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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear Announces $500,000 Grant for New Loretto Senior Center
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Steve Beshear today announced a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to the city of Loretto in Marion County to help renovate a city-owned, former nursing home facility to a new senior citizen’s center.
“Ensuring that our seniors have adequate access to services is a priority of my administration,” said Gov. Beshear. “The new Loretto Senior Center will provide a much-needed, permanent facility in the community for seniors to access educational, recreational and nutritional resources to increase their overall quality of life.”
Currently the city of Loretto does not have a dedicated senior center. Senior citizens instead meet at an old gym, where they are often displaced due to other community activities.
This grant will allow the city to renovate an over 5,000 square-foot vacant, former nursing home to a permanent senior citizen’s center. The facility will be refurbished to house a large multi-purpose room, fitness area, kitchen and library/computer learning space for seniors to utilize. It will offer educational programs, health and nutritional services, exercise classes and community partnership activities such as a grandparent story telling and mentoring program with local youth. The new center will also be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible.
“Initiatives such as this assist more than just a few individuals — they improve the lives of citizens throughout the entire community,” said Department for Local Government (DLG) Commissioner Tony Wilder. “Providing a safe, nurturing location for seniors to learn, interact and become healthier will benefit families in Loretto and all of Marion County for generations to come.”
“This project is a great example of city, county, and state governments working together with private individuals, such as the Dr. Salem George family, for the betterment of their community,” said Sen. Jimmy Higdon. “This facility will be a wonderful asset for the people of Loretto for many years to come.”
“I’m happy that that we’re able to take this action to serve the Loretto community,” said Rep. Terry Mills. “I want to acknowledge the local contribution that helped to make this possible and to say how much I appreciate the cooperation between the community’s citizens and Governor Beshear’s administration in moving this wonderful project forward.”
The state’s CDBG program is administered by DLG and funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Kentucky’s Congressional leaders’ continued support of the CDBG program ensures the availability of continued funding in Kentucky and nationally.
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