The Korth Senior Center, a longtime gathering place for seniors in Stockton, Missouri, announced it will close on November 25, with the final in‑person meal service scheduled for November 24. The decision follows an inability to fund essential repairs to the building’s roof, windows, kitchen, plumbing and parking lot.
Board Structure and Funding Challenges
Two separate boards oversee the center. The building board owns and maintains the physical structure, while a senior‑center board handles fundraising and community outreach. The building board has struggled to secure the money needed for critical repairs, leaving the facility in a deteriorating state.
Care Connection, an aging‑services agency that operates out of the building, has contributed financially in the past but cannot cover the full cost of keeping the center open. “They were just struggling with how to pay for those repairs. These rural communities are just struggling because there’s only so much money to go around,” said Wendy Martin of Care Connection.
Declining Attendance and State Funding Cuts
Martin also cited declining attendance as a factor. “Our attendance a little over a year ago was an average of about 32 meals a day, and last week’s average was 22,” she noted. The state’s proposed 20% cut to the Senior Services Growth and Development Fund, established by statute 192.385, further strained the center’s finances.
Impact on Seniors
Local seniors rely heavily on the center for meals and social interaction. “There have been days where I don’t have transportation, I can’t go to the store, I run out of money by the end of the month, sometimes by the 20th, and I rely on this place for food,” said Brian White, a regular patron.
Gary Johnson, another Stockton senior, added, “A lot of us meet here every day, we eat together, we play pool, play cards, it’s a recreational thing. Without it, many will sit at home and do nothing. It’s not a good thing.” Volunteer Ginny Witt echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the center’s daily importance to many residents.
Community Response
Local volunteers are organizing meetings and fundraising efforts to keep the center alive. Residents are encouraged to donate space for gatherings or provide meals. Care Connection has pledged to continue offering essential services to Stockton seniors, even without the building.
The closure highlights broader challenges faced by rural senior services, where limited funding and aging infrastructure often force difficult choices. As Stockton families and volunteers rally to support their seniors, the loss of the Korth Senior Center serves as a reminder of the vital role such facilities play in fostering community, providing nutrition, and combating isolation among older adults.
Original reporting: KY3 Springfield (local) — read the source article.
