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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear Announces New Senior Center in Loretto
FRANKFORT, Ky.– The city of Loretto is home to a new senior citizens center, thanks to a grant approved by Governor Steve Beshear. The Department for Local Government (DLG) Commissioner Tony Wilder and local leaders from Loretto announced a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that will help turn a city-owned, former nursing home into the new facility.
“I’m proud to approve this grant which will help establish a new senior center in Loretto that will serve this community well,” Gov. Beshear said. “Our Kentucky seniors are a dynamic group, and my administration is consistently looking for ways to improve the services we offer them.”
Currently the city of Loretto, located in Marion County, does not have a dedicated senior center, leaving seniors to meet at an old gym where they are often displaced due to other community activities.
The grant will allow the city to turn a more than 5,000-square-foot former nursing home into a permanent senior citizens center. The vacant nursing home will be refurbished to house a large multi-purpose room, fitness area, kitchen and library/computer learning space. The new center will offer educational programs, health and nutritional services, exercise classes, and community partnership activities such as a grandparent storytelling and mentoring program with local youth.
“Initiatives such as this assist more than just a few individuals; they improve the lives of citizens throughout the entire community,” said 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 many future generations.”
The new center will also be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, Wilder said.
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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