Directors Letter– May 2022
A pivotal point for our membership was the 2018 Membership meeting. Nearly all those in attendance rated “Senior Housing” as their top priority. We can be proud that our board of directors heard you and is responding!
Since then, the board commissioned a feasibility study (completed March of 2020.) The study showed that indeed, the need for Senior Housing is immense in our community! In fact, there is no affordable senior housing in the Snoqualmie valley.
We know that, because of the lack of affordable senior housing, many of our beloved members were forced to move far away when their single-family homes became too expensive or too hard to maintain.
Sno-Valley Senior Center is dedicated to solving this seemingly insurmountable challenge.
One member’s story, among many that you know, stands out in my mind. Howard Miller was a friend of mine. He moved to Carnation when he was in his 20s and opened Miller’s Dry Goods. He bragged he knew the underwear size of everyone in town! He was so involved with youth sports that the playfield at Tolt Middle School was named after him. He was deeply embedded in this town. But as he reached his 90s, he found it increasingly difficult to maintain his home. He wanted to downsize to something more affordable but he couldn’t because nothing existed. He had to move away from the town he was so invested in and where he raised his family. Howard, a veteran, passed away far from the people and places he loved. I miss him – and so many others – who have been forced to move away due to the lack of affordable senior housing.
But there is good news! We are well on our way to getting Sno-Valley Affordable Senior Apartments built! Please read the fact sheet in this newsletter with the details.
We have already procured $3.2 million of the $6 million we’ll need, with other awards to come soon. I know, with the community’s help, we will fund the 15-unit 3-story affordable senior apartments.
However, it’s evident that SVSC needs to contribute approximately $1 million as our portion of the full cost. But more good news! When one of our members heard about our financial need and the grants coming in, they decided to pledge the sale of a home they own in Duvall to the senior center! It is valued at $700,000 so now we only have $300,000 to fully fund our affordable senior apartments.
But, we are on a deadline.
While we have a very good chance of getting that $2.3 million government grant – we must show that we have all other funds in place by September 1st. That’s where our membership comes in.
This is your opportunity to support this work. You hold the key to unlocking more funds.
This is a special one time fund – a once in a lifetime opportunity – to make Carnation a better community for low-income older adults forever! If you would like to make a donation to this fund today, send it in the envelope included in this newsletter, and indicate “senior housing” on the donation.
Much more information is to come! In the meantime, please ask any questions you have. Feel free to call me at 425-333-4152, ext 1 or e-mail me (lisay@soundgenerations.org) or our board President, Sara Lambert at saradlambert@me.com
Thank you!
Lisa