5HF pledges $10,000 toward MASCC’s senior center

submitted by 5 Healthy Towns Foundation

On Monday, July 22, Manchester Wellness Coalition (MWC) and 5 Healthy Towns Foundation (5HF) granted $10,000 to Manchester Area Senior Citizens Council (MASCC) to help support the Manchester seniors’ efforts to build a permanent home for MASCC.

The funds were allocated from MWC’s budget provided by 5 Healthy Towns Foundation as part of 5HF’s overall coalition support. The $10,000 will be used as part of a local match as MASCC works with the City of Manchester and other local partners to transform a portion of the City of Manchester’s cold storage facility into 1,200 square feet of fully functional community gathering space. 

“5HF commends MWC and the City of Manchester for its commitment to providing healthy opportunities for connections and physical activity. Using a challenge match allows organizations to leverage local funding like 5 Healthy Towns grants into greater financial impact for the community,” commented 5 Healthy Towns CEO Steve Petty.

MASCC and the City of Manchester are partnering with Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to raise $100,000 that will be dedicated for this project as part of a Patronicity funding challenge. The community is tasked with raising $50,000 by September 3, 2024. Once the community has raised $50,000, MEDC will provide a $50,000 match to be used for construction. 5 Healthy Towns and coalition funding has been used for Patronicity matches on several other projects in the 5HF service area, including the former Acorn Market and Café, Grass Lake’s Community Events Park pavilion, and a portion of the Border-to-Border trail connecting Chelsea’s Timbertown Park to the larger trail system.

Renovations include updated heating and cooling systems, flooring, ADA bathrooms, kitchen facilities, new seating, windows and doors that provide access to the River Raisin patio, storage, and more! Construction is expected to start soon after the September 3 deadline.

“Manchester Wellness Coalition and the larger community knows how important senior services are to Manchester,” said MWC chair Ray Berg. “A permanent home for MASCC will allow that organization to better serve our residents and help advance our efforts to attract more wraparound senior services, including housing and health care.”

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.