The Ballard Senior Center is facing a loss in funding after United Way of King County changed their focus from supporting senior services and the disabled to the education of young children and homelessness prevention.

United Way of King County is a primary funder of Senior Services, a non-profit devoted to supporting seniors and the disabled. After 50 years of support they have decided to change their focus.

Jerry Aronson, Director of Communications United Way of King County, said that the change in focus comes as they aim to move from an umbrella strategy to a community impact method, which identifies the most pressing issues and what the most effective use of their funds would be. The changes won’t be implemented until July 2016.

Over the years UWKC has gradually moved their focus. In July of this year they released their strategic plan for 2020. Their goals are to get 80 percent of kids ready for kindergarten; 50 percent of at-risk youth a stable career path; 50,000 people to rise out of poverty and the number of people on the streets reduced by 50 percent.

“Because of those goals we have to make some really tough choices,” said Aronson.

The refocus means that UWKC will not be funding general service agencies for seniors and the disabled. UWKC invests $1.76 million in these services annually and $279,722 of that goes to Senior Services of Seattle and King County. The cuts will affect 30 agencies in the state, which encompasses 50,000 people. Senior Services is the largest of its kind in the state, and 11 of their 30 agencies are located in Seattle/King County. Among those agencies affected is the Ballard Senior Center.

Paula Houston, Director of Senior Services, said that the support from United Way goes toward discretionary funds used for their agencies.

“The funding for Ballard allows them to do additional programming and address specific needs for their community that might not otherwise be addressed with other funding. They -- like other agencies -- will have to do other types of fundraising to make up for the loss,” said Houston.

According to Carlye Teel, Director of the Ballard Senior Center, the cuts could mean big changes at the center.

“We are already a lean well-run machine here, and we are really going to feel the pain. … It’s putting a big hole in many agencies,” said Teel.

After the cuts next year, BSC would lose $30,000 in support, which represents about eight percent of their total budget. Other sources of funding come from the City, King County, fundraisers, private donations and community support.

The Mayor’s new budget does provide funding for senior centers and estimates they serve 12,500 individuals over 50. Last year’s budget provided $1,717,303 and the 2016 budget jumped to $1,248,251. However, Teel said that funds are geared toward socials services and not toward facility operations or discretionary funds.

Facing the loss in their budget, Teel said that they could cut hours of services or increase the cost for meals and memberships to make up for the shortage. Right now a membership at the center costs $50 a year, which was a jump from last year’s cost of $30. Meals for members have a recommended donation of $3 and $6 for non-members. The center serves about 60 people a day.

Special programs like classes could also be cut from the center, which include computer/cell phone/ technology courses and memoir writing.

“It’s very difficult to do fundraisers. We want our people to not have to pay for things we provide and many have fixed incomes, and with no increase in social security next year it’s hard for them.”

Teel said that there’s no way they can cut staff because they are already spread too thinly. There are five employees at the center, not counting the maintenance staff. With such low staff and 4,000 seniors coming to the center, Teel said that the 400 volunteers they have is really what keeps it operational.

“We couldn’t have a senior center without volunteers. They are the lifeblood of the center. Thank God for the volunteers, they are the ones that keep this place going.”

The Ballard News-Tribune stopped by for lunch and visited with members last week. Ham sandwiches were served with fruit cocktail followed by milk, cookies and coffee. Nancy and Leo Parks were there for lunch. They are members and said that they come to the center at least twice a week for the variety of cuisine and for the company. If the cost of membership or lunch goes up they said they would still come to the center because they’ve made friends and appreciate the management at the center. However, Nancy did say she could see how an increase in cost would mean some people would stop coming.

“Three dollars is not a lot of money, but it is if you don’t have any,” said Parks.

One senior, who asked not to be named, said he had a hard time seeing the difference in funding channels UWKC has decided to focus on.

“If centers like this stop being a resources to the people who need it, where do you think people end up?” he said and referred to the Ballard Homeless Encampment a few blocks from the center.

Teel said that she will be working on an end of the year appeal letter to potentially receive more funding, but in the meantime she said she would have to start thinking about fundraising and potentially making some tough cuts in the future.

“We are hopeful to do more fundraising and that the community will support us and be as generous as they can. Hopefully we pull together and figure out pathways for ourselves to find more funding”