The Future of SOC: Part Three - The Vision

A New Facility
SOC’s Vision is a simple one. We want and need to continue to provide the best services to seniors living in the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods communities. In order to accomplish this effectively, SOC needs to bring the community what they have been asking for - a building that has adequate space for the programs our seniors need, in a home that will make our whole community proud. 

To realize this vision, SOC was gifted the use of a 10,000 sq. ft. facility for the next 30 years - the beautiful, historic Newberry House on Ridge Road in Grosse Pointe Farms adjacent to Cottage Hospital.  This generous donation by Henry Ford Health System will dramatically transform senior services in the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods by providing more space for programs while also making sure that SOC will remain economically sustainable.

Our last installment, The Future of SOC: Part 2, explained SOC’s new business model that will provide sustainable income from current SOC services but in order to fully realize those revenues, SOC must expand its physical space to accommodate additional volunteers and part time staff. Restoration of the Newberry House will cost an estimated $3 million.

Today, SOC serves 9,000 of the 11,000 seniors in our community each year. In 1994, just 3,000 seniors contacted SOC for assistance. SOC’s current office houses 17 employees in a 1,000 sq. ft. office.  The shared space between SOC and the Neighborhood Club is an additional 3,000 square feet. SOC’s Information and Assistance and Case Coordination departments are under serious strain in the current location and our social workers have even had to meet with clients in the restroom to allow them the privacy to discuss personal matters. 

SOC has done incredibly well in the spaces it has called home over the years. However, the time has come to adapt a facility that meets the needs of our programs and the needs of the community.

A Home of Our Own
SOC needs a dedicated home of its own. In addition, seniors and their families are calling for a facility that has the feeling of a modern senior center with all the latest amenities including:

• A lobby with a (volunteer) receptionist
• A dedicated dining/banquet room available for SOC activities and community events
• A fully functional kitchen
• Several multi-purpose activity rooms adaptable to exercise and yoga classes, crafts, educational classrooms for lectures and computer classes
• A media center
• A safe, welcoming place to have coffee, play cards and sit in comfortable chairs with a friend at all hours of the day
• Private offices for social workers
• Increased office space to accommodate 100% more volunteers than SOC can currently have at any given time.

Most importantly, if we do not relocate to a larger space soon, SOC will not be able to grow its programs to a level that provides what seniors really need, along with sustainability and a steady stream of earned income in these most uncertain times. Friends, community leaders and the thousands of seniors that depend on SOC services are looking to us to realize this important vision. But it will take the entire community to make it happen.

Our new home on Ridge Road will vastly enhance SOC’s ability to improve its programming. Current programs offered monthly will be offered weekly, this will include:

• Teas
• Birthday celebrations
• Theme weeks
• Educational programs
• Special Workshops

Current programs offered weekly will be offered daily, this will include:

• Computer classes
• Lunch five days a week instead of four
• Trips
• Wii tournaments

This concludes our feature on the Future of SOC...for now!
View Part One - History of Change
View Part Two - Built to Last