The Powell Senior Center has been awarded a $10,000 grant to support the center’s nutrition program. This grant, recommended by the Wyoming Community Foundation Statewide Board, is made possible because of the Helena De Fina Community Wellness Donor Advised Fund and the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund at the Wyoming Community Foundation.

Throughout the pandemic, the Powell Senior Center has experienced increased expenses from an increase in demand for meals. The grant ensures seniors of Powell will continue to have access to steady meals with no additional costs.

Between March 2020 and February 2021, the center says the number of meals it provided to local seniors increased by 2,973 when compared to the previous year, for a total of 34,849 meals served.

“We are seeing an influx of new seniors moving into our community from California, Washington state and Arizona,” said Linda Dalton, the center’s new program director. 

An emphasis on home-delivered meals increased expenses for gas and home-delivery containers. Reopening the dining room led to additional expenses in cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE). These items, as well as the cost of food, have become more expensive. 

“Even though our costs to provide meals to our seniors has increased,” said Dalton, “it defeats our purpose to expect our seniors, who are already struggling on low fixed incomes, to cover those increases.”

Dalton added that the funding that the center received from Wyoming Community Foundation will allow it to keep providing services, with no increase in cost to the seniors, and no break in the services provided.

To learn more about the Powell Senior Center or to donate, visit www.powellseniorcenter.com or contact Dalton at 307-754-4223.

The Wyoming Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works with donors to support the charitable causes they care most about. In 2019 the Wyoming Community Foundation granted over $11 million to charitable causes across the state.

The Helena De Fina Community Wellness Donor Advised Fund was established to honor De Fina, a dedicated community advocate who died in 2014, and the causes she cared about. The fund provides support to organizations that promote physical and spiritual health and wellness for the people of Park County and surrounding areas.