Baker Senior Center Naples, a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive programs and social services for local seniors and their families, announced that it has been awarded a $242,500 grant from the Collier Community Foundation to expand essential services to more lower-income seniors in the community.
The funds will be used to hire a new case manager, preferably an individual who has earned the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, who will support about 50 additional older adults each year, of which 70 to 80 percent will be low to moderate-income seniors. The case manager will also field an additional 1,500 case management calls annually.
“We are thankful to the Collier Community Foundation for their continued support of older adults in our community,” said Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, President/CEO of Baker Senior Center Naples. “The addition of another case manager will enable seniors to experience an increase in social engagement and enhanced functional stability and independence.”
The case management program is an existing program of Baker Senior Center Naples. It is anticipated that this expansion will improve seniors’ quality of life, reduce the risk of homelessness, enhance mental well-being, enhance functional stability and independence, increase access to healthcare, and result in overall better management of chronic diseases.
The Collier Community Foundation is a tax-exempt, public, charitable foundation, established in 1985 to increase private philanthropy in Collier County. It awards grants through a competitive application and review process. Selected organizations receive grant dollars from the “Collier Forever Fund,” which is made up of donors who believe in the foundation’s ability to identify and support the community’s most current needs.
Baker Senior Center Naples is the only human services agency of its kind, providing “one-stop-shop” services addressing the emotional and social needs of seniors in Collier and southern Lee counties. Since opening its doors in 2014, the organization has seen a surge in the depth and scope of need for comprehensive senior services in this region.
All programs and services are provided by licensed and credentialed professionals. These include the Brookdale Cognitive Health Center, which provides Dementia Respite Groups and Caregiver Support, Geriatric Case Management and Senior Outreach Programs, and Mental Health Counseling as well as a “choice” Food Pantry.
An average of 40 different social, educational, and wellness programs also are offered each week thanks to a dedicated corps of more than 300 trained and vetted volunteers. Among these social programs are classes in art, music, and film, brain fitness and educational seminars, courses in technology and computer science, physical well-being, and interest groups. The center serves everyone regardless of background and beliefs.
Baker Senior Center Naples is one of just 111 senior centers all across the United States, including just eight located within the state of Florida, to achieve accreditation from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC). Accreditation means that the senior center meets the standards as developed by NISC in developing quality programs and services to meet the needs of seniors in the community.
For additional information on Baker Senior Center Naples and its comprehensive programs and social services for local seniors, visit bakerseniorcenternaples.org.
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