history

in the early days

In 1967, a group of concerned and passionate members of the Greenville community recognized a need for programs and services for seniors. With the help and support of the five downtown churches at the time (Buncombe Street United Methodist Church, Christ Church Episcopal, First Baptist Church Greenville, First Presbyterian Church, and St. Mary’s Catholic Church), the dream of Senior Action was born. This group sought and received the support from the City of Greenville and Greenville county who donated the land for the first home of the organization which was located on McBee Avenue in downtown Greenville.

soon after

The Board of Directors sought funding from various entities from private foundations to churches, to government grants, and private donations. Senior Action became the first in the State to be designated by the State of South Carolina Unit on Aging as the “Council on Aging” for Greenville County. United Way of Greenville County soon became a partner and has supported Senior Action’s work in various ways ever since.

the 90's

But, Senior Action’s work with seniors was not just in the downtown Greenville area. In the 1990’s, Senior Action partnered with other non-profit groups to expand its services and opened four outreach sites to serve seniors closer to their homes and neighborhoods. These sites grew to eight outreach locations today.

welcome to the 2000's

In 2006, the organization moved its headquarters from downtown to its second home on Directors Drive.   From 2006 to 2019, Senior Action experienced unprecedented growth that led to moving to our new main location to E. North St. in 2021.  This expanded facility includes fitness and exercise studios, a new Fine Arts Center for adults over 55, and a conference center that can seat 462 people. Also in 2019, Senior Action became the proud owners of Snow Street Place Apartments, located in Greer. This affordable housing complex includes 48 apartments for adults over 60. The growth continues today as the senior population also continues to grow exponentially.

today and beyond

Today, Senior Action is a vibrant, growing organization that serves close to 5,000 seniors all over Greenville County. Services have grown from activities and daily meals in each of our six locations, to also include home-delivered meals, lawn service, housing, and medical transportation.

Partnership and sharing of resources has been a hallmark of Senior Action’s history. Each of the eight outreach sites are jointly operated in partnership with the City of Greenville (David Hellams Center), Greenville County (Berea, Mt. Pleasant, Slater-Marietta, Sterling, and Greenville County Aquatic Complex), City of Greer (Needmore Community Center), and Pleasant Valley Connection. Senior Action also partners with Meels on Wheels Greenville to provide home-delivered meals.