Challenge Accepted! Thank you, Byrne Foundation!

Good news! The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation has pledged to match donations to Bugbee Senior Center, dollar-for-dollar, up to $40,000 until the end of the year. The Byrne Foundation supports many local nonprofits, and we are honored to receive this challenge. Mrs. Byrne expressed “I realize what an important part of the community Bugbee is and I congratulate you on reaching so many people in this very special Upper Valley.”

Challenge accepted! This gift comes at a time when participation continues to grow, and the Center is busy as ever. Programs like Walk With Ease, the Bugbee Games, Locally Yours, and Mini-Trips are new mainstays on the calendar. Bugbee’s Meals on Wheels program continues to see demand – in fact, this year we had to create a sixth delivery route to meet the need! Social service office hours are expanding, and new partners from around the community are getting involved to offer and to support programs at Bugbee, including AARP Vermont, Hartford Parks & Rec, Junction Arts & Media, and more.

Bugbee is welcoming more and more new seniors, and fundraising is what supports this growth. Most programs are free or offered at as low a cost as possible because of individual donations. Let’s keep it that way so that everyone who would like to participate in life at Bugbee is able to do so! Senior centers are not only fun, they play a meaningful role in warding off the ills of social isolation.

As one Bugbee participant put it: “There’s a non-judgmental environment where everybody is here for the same reason: to have friends, and companionship, to do activities together and everything other than just sitting at home.”

We hope you will consider donating to support services, support, nutrition, and activities for area seniors. All contributions between now and the end of the year will count towards the match, up to $40,000. This means that every contribution truly matters. This senior center belongs to you and is supported by you. We can do it!