Pennsylvania Department of Aging Invests $3 Million in 436 Senior Community Centers to Support Older Adults and Keep Them Safe, Connected in Their Communities

These dollars will help centers modernize their facilities, provide new health and entertainment programs, upgrade technology, and enhance nutrition services.

Herndon, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today announced a $3 million investment in 436 Senior Community Centers (SCCs) across the Commonwealth to help ensure older adults are supported in familiar, local places with services to stay healthy and connected to their communities.

The $3 million includes $2 million in competitive grants from the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget and an additional $1 million in non-competitive grants that Governor Josh Shapiro secured in his first budget, the latter of which will be split up and distributed to hundreds of centers that did not receive a competitive grant. The competitive grants help SCCs fund larger-scale projects such as updating and modernizing facilities, providing new health and entertainment programs, upgrading technology, and enhancing nutrition services.

The grant funding is appropriated by the General Assembly with proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery.

“Pennsylvania’s Senior Community Centers are a cornerstone in our communities and a pillar of daily life for the older adults they serve. A center may provide the only interaction that an older adult has some days, and we want to make sure that our centers are welcoming, inclusive assets to the local area,” said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. “The projects funded by both the competitive and non-competitive grants will help the recipients enhance the programs and services already in place as well as create new opportunities to welcome current visitors and attract new consumers.”

The additional $1 million that Governor Shapiro secured in his first budget created a new, permanent non-competitive track in the grant program. Since the competitive grants normally fund larger scale projects, the non-competitive grants allow smaller needs to be met and more SCCs to benefit from the funding. A total of 396 SCCs were granted a non-competitive award of $2,525 per center.

Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal continues to invest in older Pennsylvanians by including $2 million so the Department can increase accountability and oversight of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) network which, among other things, provides resources and protective services for older adults, and a $20 million investment for those AAAs so they can continue to provide key services to older adults. 

Both the competitive and non-competitive grants will help SCCs fund projects based on their needs and the needs expressed by older adults. This year, a total of 436 SCCs received competitive or non-competitive grant funds.

There are more than 450 Area Agency on Aging-affiliated Senior Community Centers throughout Pennsylvania that provide a variety of offerings, such as nutritious meals, educational opportunities, transportation services, financial and insurance counseling, and exercise programs.

Below is the list of Senior Community Center competitive grant awardees:

A complete list of the non-competitive grant recipients is available here.

For more information on other services and programs benefiting older Pennsylvanians, visit the Department of Aging’s website.