Smith Announces Federal HUD Grant For Yelm Senior Center
March 7, 2002
Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) announced today that the Washington State Office of Community Development has awarded the City of Yelm $750,000 for the construction of a new senior center.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and is given through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) General Purpose Program, which gives money to eligible local governments for projects that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income people. The Yelm grant, for which Smith wrote a letter of support to HUD, will enable the Senior’s Center to continue to provide area seniors with dietary and social service needs in a new and up-to-date facility.
The current building is cramped, aging and often inadequate for the center’s services. The single multi-purpose room functions not only as a dining room, classroom and lounge, but also as a games room, meeting space and community store. The kitchen is approximately half the size needed to prepare and serve the number of meals that the center provides on a daily basis.
“Seniors are one of our country’s greatest resources and we need to make sure that we are providing them with quality care,” Smith said. “I am always pleased to help secure federal dollars for worthwhile projects like this one for our district. With this money, Yelm will be able to enhance and expand their delivery of critical services, like basic nutrition, legal services and emotional counseling, for Yelm area senior citizens.”
For more information on the project, please contact Fran Sherrill, director of the Yelm Senior Center, at (360) 458-7733.