Senior Center facing uphill battle financially

The Comanche Senior Nutrition Center is finding itself in a tight spot as it continues to lose money, eating away at its carryover from previous years.

That announcement was made at the Comanche City Council meeting last Tuesday. City manager Chuck Ralls informed the council that, at its current pace, the senior center fund could be out of money by November. In that case, the senior center would have to be closed down or the city would have to pay for it.

The center is averaging a loss of around $1,000 a month and it has lost more than $8,000 this year, cutting its $14,0000 carryover into a balance of just over $6,000.

Center manager Heather Stubbs and a couple of regular customers of the nutrition center were in attendance to show support and to try to help find solutions. Stubbs said she had been trying to drum up support, but had not been able to so far.

Ralls said the issue is not the purchase of the food as the food is covered by grants, but operation costs that is causing the loss of money. Currently, the center has one full-time employee - Stubbs - and two part-time employees. 

Fundraisers were mentioned, but Ralls said the last two fundraising attempts - a bingo night and a movie night - both lost money and he was wary of trying another.

The center has about eight regulars who dine at the center and about 25 meals are delivered to homes. That is not sustainable. 

Another issue is there were sponsorships by several individuals and businesses in the past to buy meals for seniors who could not afford to purchase the meals. Those numbers have dwindled down significantly. It costs around $80 to feed one senior for a month though the city will accept any amount whether on a monthly basis or as a one-time gift. Donations are tax deductible.

Ralls and all the council members said they want to keep the center open, but a solution needs to be found quickly. Raising prices was brought up during the conversation but it was feared it could cause the loss of even more patrons.

Another idea that was brought up was to approach local churches about sponsorships.

Mayor Smokey Dobbins made a motion for the city and center to see what they could do over the next few months to help generate the funds needed to keep it viable and that the council will address the situation again in October. The motion passed unanimously.