Background
Following the successful Seniors Count public advocacy campaign, St. Louis City Senior Fund was created by the November 2016 passage of Proposition S. This allows the City of St. Louis to levy and collect a property tax of five cents per hundred dollars of valuation, “for the purpose of providing services to persons sixty years of age or older.”[1] The city ordinance further provides for a seven-person Board of Directors who, “shall use the funds in the Senior Citizens’ Services Fund to provide programs which will improve the health, nutrition, and quality of life of persons who are sixty years of age or older.”
[1] City of St. Louis Ordinance Number 70314
Our Vision
The City of St. Louis is an aging-friendly city where older residents can age in place.
Our Mission
- Exercise fiduciary oversight and faithfully administer the funds and assets of the St. Louis City Senior Fund.
- Assess the needs of older residents (60 years and over) in the City of St. Louis.
- Plan and set priorities for the use of funds.
- Identify activities and programs that effectively and efficiently respond to priority needs.
- Determine the annual allocation of funds; make grants and distributions; monitor implementation and evaluate results.
- Report activities, results, and impact to the citizens of the City of St. Louis.
Our Core Values
- Seniors First – We serve as a voice for older adults and will prioritize expanding and strengthening services for older adults in all our decision-making.
- Excellence, Effectiveness & Impact – We are committed to services and initiatives which meet important needs and achieve the greatest impact towards our vision of an aging-friendly city, where older adults can age in the home and community that best serves their needs.
- Racial & Socioeconomic Equity – Recognizing that service needs fall disproportionally on historically oppressed, marginalized and low-income populations, we are committed to addressing inequities in access to services, while improving the quality of life for older adults throughout the City of St. Louis.
- Efficiency & Fiduciary Integrity – As a steward of tax-payer dollars, we are committed to strict legal compliance, high standards of efficiency, and the use of best practices in financial management and asset preservation.
- Transparency & Accountability – We are committed to organizational transparency, regular reporting, and ongoing accountability to all our stakeholders. We operate in accordance with the Missouri Sunshine Law (statutes 67.990-67.995)
Staff
Jamie Opsal
Executive Director
Email: Jopsal@stlseniorfund.org
Phone: (314) 535-6964 Ext 12
Stephanie Herbers
Program Manager
Email: sherbers@stlseniorfund.org
Phone: (314) 535-6964 Ext 24
Katie Ratkowski
Business and Grants Manager
Email: kratkowski@stlseniorfund.org
Phone: (314) 535-6964 Ext 26
Employment at St. Louis City Senior Fund
Executive Board Members
William Siedhoff
Board Chair
Board Member Since: 2017
City Resident of: Ward 8, Soulard neighborhood
Cynthia Crim
Board Vice-Chair, Governance Committee Chair
Board Member Since: 2017
City Resident of: Ward 7, The Gate District neighborhood
Karl Wilson
Board Treasurer, Fiscal Committee Chair
Board Member Since: 2017
City Resident of: Ward 14, Downtown neighborhood
Mary Ann Nestel
Board Secretary
Board Member Since: 2017
City Resident of: Ward 4, St. Louis Hills neighborhood
Ann Bannes
Board Member, Program & Grants Committee Chair
Board Member Since: 2017
City Resident of: Ward 10, Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood
Chauncey Walker Batchelor
Board Member
Board Member Since: 2017
City Resident of: Ward 10, Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood
Past Board Members
Theresa Mayberry | Term: 2017 – 2019 | City Resident of: Tower Grove South
Julia Allen | Term: 2020 – 2023 | City Resident of: The Ville