3 first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.

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This year, a new partnership with the Detroit Free Press means that the race will be promoted more than ever – and it should be, because it’s one of the city’s most exciting events.  In addition to the 5K race up and down historic Michigan Ave and through the neighborhood, there are also races for kids and other events that make it a fun day for the whole family

This year’s race is on Sunday, March 15 – right before the annual St. Patrick Parade

And the start and finish are in the amazing new Roosevelt Park, right in front of the recently renovated Michigan Central Station in the heart of Corktown

Fore more information, and to sign up for the race, visit http://www.corktownrace.com

The post Corktown Races on March 15 first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.

Each participant developed a “pitch” – a presentation to potential funders to be rehearsed at the ceremony, which was held on December 16 at the Institute.  Like in the first class, each of the pitches was innovative, creative and dynamic

Three cheers to the graduates:  

April Flournoy – Design Studio 6 LLC (A community hub showcasing art & design)

Olga Johnson – CWater LLC (Water education & enhancement)

Carla Knighton – CA Knighton REVA Services (Real Estate virtual Assistance

Gail Roberts – Bougie Bones Dog Treats (Made with natural ingredients)

Tammy Tocco – Abiding Haven (Two year residential program for young women formerly in foster care)

Terees Western – FragrenTed (Perfumer, scent docent)

Mardena Caldwell Willis  – The Wisdom Group (Life insurance)

Video Coming Soon

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Perhaps the most exciting part of the program was developing a “pitch” – a presentation to potential funders to be rehearsed at the ceremony, which was held on December 1 at the Institute.  Like in the first class, each of the pitches was innovative, creative and dynamic

Business ideas included project management, grief counseling, property development, sustainable clothing and sewing, an urban art gallery, and making film documentaries

Here’s to the graduates: Carol Davis, Darrell Waller, Rochelle Morton, Audery Childress, Octavia B. Foster and Eric Longs.

Three of the presenters’ pitches were particularly recognized by our distinquished panel of judges.  Watch their video comments HERE

Congratulations to all – and best of luck with your business!

First Entrepreneurship Class Graduation on August 9 HERE

Second Entrepreneurship Class Graduation on December 1 HERE 

Third Entrepreneurship Class Graduation on December 16 HERE

The post Second Entrepreneurship Class Graduates first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at St. Patrick Senior Center!

Our annual celebration on Wednesday, November 29, marked an annual tradition that draws old friends and new to enjoy great food, fun and friendship.

The post A Thanksgiving Feast for Hundreds of Friends first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.

The program was facilitated by Wayne State University‘s Community Health Worker Academy. Here’s a picture from the Zoom graduation ceremony on Thursday, November 6

The post Congratulations to the Graduates! first appeared on St. Patrick Senior Center.