LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Seven months since the sudden shutdown of a vital west Louisville senior care center, residents are hopeful new leadership can turn the tide.
In April, ElderServe said the pandemic put a major financial strain on the nonprofit leading to what they called a "temporary closure."
At the time, CEO Patty Belden said they needed time to regroup and more help from local and state officials. It's left questions over what went wrong, after decades of success.
Now, Belden has resigned. ElderServe announced its new CEO, board additions and a plan to revitalize the west end senior center located at 28th and Magazine St. that provides a food pantry, wellness care and a sense of community to fight isolation.
The nonprofit named Rev. Tim Findley Jr., a Louisville business and community leader, as its new CEO Thursday. And on Friday, he spoke with WHAS 11 News.
"It's our responsibility to help, care for and to see our seniors thrive," he said.
Findley is a senior pastor at Kingdom Fellowship Christian Life Center and the founder of the Justice and Freedom Coalition. He also previously served as a faith-based liaison for the Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, in addition to being a member of Gov. Andy Beshear’s Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Transition Team.
Findley says finances will be a top priority in this relaunch, getting more doners on board who are willing to help.
"For everyone who understands the value of our seniors, it's [about] getting them plugged in to what is going on," Findley said. "It's making sure that we are both financially and emotionally volunteering and supporting to make sure that our seniors are taken care of."
Former Louisville Urban League president and CEO, and current CEO of The Perception Institute, Sadiqa Reynolds is now serving as a strategic advisor to Findley. In addition, Monica Moman-Saunders, Jackie Floyd and Mike Carr have been named to the board of directors.
"One of the first things is to get the funding in the door and really restructure and create a sustainable organization," Reynolds said. "There's no reason why this organization shouldn't be able to be sustained. It's just too important to our community."
The ElderServe board of directors has been working to put in place a financial package to completely revive the center's “Oak & Acorn” building according to the release.
They hope to start redevelopment by early next year, and want to resume full programming by the end of the redevelopment phase, which will be later in 2023.
“The pause in ElderServe sent shock waves through those of us in Louisville who love its mission and the people it served for more than 60 years," John Moore, ElderServe board president, said. "We knew something imaginative and thoughtful had to be done – we could not just stand by and watch this key aspect of community care go away."
Findley says they'll also be renovating the building itself, even expanding it to make room for more adult daycare services.
It's now his job not just to lead the push to reopen, but to give this lifeline for seniors staying-power in a post-COVID era - and to ensure the most vulnerable people in the Russell neighborhood and beyond are given the support they deserve.
"I think there was a challenge really getting those inroads into the community. I think that's a strong point of mine, of Sadiqa's, Jackie Floyd's, and so many others who are committed to seeing ElderServe grow and be effective," Findley said.
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