For decades, the Darb Snyder Holmes County Senior Center has prioritized serving the county’s seniors, providing a welcoming place to gather and offering meals to individuals with limited income.
On Thursday, Feb. 6, Tabitha Strouse, chairperson of the Senior Center board, and board member Wesley Ervin met with the Holmes County Commissioners to deliver an urgent message: funds are running low.
Strouse presented the commissioners with the Holmes County budget, seeking a solution to sustain the center’s operations and to secure funding to place an emergency levy back on the special election ballot. Last November, the center proposed a 0.19-mill levy, which would have generated approximately $300,000 annually. The request amounted to just $7 per $100,000 of property ownership, yet voters rejected it.
Strouse attributed the levy’s failure to a common misconception among residents that the Senior Center is county-owned and operated. She visited the commissioners in hopes of securing $6,000 to $8,000 to cover the cost of placing the levy on the upcoming special election ballot.
Because this is a special election, not part of the regular election schedule, the Holmes County Board of Elections requires a fee to cover expenses for any entity seeking to place a levy on the ballot. Strouse told the commissioners that the center simply lacks those funds.
Federal grant money through Title III Supportive Services, provided by the Area Agency on Aging, Region 9, based in Cambridge, helps fund transportation, congregate meals, and Meals on Wheels for homebound seniors. Additionally, the grant helps cover the general operational costs of the center. However, a significant portion of funding comes from local donations, which have continued to decline. These donations help the center meet the matching requirements needed to receive federal funds.
Unexpected expenses, such as the recent purchase of two new transportation vehicles, have further strained the Senior Center’s budget, putting its services at risk or, in a worst-case scenario, forcing it to close as early as June.
“Our local donations are at $36,000, which is about half of what we received last year,” Strouse said.
Some of those donations come directly from seniors who receive home-delivered meals or dine at the center, but many cannot afford to contribute. “We can’t legally ask for any money for our meals,” Strouse said.
While the center serves approximately 140 meals per day, it is reimbursed for only about 54 of them. The need continues to grow, with two dozen more seniors added to the meal program in the past month alone.
Though local organizations such as the VFW, Eagles, and American Legion have provided generous support, the budget remains unsustainable. Commissioner Eric Strouse said he had reached out to United Way, which had previously donated but had not contributed this year, in hopes of securing additional funding.
The financial strain has forced the center to dip into its savings to sustain daily operations. The center owns three vehicles used for meal delivery, but replacing two unusable vehicles significantly depleted the general fund. Each vehicle covers about 135 miles daily to deliver meals to seniors in remote areas, and the drivers are paid employees.
“My routes are 135 miles, and they go from Killbuck to Lakeville, to Brinkhaven, all the way to Baltic and everywhere in between to serve our seniors,” Strouse said.
A recent survey found that approximately two-thirds of seniors receiving meal deliveries would not be able to afford nutritious meals on their own.
Strouse noted that expenses for 2024, including the unexpected vehicle purchases, totaled $575,000, meaning the proposed levy would cover less than half of the annual budget.
“Somehow, we keep scraping by, but we can’t keep it up,” she said.
Commissioners discussed alternative solutions, such as delivering more frozen meals to reduce the number of delivery days. However, Strouse expressed concerns that cutting delivery and kitchen staff hours could result in losing employees.
The commissioners pledged to explore ways to support the center, including potential county board representation on the Senior Center board. Another option under discussion is the center’s building, its primary asset, though maintaining it comes with significant operational costs.
“We’re open to keeping the lines of discussion going to help you survive and keep you operating,” Commissioner Joe Miller said.
Strouse emphasized the importance of the center’s role in the community, saying that keeping its doors open is vital for Holmes County’s senior citizens. Commissioner Dave Hall added that while the board of commissioners is willing to explore solutions, it must remain accountable to county taxpayers.
Strouse and the board remain open to all options, provided they prioritize the health and well-being of seniors.
“I want them to stay in their homes and be comfortable in their senior years,” she said. “I’ve been advocating for the seniors for 20 years, and I know it’s a needed service. Somehow, our seniors are going to have to stand up and make their voices heard.”
The commissioners agreed to continue exploring funding options, board representation, and other potential solutions. They also expressed their appreciation for the vital services provided by the Senior Center.
Anyone interested in supporting the Holmes County Senior Center can contact Tabitha Strouse at 330-674-0580.
