A nice problem to have: The Stamford Senior Center's membership has grown so much, they are looking for a larger space to better serve the older adults in the Connecticut city on Long Island Sound.

Meanwhile, the center continues to find new and creative ways to support the community. Just one example is the Cove Island Bridge Project, recognized as one of the National Institute of Senior Centers Programs of Excellence. As a gift to the community, more than 50 volunteer members of the Stamford Senior Center helped transform a dirty concrete bridge at Cove Island Park into a walkway now known as the "Welcome Kindness Bridge."

What is the history of Stamford Senior Center?

The Stamford Senior Center (SSC) was created in 1996 as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization as a partnership with the City of Stamford, which donated the 2nd floor of their local government center. The partnership continues as the city also provides a cash grant that makes up 40% of the center’s annual operating budget.

SSC’s membership has grown tremendously over the past decade to the point that they need a larger space to offer programs. While their leadership has been in discussions with the city hoping to build their own standalone building, they also recognize the importance of offering programming to all older adults in their community in the meantime.

They continue to grow programs and expand beyond the walls of the current location bringing programming into senior housing sites and partnering with other community organizations to offer programs outside of the center's walls.

Who visits Stamford Senior Center?

SSC serves about 1,300 adults age 60 and above annually, from Stamford and the greater Stamford area.  They are a multicultural senior center, with 15% of their members speaking primarily Spanish. The center offers bilingual programming to support the unique needs of their large Latino community.

Senior center members are representative of the diversity of the City of Stamford, with members from over 30 different countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. These members are very active, and many of them volunteer at various nonprofits throughout their community.

What activities take place at Stamford Senior Center?

SSC offers a wide variety of programs to fit the needs of their diverse membership. They offer 15 fitness classes each week, including aerobics, Pilates, Tai Chi, total body workout, Zumba gold, chair fitness, and Yoga Nidra. Recognizing the popularity of pickleball among their members, they offer lessons with Pickleball America.

In addition to fitness opportunities, they offer art classes, English as a Second Language and Spanish language classes, music classes, games, a book club, and technology classes. The center also provides one-on-one peer assistance, group trips, themed events, lifelong learning, and a daily congregate lunch. Their center is very much alive with lots of great energy, diversity and camaraderie. SSC’s Annual Summer Senior Olympic Games are an example of the camaraderie, friendship and diversity you can find at the center.

What makes Stamford Senior Center unique?

SSC Executive Director Christina Crain believes there is much that makes their center unique, starting with their membership.

“The rich diversity of our members, the depth of programs that appeal to a wide range of interests, and the energy that runs through the center daily.

You come into our center and see folks from all walks of life, speaking different languages. Everyone is super welcoming and friendly and go out of their way to greet and make new members feel welcome."

"It is described by our members as their ‘home away from home’ and a place that has helped them forge new meaningful connections and given them purpose and fulfillment," Crain said. "The late playwright George Bernard Shaw said: ‘We don't stop playing because we grow old, rather we grow old because we stop playing.’ At the SSC we provide ample opportunities for older adults to keep playing, having fun and living life to the fullest."

What does modernization mean to Stamford Senior Center?

For SSC, modernizing includes:

• Modernizing senior center programs by constantly adapting and creating programs that meet the needs of their community's growing older adult population, with those visiting the center ranging in age from their 60's to mid-90's
• Having a center that looks fresh, hip and welcoming to the multiple generations that make up their membership, and the rest of the community that may participate in programming

The center recognizes that the older adults of today want to continue to learn new skills, take care of their bodies and minds, and give back through volunteering. They also want to continue to see the world and travel, to have adventures with like-minded adults. SSC focuses on providing all of this and more and is always adding programs based on feedback and input from their members and community.

What's next for Stamford Senior Center?

SSC will continue to advocate for a bigger center to serve their growing membership and older adult population within Stamford. They will continue to promote the center to the greater community to build a groundswell of support in order to make this vision a reality. In the meantime, they will continue to find creative ways to grow and expand their “senior center without walls” model that was created during COVID and continues to flourish today.

Still not a member of the National Institute for Senior Centers? Join today, membership is free. 

If your center has completed a recent study or assessment or is trying out some new programming approaches, we’d love to hear about it. And if you haven't already, we'd encourage you to join the National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC). Free to all senior centers (and their personnel), NISC supports senior centers with best practices and innovations in programming, as well as networking and training opportunities. Ask for help, leverage NISC resources, or share your successes like Stamford. Find out how you can become a NISC Affiliate today. 

Photos courtesy Stamford Senior Center