The Friends of Natick Senior Center, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to support the programs, services and events run by the Town of Natick’s Council on Aging (COA). For over 43 years, the Friends has been a strong advocate and generous financial benefactor of the COA.The Friends organization is a strong voice for the COA. The Friends provides vital support for programs and services which foster and enhance an active, healthy senior community.
● Through fundraising and volunteer support, the Friends supplements and fills gaps in the funding the COA receives from the Town of Natick and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
● The Friends promotes the programs and services of the COA and advocates for seniors in the wider Natick community.
The Friends holds its Annual Meeting in early May to review the previous year's activities, elect Board members and disclose our finances for the past year. All members are welcome to attend and notices of upcoming meetings are published in the COA’s Sentinel newsletter.
Joan Bace, Co-President
Ginny Constantine, Co-President, Recording Secretary
Jerry Pierce, Treasurer
Peg Gately, Correspondence Secretary
Members: Lois Benard, Maryjane Burgess, Judy D’Antonio, Fred Glass, Lila Packer, Bob Severance, Cathy Ubaldino, Dick Yetman
Associate Members: Cindy Hurley, Charlotte Swartz
Council on Aging Representatives: Karen Oakley, Susan Ramsey
The Friends of Natick Senior Center, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3)non-profit organization whose mission is to raise funds for programs, services and events offered to seniors by Natick’s Council on Aging (COA). We also provide funds to purchase equipment not covered under the COA’s operating budget. We work collaboratively with the COA as both organizations aspire to enrich the lives of Natick seniors.
Our funds come from membership fees, event fundraising, gifts and bequests, revenue from the Little Gift Shop and our knitting and quilting groups, and grants from local businesses.
On an ongoing basis, the Friends of Natick Senior Center:
● subsidizes fees for programs, events, transportation, and services for seniors in need.
● is the lead sponsor for the annual senior Holiday Dinner.
● organizes and hosts the annual Craft Fair in December.
● supports the COA’s annual Volunteer Recognition Event.
● sponsors and hosts monthly Birthday Celebrations.
● participates in NATICK DAYS, offering sought-after pony rides.
We also raise funds for one-time purchases of equipment not covered by the COA’s operating budget. For example, the Friends:
● purchased the grand piano in the East Room.
● provided matching funds to the COA for a grant application to purchase an Electric car (EV) for medical transportation.
Since its inception in 1977, the Friends has continuously raised funds to support services, programs and events run by the COA. Over the years, the Friends organization has successfully raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our fundraising efforts have assisted the COA in piloting new projects, sustaining ongoing projects like the annual holiday dinner attended by over 300 Natick seniors, and providing matching monies for grants to begin or expand services and for the purchase of items not covered by the COA’s operating budget.
The Friends success is rooted in the dedication and support of our partners, namely our over 400 members, community businesses, and volunteers. The number of partners grows each year, positioning the Friends to provide increasing support to the COA and seniors of Natick.
Opened in 1970, 10 Wilson Street, the former Episcopal Church served as Natick's first Senior Center. Moving to the repurposed East School in 1987 offered the space to expand and create new programs and services for Natick Seniors. Built in 2012, this state of the art Senior center dramatically expanded its program offerings and was renamed the Natick Community-Senior Center.
Click here to download the Friends of Natick Senior Center, Inc. Bylaws.
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