Philadelphia Senior Centers Feel The Pinch Of Pa. Budget Impasse
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Wednesday marks 127 days without a budget in Pennsylvania and many Philadelphia non-profits that depending on state funding are nearing their breaking point.
Center in the Park in Germantown is bustling with active seniors.
"Mondays and Wednesdays, I take silver sneakers at 8' clock and 9 o'clock, enhanced fitness Tuesday and Thursdays," says Doris Beeks, a senior who has been active at the Center for seven years.
(Reporter:) "What do you like about it?"
"Everything!" said Beeks.
Beeks volunteers at the center, exercises, goes on trips and socializes at Center on the Park. It's the center of her retired life.
"I don't want it to close," she says.
In its 50th year, the Center is struggling to remain open.
"We have never been in a situation like this," says Renee Cunningham, associate director. She says most of their funding comes from the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. PCA supports 23 centers and gets 70 percent of its $98 million budget from the state. Without a budget from Harrisburg many of these senior centers in Philadelphia are struggling.
"They're hanging on by a thread," says Holly Lange, president and CEO of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. The non-profit is the main source of funding for senior services in Philadelphia.
"The budget impasse has a very big impact on our agency," says Lange. She says PCA took out a $14 million line of credit in September and has run out of the money. To conserve funds, they stopped funding the centers. She says PCA still provides thousands of meals to seniors each day and pays its staff.
Losing PCA funding leaves the Center in a bind.
"The center is check to check and that's tough," says Cunningham, noting they were in danger of missing payroll last week. She says a funder stepped up and filled the gap, but in two weeks they'll be in danger again.
"It's hard to keep morale up," she says.
Lawmakers are in their home districts and won't return to Harrisburg until November 16th. Many say negotiations are still ongoing. In the meantime, the Center and its seniors, like Miss Doris, are rallying, writing and calling Harrisburg with a message.
"Please....just pass this budget," says Beeks.
