Locally based, Northwest Senior Care, has coordinated antique appraisal fundraisers at community senior centers across King County in an attempt to alleviate the pressure of their often limited operational budgets. Ballard NW Senior Center is one of the centers benefiting from the program.

“Senior Centers save lives and provide vital services to the elders in all our varied communities”, says Carlye Teel, Director Ballard NW Senior Center.

In 1943, New York City opened the doors to the United State’s first senior center. Today there some 11,000 centers nation wide, and despite measures for financial assistance such as the Older Americans Act of 1965, many struggle to fund day to day operations; while others have been forced to close their doors all together.

“Most centers have to raise significant revenues to provide these programs.” Fundraisers like the one to be hosted at Ballard Northwest Senior Center on October 4th are vital in raising awareness of the need for support, and the repercussions that occur when a center is forced to cease operations. “This antique appraisal event, along with so many other fundraisers, gives the opportunity to provide information to the public and to support the centers”.

Closing the doors of a center that numerous seniors depend on for meals, companionship, and education on health and wellness often have unforeseen negative effects. “Many of the seniors that we encounter depend on the support network they’ve established within their senior center”, states Northwest Senior Care Co-Owner, Jerid Paige. “The fundraising events we coordinated aren’t just intended to aid the centers financially, but also to make sure the public does not ignore an issue that is too often swept under the rug”.

Starting October 4th, the Ballard Northwest Senior Center will kick off the first of several fundraising events hosted at Senior Centers across the region. Beginning at 11:00am the event will be open to the public and run until 5:00pm. Snacks and beverages will be provided to all who attend, and those looking to have an item appraised should call the Ballard Northwest Senior Center at (206) 297-0403 to reserve a time for their appraisal. The suggested minimum donation for each item is $5, with a limit of 3 items so as to ensure that everyone who wishes to partake in this event are able to. To see when other appraisal events such as Renton, Greenwood, Kenmore, Tukwila, Wallingford, and Enumclaw are scheduled, go to northwestseniorcare.com/fundraisers or call Northwest Senior Care at (206) 910-8177 for further details.

About Northwest Senior Care: Northwest Senior Care is a local, family run, senior home care agency co-owned by mother-son duo Hope and Jerid Paige. Originally founded in 2008, Northwest Senior Care has provided quality home care services to seniors all across King County and is consistently working to give back to the community.