Inaugural executive director for St. Louis City Senior Fund, Jamie Opsal, has announced she will retire in December after seven years with the fund.
After directing the campaign that passed the senior levy in St. Louis City in November 2016, Opsal has led Senior Fund as executive director since January 2018. During her tenure, Senior Fund significantly grew the scope and impact of its contributions to supporting home and community-based services for older adults in the City of St. Louis.
“Jamie is a steadfast champion of older adults and aging network services. When Jamie identifies an opportunity to better serve older adults, she does not lose focus on making it happen, no matter how long it takes,” said Senior Fund board chair, Bill Siedhoff.
“In addition to ensuring the tax revenue we manage supports much needed services for older St. Louis City residents, Jamie has dedicated her time to advocating for, and connecting partners to create, community collaborations that support older adults in the St. Louis region and throughout our state. Our board is grateful for her service and commitment to serving seniors in our community,” said Siedhoff.
During Opsal’s tenure, Senior Fund has:
- Managed and distributed more than $11 million in grant awards to over 50 organizations that have provided free, or significantly reduced cost, services for thousands of older adults in the City of St. Louis.
- Seen an increase in the number of organizations that are recognizing, and working to more effectively respond to, the high number of older adults they serve.
- Served as an active advocate for older adults, and contributing funder, in emergency response efforts such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Northview Village nursing home closure, and Heritage House apartments closure.
- Been a lead partner in the development of:
- St. Louis Behavioral Health and Aging Council, a network created to improve collaboration and coordination between behavioral health and aging network service providers; and
- Missouri Council on Aging, a multi-disciplinary, statewide coalition focused on advocating for and with older Missourians.
- And so much more…
“I have been honored to be a part of the movement to bring additional funding to support resources for older adults in the City of St. Louis,” Opsal said. “It is time for new leadership to build upon what I have had the honor of establishing with our board, staff, and partners to serve older adults in our community.”
Opsal is looking forward to joining her husband in retirement, continuing to volunteer as an advocate for older adults, traveling, and spending time with her three children.
Senior Fund’s board of directors is working closely with Opsal to find the next person who is well-positioned to lead Senior Fund in collaboration with board members, staff, and partners before Opsal retires in December 2024.