The Pennsylvania Department of Aging announced a $3 million investment in 422 Senior Community Centers (SCCs) across the Commonwealth to help ensure older adults are supported in familiar, local places with services to stay healthy and connected to their communities.

Included in the announcement was Allegheny Community Center in Warren County received $43,000 that will go to capital improvements and renovations.

The $3 million includes $2 million in competitive grants and an additional $1 million in non-competitive grants. Gov. Josh Shapiro secured the addition of those non-competitive SCC grants in his first budget. Now, every year, they continue to be evenly distributed to hundreds of centers that did not apply for a competitive grant.

The competitive grants help SCCs fund larger-scale projects such as updating and modernizing facilities, providing new health and entertainment programs, upgrading technology, and enhancing nutrition services.

The grant funding is appropriated by the General Assembly with proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery.

“Pennsylvania’s Senior Community Centers are cornerstones in our communities and pillars of daily life for the older adults they serve. As we build the future of aging in Pennsylvania, we want to make sure that our centers are welcoming, inclusive assets that meet the changing needs of their local area,” said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. “The projects funded by both the competitive and non-competitive grants will help the recipients enhance the programs and services already in place as well as create new opportunities to welcome current visitors and attract new consumers.”

The additional $1 million that Shapiro secured in his first budget created a new, permanent non-competitive track in the grant program. Since the competitive grants normally fund larger scale projects, the non-competitive grants allow smaller needs to be met and more SCCs to benefit from the funding. A total of 388 SCCs were granted a non-competitive award of $2,577 per center.

Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 budget continues this investment in Senior Community Centers, and further invests more than $6 million to continue increasing oversight and accountability of the AAA network and transform the coordination of services for older adults through the PA Link.

Since taking office in 2023, Shapiro has invested more than $20 million to make life better for older Pennsylvanians by helping them stay safe, healthy and engaged in their communities and to continue building community support as they age. The Shapiro Administration also released Aging Our Way PA at the Governor’s direction, which sets a 10-year strategy to build more inclusive, supportive communities for the more than 3 million older adults who call Pennsylvania home.

Both the competitive and non-competitive grants will help SCCs fund projects based on their needs and the needs expressed by older adults. There are nearly 450 Area Agency on Aging-affiliated Senior Community Centers throughout Pennsylvania that provide a variety of offerings, such as nutritious meals, educational opportunities, transportation services, financial and insurance counseling, and exercise programs.