about us
Collier Senior Center—Golden Gate, formerly known as Collier Senior Resources, is dedicated to providing comprehensive services, information and resources for seniors and caregivers.
MISSION & VISION:
Collier Senior Center is creatively fulfilling our mission and vision with community support and collaborations with partners dedicated to providing resources, programs and services to help Collier’s older adults and caregivers:
Mission: To facilitate access to comprehensive services and resources that enhance the quality of life of older adults and caregivers in Collier County, empowering them to maintain independent and meaningful lives.
Vision: A community that advocates for and empowers seniors and caregivers.
Please stop by and discover why Collier Senior Center—Golden Gate is YOUR Collier senior center! We’re open 9am – 5pm, Monday through Friday at 4898 Coronado Parkway, Naples, FL 34116.
In the face of COVID-19, the Collier Senior Center board, staff and volunteers quickly adapted to help reduce fear and isolation for our nearly 1,500 members with virtual offerings like Zumba, Yoga, support groups, UPSLIDE mental health counseling and more.
On June 29, 2020, we became the only Collier County senior center (and one of a few in the State) to provide in-person, daily hot lunches to hungry seniors while complying with COVID-19 guidelines.
Unfortunately, meeting COVID cleaning standards for in-house programs and providing virtual offerings for members who lack internet access, computers or smartphones means our charity has incurred additional costs.
Of course, we remain committed to Collier seniors and are open serving a daily breakfast and hot lunch, monthly bingo sessions plus other in-person activities to provide much-needed opportunities for friends to gather — all at no charge to the senior.
OUR HISTORY
Collier Senior Resources became the first senior resource center in Collier County when the Community Foundation of Collier County established the 501(c)3 tax-exempt, charitable organization in 2010 after:
- Determining low-income seniors in the greater Naples area were at high risk (our 1,500 diverse members are primarily female, largely Spanish-speaking and often live in poverty)
- Discovering that Collier was the only county in Florida without any type of senior center while having one of the highest populations of individuals over the age of 65
In 2014, Collier Senior Center—Golden Gate opened under the leadership of Tatiana Fortune, MSW, in the old Golden Gate Library building which was renovated to provide information, resources, programs and services to seniors and caregivers.
Today, collaborations help us provide more than 100 different programs and activities each month, at no cost to the seniors who participate, including:
- Harry Chapin and Meals of Hope – weekly food pantry for all in-need
- Collier County Nutrition Program – daily hot lunch for seniors who qualify
- AVOW, Naples Botanical Gardens, Catholic Charities, Sheriff’s Office, Veteran’s Services, transportation, Area Agency on Aging and more – programs, socialization and convenient access to sister-agencies/services
- Educational seminars, support groups and events for seniors and caregivers
- Arts, crafts, music, games, computer classes, exercise, gathering, recreational and developmental opportunities for seniors to offset isolation, loneliness and their effects on our seniors’ body, minds and spirits
Our ‘no wrong door’ philosophy guarantees that all visitors will find the information and resources needed as Senior Center Director Esther Lully, MSML, our volunteers and staff are knowledgeable, helpful, available to answer questions and dedicated to finding solutions. Additionally, staff and volunteers are fluent in English, Spanish and Creole.
Please stop by for a visit! Collier Senior Center—Golden Gate is open 9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday, at 4898 Coronado Parkway, Naples, FL 34116.
To learn more: Collier Senior Center Fact Sheet 2022