WCSC: Donors Interested; Still Needs Effective Business Model

About 25 people attended last night’s Wallingford Community Council meeting at the Good Shepherd Center, including Wallingford Community Senior Center and WCC Board members, Senior Center members and local residents. The first hour of the meeting centered around a discussion of the WCSC’s future, which addressed potential donors who have recently stepped forward and the necessity for a stronger and better-equipped Board to help draw up a sustainable business model.

Kathleen Cromp of the Senior Center, who led the discussion, started off by praising the joint efforts of the community in raising a whopping $11,000 over the past few weeks. “It was an outpouring I didn’t expect,” she said.

Cromp went on to say that five individuals and one foundation have come forward as prospective donors. “What we’re looking for is a significant down payment toward our fundraising goal of 2010 so we can do the necessary rebuilding…and not end up in the financial ditch come March 2010, she said.” According to Cromp, they’re looking for $110,000 from major donors.

Cromp and Jim Stillman, President of the WCSC Board both emphasized the need for a strengthened, more knowledgeable Board if the Senior Center moves forward. Cromp applauded the current Board’s commitment and acknowledged the difficulty of such a tasking job, adding that it’s likely not all Board members will stay with the Center as a result. In rethinking the Board’s composition, she stressed that future members will ideally have specific skill sets, especially fundraising expertise.

For now, Stillman suggested forming an advisory board made up of dedicated and intelligent people from within and outside of the community, which could create a viable business plan for the Center. “Basically, if we can pull this thing together it’s gonna have to happen pretty quickly,” he said. He proposed that the group hold three to four retreats over a six-week period of time. Since the current Board is so close to the situation, it’s important to find a third party perspective who can offer a realistic assessment of the issue, he explained. Even if that is just to say this is a losing battle, he added.

Stillman highlighted the importance of networking within the Senior Center’s existing relationships, but also urged that they tap outside of Wallingford, approaching organizations such as rotary clubs.

Attendees asked questions regarding the possibility of grants and merging with another organization or senior center. Cromp explained that grants aren’t provided as a means for a business to cover operating expenses, but are offered for innovative business plans. She said that this newfound community involvement could demonstrate that the Senior Center is taking a new and different approach if they decide to apply for future grants, though.

Cromp said conversations, like potentially merging, need to be part of the discussion of 2010. She cited the example of the Greenwood Senior Center, which was in a similar financial dilemma to the WCSC a few years ago and eventually merged with the Phinney Neighborhood Association. “We’ve approached Phinney, but they’re not interested in picking up another failing Senior Center,” she said. She named off Senior Services, Solid Ground and FamilyWorks-type organizations as groups with which the Center could potentially consider merging.

“If we close our doors, there will be a service gap,” Cromp said. She spends most days on the phone fielding calls from people asking for services that the Center cannot currently offer, primarily caregiver support. “This really does touch people’s lives,” she said.