We are in a soft economy; most everyone can agree. December jobs numbers—50,000 new jobs—were ‘just OK,’ but still falling short of what analysts had hoped. National unemployment also fell two tenths from 4.6 percent to 4.4 percent. Colorado’s jobless number is 4.1 percent. Grocery prices also slowly inched up. Again.
But in Pueblo, an agency that watches these figures as closely as anyone, says for it, right now, things are OK. Actually, a bit better than just OK.
Senior Resource Development Agency CEO Steve Nawrocki says he can’t explain it, but “even though Colorado is impacted by money coming from HHS, we’ve had additional money given to us for nutrition (programs).” More seniors, he said, are getting help. “We’re able to serve lunch at 12 different centers.”
Among the services Pueblo’s SRDA provides and oversees include the region’s Meals on Wheels program, the Foster Grandparent Program, programs for senior physical fitness and social outlets. It even has volunteers serving as school crossing guards. Right now, the agency is able to cover its costs without having to cut back, said the long time agency CEO.
SRDA’s clients go well beyond Pueblo County, said Nawrocki, whose more than 20 years at the head of the agency have taught him as much about the region as anyone. The former Pueblo City Councilman, who recently announced his retirement, has made countless trips to the various sites where SRDA has clients. That means periodic trips as far east as Lamar and as far south as Trinidad.
“Our numbers vary,” he said, explaining how the agency is in the process of putting together current figures. But he says a good client estimate would be “about 12,000.”
Preparing two meals a day that will be served across the city is, perhaps, the agency’s most important responsibility. He says it’s no easy task and takes a dedicated staff that arrives each day at six a.m.
While winter weather can complicate things, unless it’s just too dangerous nothing prevents it from carrying out the mission. “Even during the ‘Blizzard of ‘97’,” Nawrocki boasts, “we delivered.”
For those with little or no memory of that storm, snow accompanied by 55 mph winds began falling on Friday, October 24th and continued for the next twenty-four hours. Seven deaths were recorded, including four people who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while in their cars awaiting rescue. Even Army Humvees from Fort Carson were unable to respond.
When the storm subsided, the weather service said snow, in some places, was four feet with drifts measuring as high as fifteen feet. Also, as many as 20,000 cattle died in the storm resulting in millions in losses. But Nawrocki said SRDA made a radio plea asking for volunteer drivers and people stepped forward. Somehow, he said, all meals were delivered across Pueblo.
SRDA relies on both state and federal money to meet the mission. “We’re totally at the mercy of the state or federal government,” he said. But there’s also a commitment from the community. In some cases, he said, a shockingly big commitment.
He shared the story of siblings who stepped up. They owned a dairy farm just outside the city. None ever married and there were no heirs. “When the last one passed away,” Narwocki said, “we were notified that they had left (SRDA) $1.8 million.”
“That is money that lasted a long time.”
