Corbin Senior Center facing budget crunch after funding cuts

The Corbin Senior Center is treading water, but officials say cuts to federal and state aid have the facility scrambling to make up the shortfall.

The center on Barbourville Street serves seniors, ages 60 and over in Whitley, Knox and Laurel Counties.

Center Director Beverly Faulkner said the lost funding primarily impacts the center’s meal program, which provides a hot lunch meal to 98 area seniors Monday through Friday.

The facility normally serves 55 of the meals in house with an additional 43 delivered across the community.

“It is a family,” Faulkner said of the seniors that come to the center noting without the Corbin center, the seniors would have to travel to Williamsburg, Barbourville or London.

Faulkner said the seniors come from each county on a fairly even basis, with 36 percent from Whitley, 39 percent from Knox and 25 percent from Laurel according to a survey conducted in 2018.

In addition to the meals, Faulkner said the center provides a variety of information programs for the seniors.

“We have a pharmacist that comes in once a month to speak with the seniors about health issues or medications,” Faulkner said.

“We offer musical entertainment. We play bingo. We have in home services such as maids that come in to provide light housekeeping,” Faulkner said explaining the annual budget is $177,000.

Faulkner said the City of Corbin, area churches, Baptist Health Corbin, and area clubs including the Ossoli Club, Rotary Club and Lions Club, provide assistance.

In addition, as a 501c3 non profit organization, the center receives private donations.

Faulkner said a single meal for a single day costs $4.12.

“We don’t have a kitchen, so the meals are prepared at the Williamsburg center and transported to Corbin,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner said board members have spoken with officials in Laurel and Knox County, and plan to seek help from the Whitley County Fiscal Court.

Knox County Judge-executive Mike Mitchell was at the center Monday.

Mitchell said the Knox County Fiscal Court is, “taking it under advisement to see what we can do to assist.”

Faulkner said any donations would be welcome and appreciated.

The donations may be dropped off at the center, or mailed to:

409 Barbourville Street

Corbin, KY 40701

“We haven’t had to cut out any of the meals,” Faulkner said. “We are continuing on with it, hoping everyday that we will have the funding to pay for it.”