Welcome

Support Booker T.

Welcome

Support Booker T.

Senior Wellness

Senior leaders shaping a more dignified future 

Our Senior Wellness program flips the script on aging. Here, over 225 elders serve as advisors, leaders, organizers, and community advocates through vibrant programming that encompasses intergenerational connection, social services, and leadership development. Activities include culturally-affirming healing circles, podcasting, intergenerational cooking, tech support, museum trips, and financial literacy workshops. Co-location with the Center's other programs means older adults also have access to housing assistance and culturally affirming food. Our Senior Advisory Council (SAC) is an integral part of the program’s success and agency. A cohort of older adults, SAC members draw on their expertise and experience to inform the program’s direction and priorities.

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seniors served weekly

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seniors served weekly

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seniors served weekly

Volunteer sitting behind a desk holding a basket of abundant produce
Volunteer sitting behind a desk holding a basket of abundant produce

Photo Credit: Lorem ipsum dolor

PHOTO CREDIT: LISA FRARE

Volunteer sitting behind a desk holding a basket of abundant produce

PHOTO CREDIT: LISA FRARE

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF BOOKER T.

Two older adults walk arm in arm, one with a cane, outdoors

Aging in place means aging in power

Many Black older adults in SF are experiencing isolation in combination with the cumulative effects of decades of discriminatory policies. As gentrification displaces neighbors and closes service centers, seniors lose the critical safety net allowing them to age in place with dignity and grace.  Ms. Barbara, who has been coming to the Center since 1962, “wakes up excited to come here.” Our programs help older adults feel connected, preventing loneliness and social isolation while enhancing physical and mental well-being. Seniors who previously felt invisible now teach, laugh, and lead.

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programs (up from 2 in 2021)

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programs (up from 2 in 2021)

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programs (up from 2 in 2021)

Two older adults walk arm in arm, one with a cane, outdoors
Two older adults walk arm in arm, one with a cane, outdoors

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report increased social connection

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report increased social connection

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report increased social connection

Intergenerational joy

Older adults share space and ideas with people across generations, including the youth in our K-TAY programs. Community partners help elders with technology; elders share culture and history with youth. Our older adults are also our strongest volunteers, pouring back into the Center as we pour into them. These connections make our community stronger and more vibrant.

PHOTO CREDIT: EMILY RUDISILL

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gained new skills

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gained new skills

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gained new skills

Growing up in this community and attending programs like Booker T. Washington in my youth had a profoundly positive impact on my upbringing, shaping the person I am today. When I asked my son to explain the significance of Booker T. to him, he simply replied, “Freedom and happiness.” I’ve come to understand the significance of patience, love, and support in maintaining community involvement. The consistent engagement with staff, parents, and students is what keeps my family committed to this program.

Ms. Cora

  • Growing up in this community and attending programs like Booker T. Washington in my youth had a profoundly positive impact on my upbringing, shaping the person I am today. When I asked my son to explain the significance of Booker T. to him, he simply replied, “Freedom and happiness.” I’ve come to understand the significance of patience, love, and support in maintaining community involvement. The consistent engagement with staff, parents, and students is what keeps my family committed to this program.

    Ms. Cora

  • When I came to Booker T. Washington, I was at my lowest point. I’m a single dad with three girls, and at the time, we didn’t have a place to live…They didn’t just give me a list of resources, they really listened and saw me. They helped me find the support I needed, from therapy to housing, and they walked with me through every step of the process. I didn’t feel judged, I felt respected.

  • Growing up in this community and attending programs like Booker T. Washington in my youth had a profoundly positive impact on my upbringing, shaping the person I am today. When I asked my son to explain the significance of Booker T. to him, he simply replied, “Freedom and happiness.” I’ve come to understand the significance of patience, love, and support in maintaining community involvement. The consistent engagement with staff, parents, and students is what keeps my family committed to this program.

    Ms. Cora

  • When I came to Booker T. Washington, I was at my lowest point. I’m a single dad with three girls, and at the time, we didn’t have a place to live…They didn’t just give me a list of resources, they really listened and saw me. They helped me find the support I needed, from therapy to housing, and they walked with me through every step of the process. I didn’t feel judged, I felt respected.

Growing up in this community and attending programs like Booker T. Washington in my youth had a profoundly positive impact on my upbringing, shaping the person I am today. When I asked my son to explain the significance of Booker T. to him, he simply replied, “Freedom and happiness.” I’ve come to understand the significance of patience, love, and support in maintaining community involvement. The consistent engagement with staff, parents, and students is what keeps my family committed to this program.

Ms. Cora

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF BOOKER T.

Partnership Spotlight

ECO Cohort 

Our groundbreaking ECO (Elder-Centered Outcomes) Cohort, funded by SCAN Foundation and Metta Fund, is a 14-month initiative bringing together intergenerational community members to identify and address health inequities while shifting power to older adults who have been historically excluded from policy decisions, providing them with design thinking tools and resources to create lasting community change.

Client Spotlight

Ms. Elaine

Three years ago, Ms. Elaine Samuels retired from her decades-long career as a mental health nurse with the California Department of Corrections. Since then, she has come to Booker T. Washington Community Service Center nearly every day, participating in classes and programs for older adults, volunteering, and advocating in Sacramento to improve the wellbeing of older adults across the state.

Black woman holding a postcard where she hand wrote Water Soil Air Freedom in colorful marker

PHOTO CREDIT: CHLOE JACKMAN

Learn about Our Program

Food to Freedom

Food to Freedom