Senator Kissel Announces Funding for New Senior Center in Suffield

$750,000 Small Cities grant will help convert Calvary Church into new center
State Senator John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, today is announcing that funding in the amount of $750,000 is being awarded to the town of Suffield to help convert the Calvary Church into a permanent senior center. According to Sen. Kissel, the funds are coming from the state’s Small Cities grant program, which is providing over $13 million in funding to 28 towns in Connecticut for capital improvement projects, including infrastructure and housing improvements. The Small Cities program is administered by the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and is funded by a federal block grant.

“This is very good news for the town of Suffield as the new Senior Center will provide expanded services for the town’s senior population. The new facility is over twice the size of the current building at Suffield Village and will allow room for activities and programs along with kitchen space and additional restrooms,” said Sen. Kissel. “The town has been very diligent in their work to make sure they qualify for this grant and I commend Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) for approving this grant.”

Last year, Sen. Kissel wrote a letter to DECD Commissioner Joan McDonald endorsing the Town of Suffield’s application for the Small Cities grant. He said that the location of the Calvary Church site is beneficial to the seniors in Suffield as it is adjacent to over 100 units of public and private senior housing.

“Many of our state’s smaller communities do not have the means or the resources compared to our state’s bigger towns and cities, but they have many of the same needs,” said Sen. Kissel. “This grant lends important assistance to a project that is very worthwhile to the Suffield community.”

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