Resolution 250819

..Title Recognizing September as National Senior Center Month in the City of Philadelphia, honoring the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) and the City's senior centers for their exceptional service and support to older adults, and uplifting this year's National Council on Aging theme, "Powering Possibilities: Flip the Script." ..Body WHEREAS, National Senior Center Month is celebrated each September to spotlight the invaluable role senior centers play in enriching the lives of older adults, fostering connection, health, purpose, and resilience through inclusive programs and services; and WHEREAS, The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has designated the 2025 theme as "Powering Possibilities: Flip the Script," encouraging communities to challenge outdated perceptions of aging and shine a light on senior centers as dynamic, empowering hubs for creativity, social connection, health, economic security, and independence; and WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) plays a central role in overseeing and supporting a network of city senior centers, providing leadership, funding, technical assistance, and programming to ensure older Philadelphians have access to high-quality meals, social services, wellness programs, creative activities, and more; and WHEREAS, PCA-supported senior centers serve as beaconed community anchors, offering services including, but not limited to, congregate meals, nutritional support, fitness and wellness classes, counseling and case management, cultural and educational programming, economic security assistance, digital literacy, and opportunities for social engagement and volunteerism; and WHEREAS, In Fiscal Year 2024, PCA supported senior centers provided 337,540 instances of service to older adults including nutritious congregate meals, wellness classes, social programs, and counseling and across Philadelphia, PCA supported the provision of 1,634,306 meals in total, including 336,648 congregate meals and 78,259 grab & go meals at senior centers; and WHEREAS, We recognize and celebrate all senior centers across Philadelphia: Martin Luther King Older Adult Center, PSC Allegheny Branch, Lutheran Settlement House Senior Center, Mann Older Adult Center, Norris Square Senior Center, Northern Living, On-Lok House, Star Harbor Senior Center, West Philadelphia Senior Community Center, Firehouse Active Adult Center, Southwest Senior Center, Marconi Older Adult Program, St. Edmonds Senior Community Center, South Philadelphia Older Adult Center, Philadelphia Senior Center - Avenue of the Arts, Kleinlife, Peter Bressi Northeast Senior Center, Nativity BVM Senior Center, West Oak Lane Senior Center, Center in the Park, Northeast Older Adult Center, Juniata Park Older Adult Center, Center at Journey's Way, William Way LGBT Community Center and Philadelphia Housing Authority Senior Satellites; and WHEREAS, Through PCA's leadership and support, these centers offer tens of thousands of older Philadelphians a vibrant array of meals, fitness, wellness, social, cultural activities, educational workshops, technology access, benefits counseling, and community outreach. Truly, "powering possibilities" and "flipping the script" on aging is showcasing older adults as resilient, contributing, creative, and connected; and WHEREAS, Recognizing September as National Senior Center Month with the added emphasis of the 2025 NCOA theme presents an ideal opportunity for the City Council to affirm its support for PCA, its network of senior centers, and the older adults they serve; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes September as National Senior Center Month in the City of Philadelphia, honors the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) and the City's senior centers for their exceptional service and support to older adults, and uplifts this year's National Council on Aging theme, "Powering Possibilities: Flip the Script." FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging as evidence of the admiration and respect of this body. ..End