LAKELAND, Fla. — Through the doors of College Heights United Methodist Church, the Rath Senior Connextions Center runs its daily operations, working to meet the needs of seniors across the city.

What You Need To Know

  • Despite seniors making up over 20% of Lakeland’s population, the city does not have a dedicated location for them

  • Rath Senior Connextions and their partners have been working for years to establish a senior center, highlighting the ongoing need for accessible support for older residents

  • The city of Lakeland has pledged $100,000 toward the creation of a senior hub, but only if community groups can match it

Inside, calls from community members roll in throughout the day. Longtime volunteer Charlie Burdette says those calls range from people needing a ride to those looking for housing.

“We get such a variety of things, and then we get really hard things,” Burdette said. “It is particularly difficult for seniors who have moved here and don’t know anything about the resources available — and even people who have lived here all their lives aren’t aware of them.”

Executive director Dr. Rose Marie Lamm says she created the Rath Senior Connextions Center for that very reason. Before starting the nonprofit 21 years ago, Lamm says seniors in Lakeland didn’t have a place to go for resources or services. Fast-forward to today, she says in many ways, the need is still the same.

“We don’t have a central center where people can go physically and hear about actual services that are available,” she said.

Despite U.S. Census data showing that residents age 65 and older make up more than 20% of Lakeland’s population, Lamm says the city is one of the few areas in the Tampa Bay region without a central location for senior services.

After years of pushing for a senior center, the Lakeland Senior Hub — a collaborative initiative that includes several groups, including the Rath — got the chance to present a plan to city commissioners in 2024. However, Lamm says the idea received mixed reactions from leaders.

“We already have services for seniors. We have services, but nothing is coordinated. And how are people supposed to find things when they’re not coordinated?” she said. “And remember, we also have to keep in mind that seniors aren’t all online. It’s hard for younger people to even begin to understand that. So, we had to present that, and I’m not sure it was completely understood.”

Ultimately, city officials agreed to a $100,000 contribution on the condition that the Senior Hub can match the funds. Now, the Rath and its collaborative partners are working to raise the money to bring the center to life.

But Lamm says they’ll need the community’s help.

“Any amount would be wonderful,” she said.

In the meantime, volunteers like Burdette will remain by the phone, continuing to connect with those who rely on their support.

To learn more about how you can support the Lakeland Senior Hub, visit their website.