By Vanessa Dabovich
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/krwg/local-krwg-944098.mp3
Las Cruces, NM – The Munson Senior Center received accreditation from the National Institute of Senior Centers. The center becomes the 197th senior center nationwide to receive the status which lasts five years.
Receiving accreditation was a year-long process and the center was required to meet nine standards of excellence that include goals and objectives, action plans, and community involvement.
Despite cuts in funding, the center as worked to maintain programs, but remodeling plans were affected.
Senior Centers Manager Sally Schutte says over four hundred thousand dollars was recalled by the state last year.
Schutte-"It did interfere with our remodeling, but we continued to do as much as we could without that funding. We tried not to let that affect our programs. If we needed to tighten our belt somewhere to keep programs going then that's what we did. What we have done this year to address the economy is we've looked at small increases in our day trips so it's a more realistic number. In little ways we're trying to face the economic challenges without affecting the program."
Schutte also says she thinks the accreditation could be used as leverage for funding in the future.
The Munson Center as well as three other senior centers in Las Cruces employ sixty five people and serve thousands of residents.