Senior District Director Trudy Sorensen stands in front of the building that will be our new Senior Hub located near the Tacoma Mall. The hub will likely open to the public in 2021 following safe opening protocols. Until then, employees will continue to provide services working remotely.

Senior District Director Trudy Sorensen is excited about our new Senior Hub that is about to open in Tacoma. The hub will serve as the primary office for the South Puget Sound (SPS) District.

“It’s a great space that meets our needs and a very different layout than our current office,” Sorensen said. “The building is handicapped accessible and all on one level, which is key when you work with seniors.”

The building has plenty of well-lit space for offices, meeting rooms and employee areas. In the back, there is a large loading dock that will be used by Santa for Seniors, Meals on Wheels and Senior Media Services.

The Senior Hub will be located at 3848 South Junett Street near the Tacoma Mall. There is ample parking and better transportation options than our current office, the lovely old house on North Yakima Avenue in the Stadium District.

The office move started in December, with minimal disruption to services. Staff will continue to provide essential services, but will still be working remotely during the pandemic. Employees, volunteers and clients will likely start using the Senior Hub in 2021 after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

”We’ll have time to put our hub together before we really start using it,” Sorensen said. “Our funders are excited about our new space too.”

The first phase of the Aging with Grace fundraising campaign to establish the Senior Hub is complete. Special thanks to the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation, William A. Looney Family Foundation, Ben B. Cheney Foundation, Sequoia Foundation and the Bamford Family Foundation for making substantial donations. Thanks to individual donors who also made the hub project possible.

Two years ago, we started looking for a new SPS home as we had outgrown the house. The house has character, but it’s not very efficient or accessible with multiple floors and many unique rooms that housed offices.

The original plan was to locate the Senior Hub at a building in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood. That location needed extensive remodeling.

“When the COVID restrictions hit, we realized raising money and doing a timely major remodel wasn’t going to work,” Sorensen said. “We decided to look for a different building, and we found one that was more move-in ready and a better fit for our seniors.”

SPS programs have continued to operate throughout the pandemic. Protocols are followed to keep clients and staff safe. Essential services including home care, Meals on Wheels and Santa for Seniors will use the new facility immediately after the move.