Letter asking for donations to senior center not sent by local agencies

COLUMBIA — A letter from an organization calling itself “The Seniors Center” and asking for large donations has been sent to older residents in Missouri, but the organization is not a local senior center.

The letter asks residents to help pay for a large debt, and it says the seniors center will be forced to close if this sum is not paid back, according to a press release from The Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging. The letter has caused confusion for supporters of local Missouri centers.

The letter’s return address says it is from Frederick, Md.

The Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging said these letters are in no way affiliated with Columbia or any other local senior center. To tell if a program legitimately supports local senior centers and meal programs, check if local people are running the organization, the Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging said.

If you have any questions about a letter requesting a donation, call your local senior center or the Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging at 800-369-5211.