Celebrating culture and connection at Norris Square Senior Center
At Norris Square Senior Community Center, you will find a vibrant older adult community engaged in many activities to assist them in remaining healthy through good food, friendships and strong connections.
Thousands of older Philadelphians find community and connection at the 28 PCA-funded senior community centers and satellite meal sites across the city.
Senior centers offer a variety of programs, including wellness workshops, exercise classes, foreign language lessons, computer training, arts and crafts, all designed to foster friendships and lasting connections. Throughout the year, many of these centers host special events to empower older adults to embrace their diverse roots and celebrate together.
“Norris Square encourages our members to age in a healthy way that promotes socialization,” said the center’s manager, Wanda Mercado. “They volunteer here, establish friendships and create a real sense of community, which is very important.”
Nearly 100 active, energetic older adults visit the center in North Philadelphia every weekday for hot lunches, spirited conversation, fun games, crafts, vigorous dancing, weekly mass, and other social services.
“When we retire, those connections are very important,” Mercado said. “Norris Square serves to keep our community together and thriving based on its unique needs.”
One of four senior centers run by Catholic Housing & Community Services (CHCS) in Philadelphia, Norris Square serves a mostly Latino community from Puerto Rican heritage. The center reflects this cultural communal spirit as residents gather to talk, dance and play dominoes. To reinforce members’ strong bonds, Spanish is the primary language spoken. Norris Square’s staff helps Spanish speakers translate and understand important documents.
One of the most popular offerings for older adults is a hot lunch, prepared by two cooks and volunteers, which enhances the collaborative spirit of the center. The tradition began 50 years ago when Carmen Aponte started feeding her Latino neighbors in a church basement, quickly growing to more than 200 people each meal.
The food reflects Puerto Rico’s rich cultural heritage present in the community, but also features African, Spanish and Taino influences. By the early 1970s, the federal government established local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to aid older adults. CHCS (then Catholic Social Services) partnered with PCA, Philadelphia’s AAA, to establish Norris Square Senior Center in 1973. The Catholic Charities Appeal continues to be a significant funding source for Norris Square and other CHCS-affiliated senior centers.
“PCA is unwavering in its commitment to developing senior centers that foster an atmosphere of acceptance, acknowledging and celebrating the rich diversity within our communities,” said Jacqui Makowski, PCA’s senior center supervisor, who oversees the management of PCA supported centers. “We strive to create inclusive spaces where all older adults from all backgrounds feel valued and supported. By embracing inclusion, we enrich the lives of older Philadelphians and strengthen the fabric of our entire community.”
Norris Square places a strong emphasis on exercise-related programming to ensure the health and vitality of the older adults it serves. Today, dance remains a major activity. The Grupo Alegria dance club participates in Philadelphia’s annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and gathers weekly to keep moving, which is vital for good health.
“As people age, they often face feelings of isolation. Norris Square provides a second home where they find a sense of belonging and companionship,” Mercado said. “We are dedicated to helping older adults age in place, remaining active and vibrant members of their communities for as long as possible. Norris Square plays a crucial role in this mission, especially in supporting our aging Latino community members.”
Celebrating the rich culture of Puerto Rico at Norris Square Senior Center
Norris Square Senior Community Center, located 2121 N. Howard St. in North Philadelphia, is open weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, stop by, call 215-423-7241 or go to chcsphiladelphia.org/senior-centers. To learn more about Philadelphia’s senior community
centers, call the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040 or visit pcaCares.org/senior-centers.
