Dear Friends of Pinal-Gila Council:
We take pride in the organization that Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens has become over the past 46 years. We will remain forever grateful for the group of volunteers in 1973—the Pinal and Gila senior advocates—who had the foresight to form this 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. They were the individuals who led the movement to get organized, for the sole purpose of offering assistance and services to their local senior citizens, so all could remain independent and age with dignity in their own homes and communities.
From there and through the years, there have been new volunteers, Board of Directors, Advisory Council members, administrators, staff and service provider organizations, Counties, Cities/Towns and public/private partners who have emerged and taken the leadership role to keep the programs going and thriving. We believe that our fortitude and strength to remain serving our communities is based on our commitment to deliver the highest quality of service with dignity. Our role has expanded, even more so, to serving adults with disabilities, family caregivers and the most vulnerable and frail within our rural communities.
Our designation as the Area Agency on Aging - Region V for both Pinal and Gila counties by the State of Arizona, gave our agency the Federal and State funding base to grow our continuum of services. The partnerships formed with the Department of Economic Security – DAAS, United Way of Pinal County, Pinal/Gila County Government, Cities, Towns, Pinal-Gila Council’s Senior Foundation and others, continue to be important because the senior population and need is growing.
Over the last decade, our region had the fastest growth rate for older adults in the state; the senior (60 and over) population in Pinal County has grown by 90.8%, from 38,858 to 74,125, now comprising 20% of the county’s total population (2010 Census). And in Gila County the senior population has grown by 27.2%, from 13,333 to 16,961, now comprising 32% of the population in the county. The growth in senior population has had a direct impact on the growth of services needed in our communities.
No doubt, Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens will continue to be the focal point in serving our seniors for the next 46 years, and the future will be shaped by the new generation of volunteers, partnerships, staff and advocates. If you are interested in joining us and helping, please contact us.
Olivia B. Guerrero, President/CEO