Director Letter – September 2022
I have to thank Jennifer Berg, our amazing chef, for 20+ years of involvement in the senior center as volunteer and staff. She is retiring to enjoy more time with the grandkids. I know you have all really enjoyed her incredible made from scratch meals, so I hope you’ll be able to attend a farewell party for her on Friday, Sept. 23 at noon. She has made life happier for us all and we wish her all the best.
Wow! I am in awe of your generosity and that of our community for the Sno-Valley Affordable Senior Apartments! Thank you! I’ve been deeply touched by some low-income seniors who scraped together funds so they could contribute too. I know one person who saved $5 each week to make what was a huge donation for them of $60 with a verbal pledge for the remaining $40 so they could get the match. I don’t even know how to describe how that makes me feel that they sacrificed needed items to be part of this. So many gave what I know what a real stretch for them so they could buy a brick. Thank you. Won’t it be amazing to see the housing break ground next summer! I can’t wait to see it in person.
I write this letter in the middle of the month, so it’s only mid-August as I write and I don’t have a complete update for you on the housing. As of this date we are half way to our goal of $300,000. I’m quite sure we’ll get to $200K by the end of the month thanks to the generous challenge pledge of Michael and Gina Fisette of $20,000. They agreed to extend the match to Labor Day so if you haven’t had a chance to contribute – you can still get a match until September 5!! That’s great news!
Thanks to a generous member coming in and pledging the sale of their Duvall home to the center and donations from the
community, that leaves us with a $100K shortfall, which is amazing considering we initially needed $1 million! What happens if we don’t make it? I have some good indications from some private foundations that they may be able to contribute the remainder – not guaranteed but encouraging. (I’ll know in November.) They, like you, understand the need here. So, in our application to the state for the last $1.3 million needed, we can show foundations as a pledge. We’ll show definitively that our community cares and supports this project. That is huge! All private foundations also required that we prove community support so please know that every dollar you gave made a difference in helping us get more funds!
In December, we will hear if we got the remaining funding from the county and state. I’ll let you know for sure in our
January newsletter. Then we’ll apply for a mortgage of $800,000 which will be paid by the rents of the residents. The state requires that we have a mortgage or they think we don’t need grants! Government logic! Then we get all the
building permits needed.
Once we have all the permits and funds then in the spring, we will close on all the financing. Then we can break ground early summer of 2023. The building will be complete summer 2024 and ready for people to move in!
I keep being reminded of the need by the seniors who want to move in there! Here are some of their stories:
One woman told me that she lives in Senior Housing now…but she had to move out of the area to find an affordable senior apartment and she REALLY wants to move back to Carnation so she would be very excited if our Senior Housing Apartment was built.
Another woman shared that she lives with her family now because she couldn’t afford to live on her own-but she would love so much to be able to have her own apartment and is so hopeful that our Senior Housing Apartment might be an option for her!
Thanks for being part of this dream for affordable senior housing. If you have questions, contact me anytime at
Lisay@soundgenerations.org or call 425-333-4152.