From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.
General Purpose
The Franklin Council on Aging (COA) / Franklin Senior Center enhances the independence and quality of life of Franklin’s older adults by identifying evolving needs and delivering programs, services, and supports that promote mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being. We serve as a community focal point for aging issues and a trusted access point for resources, benefits navigation, and caregiver support. The Senior Center serves as a liaison to local, state, and federal resources for the aging population and their families.
Our work strengthens community health by reducing isolation, supporting caregivers, and helping older adults remain safely in their homes for as long as possible.
Core Functions
● Programming and Community Engagement: Provide a wide range of social, educational, cultural, and wellness programs that foster connection and support healthy aging. These programs help prevent social isolation, which is linked to increased risks of depression, cognitive decline, and other health concerns among older adults. Participation tracking is essential to program planning and to demonstrating impact for municipal and grant funding.
● Nutrition and food access: Provide daily nutrition services for both the public and participants in the Supportive Day Program. Through the Common Grounds Café, the Senior Center offers weekday breakfast and lunch, creating an accessible space for residents to enjoy affordable meals and social connection.
● Dementia-capable programming and caregiver support: The Senior Center hosts a daily supportive day program (Sunshine Club) for individuals with dementia/cognitive decline and older adults experiencing social isolation, offering structured engagement and respite for caregivers.
● Health, wellness, and prevention supports: Offer prevention-focused supports to help residents manage chronic conditions and stay active. These services include educational programs, support groups, basic health screenings, and access to wellness resources that support the physical, emotional, and social well-being of older adults.
● Social services, advocacy, and benefits navigation: Assist older adults and their families with resource connections, referrals, applications, and advocacy. This includes housing guidance, benefits enrollment assistance (such as SNAP, MassHealth, and fuel assistance, support), navigating Medicare and insurance questions, and referrals to home care and other community services that help residents remain safe and independent.
● Provide transportation through the Senior Center van to reduce barriers to participation and help residents access programs, essential services, and community connection. Serve as a liaison with the local Regional Transit Authority and other transportation providers to help older adults access medical appointments and regional services.
Staffing
● One (1) Director
● One (1) Deputy Director
● One (1) Executive Assistant
● One (1) part-time Administrative Assistant
● One (1) Chef & Kitchen Manager
● Two (2) part-time Line Cooks
● One (1) Transportation and Volunteer Coordinator
● Two (2) part-time Van Drivers
● One (1) Social Service Coordinator
● One (1) Activities Coordinator
● One (1) Supportive Day Coordinator
● One (1) Supportive Day and Special Projects Coordinator
● One (1) part-time Community Wellness Nurse
Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments
● Demonstrated significant community impact through measurable growth in membership, program delivery, nutrition services, respite hours, volunteer engagement, and social service support.
● Expanded access to programs through implementation of an online registration platform, improving ease of enrollment, reducing administrative barriers, and increasing participation accessibility.
● Secured external grant funding to expand health and wellness programming and improve accessibility. The Senior Center received $24,660 in grant funding to modernize the fitness space and replace aging equipment with two recumbent bikes, two seated ellipticals, and two treadmills, improving access to safe,
low-impact exercise options for older adults. In addition, the Franklin Cultural Council awarded $1,800 to support a monthly Memory Café, a welcoming, social gathering designed for individuals living with memory loss and their care partners.
● Maintained continuity of operations during a temporary building closure by relocating programs to partner sites, ensuring uninterrupted access to meals, social engagement, and essential services. During this period, the Senior Center delivered 49 programs across eight off-site locations, allowing vital services, including respite care through the supportive day program, food services, fitness classes, and support groups, to continue without interruption while demonstrating strong cross-community collaboration and continuity planning.
● Strengthened caregiver support infrastructure through expanded respite programming and dedicated caregiver appreciation initiatives.
● Delivered large-scale community-wide events that strengthened connection, reduced social isolation, and fostered intergenerational engagement. In the calendar year 2025, the Franklin Senior Center hosted several signature events, including Winter Wonderland (523 attendees), Senior Olympics (112 participants), and the first Caregiver Appreciation Day (serving 77 caregivers and their families).
● Strengthen operational efficiency through program review and stabilization: As participation and service demand continue to grow, FY27 will focus on reviewing programs, processes, and scheduling to ensure the department is making the most effective use of existing resources. With participation expected to continue rising, staff will prioritize efficiencies and thoughtful program evaluation to ensure the Senior Center can continue delivering high-impact services while maintaining current staffing levels.
● The following metrics highlight both the scale of services delivered and the continued growth in participation across the Franklin Senior Center.
○ Membership: 615 new members, 231 average daily attendance, 2,102 total active members (4,343 Guests), 57,608 Event Check-Ins○ Programs: 6536 total programs delivered; 122 unique monthly programs○ Nutrition: 18,990 meals served○ Supportive Day Program: 11,724 respite hours○ Social Services: 1,538 contacts○ Transportation: 1,785 rides provided; 158 unique riders, funded an additional 4,119 rides to the Senior Center and Food Pantry through GATRA○ Volunteers: 2,029 volunteer hours; 94 volunteers
● The following charts illustrate the continued growth in participation and service delivery across several core program areas of the Franklin Senior Center.
Continue reading this section. The PDF contains additional text and charts not shared here https://drive.google.com/file/d/15T9lcrw3x_11lFrv8_XGpRlcOrCZTF13/view?usp=drive_link
For the full FY 2027 budget narrative https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1
The FY 2027 budget information can be found
