State highlights Jones County Senior Center after proposed federal budget cuts

GRAY, Georgia (41NBC/WGMT) – The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) wants everyone to know how important federal funding can be.

As part of their National Community Development Week, the commissioner of the DCA was in Gray to tour the Jones County Senior Center, a modern building constructed in due part to federal funding in 2012.

Funding that could be dropped if cuts in Washington, D.C. are made, and what are known as State Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) cease.

“We think that really the value of this program speaks for itself,” said Commissioner Camila Knowles. “And so we think that highlighting things like [the senior center] is the best way to advocate for continuation of the program.”

With those proposed federal cuts, the Jones County senior center wouldn’t be what it is today. With the help of those funds, the center was able to expand and now serves a larger number of seniors in the community.

“The senior center is a place for seniors to come everyday, and enjoy fellowship, and activities, and nutritious meals, and to have that socialization that we all need,” said Laura Mathis, the Executive Director of the Middle Georgia Regional Commission.

“If the funding was eliminated on the federal level, then there wouldn’t be resources available to communities to build senior centers like this,” Mathis added.

In 2016, $37.5 million was given out in the state of Georgia thanks to those community development block grants.