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$3 Million Gift to Senior Community Centers posted on Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Rancho Santa Fe residents Gary and Mary West are making a $3 million contribution through their foundation to Senior Community Centers to help the nonprofit organization open the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego.

The gift marks the largest donation in Senior Community Center’s history, announced today at a news conference that included City Councilmember Kevin Faulconer.

The Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, to be located at Fourth Avenue and Beech Street, will not only house Senior Community Centers’ existing, nationally recognized programs, but will also allow the nonprofit group to implement state-of-the-art, cutting-edge programs and services designed to help today’s active seniors thrive. In addition to helping low-income seniors in San Diego, the center is poised to act as a national model for the next generation of senior services.

“As the older adult population continues to grow and their needs change, the West’s gift and the Senior Wellness Center will be a place for seniors to turn to, whatever their needs,” said Paul Downey, president and CEO of Senior Community Centers. “This facility will transform the traditional senior center into a 21st century hub for innovative services that help seniors living at or near poverty prolong their independence, enhance their quality of life, and promote their overall health.”“We envision the Senior Wellness Center to be an inviting, easy-to-access, one-stop shop for seniors,” said Gary West. “In addition to providing nutritious meals ¬– which will be the cornerstone of its services – the new center will offer an array of health and social services, including case management, health and wellness check-ups, mental health care, opportunities for education and job training, access to computers, the chance to engage in inter-generational activities, and other socialization benefits. Moreover, this will be the first center of its kind to utilize wireless health technology to help improve the overall health and wellness of our seniors.”

Downey added that the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center will emphasis civic engagement among participants in the center’s programs. “We plan to partner with organizations throughout the region to find meaningful volunteer and employment opportunities where our seniors can use their lifetimes of experience to make a positive impact on their community,” said Downey.

Shocked to learn that only a small percentage of philanthropic dollars donated throughout the country were allocated to seniors, the Wests made helping seniors one of their foundation’s focus areas, which led them to Senior Community Centers and the idea to create the 21st century Senior Wellness Center.

The Gary and Mary West Foundation makes grants to nonprofit partners working in one or more of its three interest areas: seniors, with a focus on healthy and independent aging; workforce development and career preparation for high school and at-risk youth; and animal welfare, with a focus on companion dogs and police canine units.

The $3 million gift from the Gary and Mary West Foundation will help Senior Community Centers acquire the property at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Beech Street for the future Senior Wellness Center. The organization, however, is seeking the community’s support to raise the additional money needed to complete the purchase and fund the building renovations, plus the programs and services that will impact the lives of low-income seniors over the next several years.

One of the community partners that has already stepped up to assist Senior Community Centers is HomeAid San Diego, a nonprofit organization that helps build transitional housing for the temporarily homeless and other needy individuals. HomeAid has committed to helping Senior Community Centers with the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center by reaching out to contractors and subcontractors to serve as partners on the project.

“Gary and Mary West have a progressive vision for the center, which includes integration of technology and the most innovative systems and programs, so the building should be a reflection of their forward thinking,” said Downey. “We’re eager to begin working with HomeAid and others to see this wellness center and the West’s vision come to life.”

The Gary and Mary West Foundation is a private, nonprofit, grant-making organization based in Carlsbad, Calif. The foundation was established in 2007 through the generosity of successful entrepreneurs Gary and Mary West. The couple founded West Corp., headquartered in Omaha, Neb., which is a leading customer relationship management provider.

Posted by bizSanDiego: San Diego Business News