Telling Your Senior Center Community's Story

Your senior center is often a place full of energy, friendship, learning, and connection. Outside your walls, members of the public who are not involved in your community may not fully understand the impact you make every day — this is why telling your story is so important. When done well, storytelling can boost awareness, grow support, and help your community truly see the value of what you do.

Using your senior center’s website, your print and digital newsletter, or social media to convey the sense of community you’ve built is a great way to connect and engage with potential new members and business partners who can support your mission. The key is to find ways to authentically share the connections among the people who are part of your organization, whether they're older adults, families, or members of your team.

Why Your Organization’s Stories Matter

Too often, senior centers are misunderstood or overlooked. The public may think of them solely as quiet spaces where people play bingo and card games together and stare out the window. The truth, of course, presents a much more vibrant picture.

By sharing real stories of connection from your community, you can:

• Challenge outdated stereotypes about aging.
• Highlight the positive impact your programs have on health, social connection, and quality of life locally.
• Attract new members, volunteers, donors, community partners, and general interest.

What Stories Should You Share to Make an Impact?

Think about the moments that define your center’s special identity. What are the activities, both informal and formal, that build the bonds you witness between people each day? A few great places to start exploring are:

• Personal stories: Ask members who’ve found friendship, purpose, or healing through your programs to share their journeys. To make it easier for them, interview them and document their answers, which you can then include in your content and social media.
  
  
• Photos and videos: People love to see the lively happenings, so post videos and photos of your activities. You’ll likely find interest in everything from fitness classes to art shows and holiday celebrations.
  
  
• Top 5 lists: Ask people to list the top five things they enjoy about your community. You can share individual responses with accompanying photos. This is also a good strategy for identifying which of your organization’s activities/benefits are most popular.
  
  
• Staff or volunteer spotlights: Don’t forget to showcase the people behind the scenes who make things happen. Learning more about what attracts them to work or volunteer with the organization will yield interesting and meaningful stories!
  
  
• Partnerships: Tell the stories of your collaborations with local schools, businesses, or health providers, too. Promoting these partnerships is another way to expand your reach.
  
  
• Positive outcomes: Isolation and loneliness are linked to a variety of health concerns among older adults. Think about the stories of how your community has helped people feel less alone and more connected.
  
  

Keep in mind that the most compelling stories might be the smallest ones! A story about someone learning to use email to connect with faraway family members or trying tai chi for the first time at age 80 could be super compelling and help connect your center with the greater public. Don’t assume that people are only interested in the biggest parties or grandest gestures. People often find the most connection in everyday activities.

To gain additional insight into this topic, read Incorporating Member Stories in Newsletters to Build a Sense of Belonging.

Solutions to Help Market Your Senior Center

One thing many senior centers have in common is that they are trying to accomplish a lot with a limited number of staff. Even the most dedicated team members can struggle to manage all the necessary marketing tasks. That’s where LPi can be of assistance.

With solutions for sponsor-supported websites (free for your organization!), free print and digital newsletters, options for a logo refresh or new branding, and more, LPi can partner with you to find cost-effective ways to accomplish your goals. Contact us today to learn more!