Senior Center Best Practices

Managers, Directors and Center Personnel

Senior Center Best Practices

Category
Money Making Ideas

Senior Center/Nutrition Program/Organization Name
Plum Senior Community Center

Address
499 Center-New Texas Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15239

Phone Number
412-795-2330

E-Mail
nina.segelson@verizon.net

Contact Person
Nina Segelson

Event Name
The Green Plum Farmer's Market

Description/Overview
The new Green Plum is an outdoor Farmer's Market located at the Plum Senior Community Center. The Green Plum will be open every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. (The day and time were selected from surveys of potential customers.) It began on June 25 and runs through October 14, under tents on the lawn, making the event possible rain or shine. The market features a variety of locally grown produce - including organics - supplied by a farmer's cooperative of nearly 30 local producers. Other specialty products and crafts vary from week to week, adding to the interest in return visits!

Time and Manpower
With oversight from the PSCC executive director, PSCC volunteers, and a paid part-time coordinator are responsible for the overall management of the market. Plum Borough Municipal staff give in-kind set up of tents and the staff and volunteers handle the set up of tables.

Apart from the market hours four (4), the average hours spent on this project are approximately six (6) hours a week.

Marketing
Roadside signs on site and at two key intersections, weekly newspaper articles and/or calendar listings, PSCC's website, eblasts, PSCC newsletter mailed to 5,000 homes, blog submissions for local paper websites, flyers at the adjacent Plum Creek Acres senior residence, and Plum Community Library, Plum Chamber of Commerce flyers and newsletter, internal promotion among PSCC consumers.

Audience Served
Particularly for seniors who may not have ready access to farmer's markets and nutritious fresh produce but the Green Plum is open to the whole community. This not only offers the community a healthful option but also increases revenue to sustain the market for seniors. Our market is centrally located in the Borough and is located on a heavily traveled road which draws new customers. This is attractive to potential vendors to serve more than the senior population.

Partnerships Utilized
Plum Borough Municipality, Plum Community Library, PSCC volunteers/advisory council/board of directors. We plan to incorporate our future Gourmet Weight Wise program through C.C.A.C. and the Allegheny County Library Association's Wise Walk Program this September to mutually promote healthy eating.

Budget/Costs
The market operation is funded this first year through a $3,350 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Impact On Center
PSCC has seen an increase in the number of new seniors coming to the market beyond the normal number of consumers. Several new consumers have registered as result. Each week, despite several weeks of extreme heat, the number of vendors and shoppers has grown. The community residents who shop now have a greater awareness of the work of the PSCC.

Good Tips/Other
We were able to secure a grant for the market's business plan and the initial year's operation. Must have contingency plans! We planned for indoor space in case of extreme inclement weather. We used a local farm alliance to supply some produce to offer a broader selection and volume. (A few local farmers were unable to commit the time to the market due to the pressing needs of managing their own businesses.)