With your management and leadership, the program will continue and be even better” The Brattleboro Senior Meals Board
From 1997 to 2020 that what Chris McAvoy has done just that. Brattleboro Senior Meals from 1997 to 2004 the program was under Senior Solutions. In 2004 Senior Solutions decided that they would no longer fund the meals program at this site.
Chris with the help of a group of seniors, headed by Greg Propster, decided to become their own entity and for a non-profit, 501c3. With this accomplished Chris was able move the program with her management and leadership skills.
She now passes the Directorship to Cynthia Fisher. Who took over the reins on November 13, 2020. The Brattleboro Senior Meals Board is happy to have someone with the managerial skills to continue the work of Brattleboro Senior Meals at a time when all of our resources are focused on providing seniors with meals safely.
We say good-bye to Chris, after 23 years of dedication to the program and greetings to Cynthia, taking over this challenging position.
Appreciation for Chris and all the staff
Great to hear the backstory: I has no idea that the congregant dining program at the Senior Center was saved from the chopping block in 2004, thanks to Chris’ leadership.
Along with Chris, everyone involved, including kitchen staff and volunteer servers, made the pre-covid lunches welcoming opportunities for friendly conversations and meeting new friends. And the food is always great!
Chris and the kitchen staff made sure that anyone who needed a vegan or gluten-free meal were cheerfully accommodated. Kathryn has participated for years, always supportive and encouraging.
Good luck to Cynthia Fisher, and thank you for stepping in to keep the program on track.
Brattleboro Senior Meals Retires
Regarding the article “Brattleboro Senior Meals Director Retires”. This article meant only to honor Chris McAvoy for her excellent leadership of the Senior Meals Program. In no way was the article meant to infer that we are not one hundred percent supported by Senior Solutions.
In 2004 a group of seniors, headed by Greg Propster and supported by Chris, determined – after a great deal of reflection – that Brattleboro Senior Meals should become an independent non-profit 501c3 organization. Beyond the program goals of providing area seniors with regular meals and a link to the larger community, the group wanted to keep their long-time kitchen help and keep their meals prepared on site. In addition, becoming a 501c3 allowed Brattleboro Senior Meals the opportunity to apply for grants and other fund-raising opportunities.
Brattleboro Senior Meals appreciates the ongoing support from Senior Solutions. That support, and with Cynthia Fisher as the new Director, means that the Brattleboro Senior Meals is able to continue to provide meals for our seniors during this very stressful time
For the record
The revised story is a bit different, perhaps sanitized?
The original story said the following:
“In 2004 Senior Solutions decided that they would no longer fund the meals program at this site.
“Chris with the help of a group of seniors, headed by Greg Propster, decided to become their own entity and for a non-profit, 501c3. With this accomplished Chris was able move the program with her management and leadership skills.”