|
Since 1994 the Northern Wake Senior Center (NWSC), 235 E. Holding Ave., has offered members of our aging community a place to come together to connect - and enrich and enhance their mind, body, and spirit.
The Town of Wake Forest owns the facility and the land on which it sits. Throughout our partnership with Resources for Seniors, we have maintained the facility and the land, while they provided operational support and programming, including an impressive array of educational classes and social events.
A non-profit organization, Resources for Seniors for many years had a similar arrangement with the Town of Wendell for the Eastern Wake Senior Center and Wake County for the Whitaker Mill Senior Center.
When these partnerships began, Wake County’s population was just over 426,000. Today, it stands at close to 1.2 million. Of that total, approximately 270,000 are aged 55 and older with more relocating here every day. Needless to say, we live in one of the most popular areas in the United States.
Over time, the surge in Wake County’s retirement-age population began to place a serious financial strain on Resources for Seniors’ ability to operate multiple full-service senior centers. A few years ago, they informed us that they would eventually be unable to satisfy the growing demand for programming or continue providing sufficient operational support. They would instead focus on their model of providing resources and service coordination to all the senior centers in Wake County.
Although we responded by increasing our financial support for Resources for Seniors, we recognized that it was only a matter of time before we’d have to assume full responsibility for the NWSC.
And we weren’t alone.
One by one, other Wake County cities and towns, including Garner, Cary, Raleigh, Apex, and Morrisville, began opening and supporting their own senior centers. Then, earlier this year, Resources for Seniors turned over the operational and programming responsibilities for the Eastern Wake Senior Center to the Town of Wendell.
Beginning July 1, 2025, Wake Forest will assume those same responsibilities for the NWSC. Resources for Seniors will continue to provide service coordination and human services efforts here, as has been their county-wide model and commitment to other town-operated senior centers.
To help ensure a smooth transition, we have assembled a Senior Center Operations Transition Team chaired by Assistant Town Manager Candace Davis. Comprised of staff from Risk Management, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources, IT, Budget, Finance, Facilities, Human Resources, and Communications, the team is working with Resources for Seniors and NWSC Director Jennie Griggs and her staff on a plan that will – as seamlessly as possible - add the NWSC to the Town’s municipal structure as its own department.
Candace is scheduled to update the Board of Commissioners on the transition team’s progress during the Board retreat on Friday, Jan. 17. Afterwards, we will be sure to make her presentation available on the Town's NWSC web page.
On behalf of the Town of Wake Forest, I want to take this opportunity to assure both current and future members of the NWSC that we recognize and value the incredible work the NWSC is doing in our community for “all ages and all stages,” and we are committed to continue offering the same level of programming that you currently enjoy.
As we prepare to welcome the New Year and begin the countdown to July 1, we will keep you updated on our transitional efforts.
In the meantime, if you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to complete our Age-Friendly Community Survey.
Wake Forest is proud to be a member of AARP’s network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. We want to make sure Wake Forest remains welcoming and livable for all people as they age, and we need your input to help us prioritize programs that meet the greatest needs of our aging community.
| 
