We Began in 1976

In May 1976, the Brunswick Town Council put out a referendum question to Brunswick voters:  Shall the Town of Brunswick purchase the former St. Charles Church, to be used for a senior center?  Overwhelmingly, the people voted YES. 

Following this vote, people with vision and concern for older people joined forces with the Town officials, and started the “Brunswick Community Center for Senior Citizens”. The organization served as a meal site for older people, as well as an activity center.

A few years later, the Center’s Board of Trustees voted to change the name to the “55 Plus Center” – a name that reflected the fact that people 55 years and older were welcomed there.  The 55 Plus Center became known as a place for social and recreational activities and programs, and as a place that ran Bingo on weekends.

Over the years, the Center evolved into an organization that provides a myriad of services to older adults and to people who love them.  It became an agency that sought from time to time to bring people of different generations together, in order to enrich the lives of those participating, and to enable people to learn from each other.  Out of a concern for the health of its participants, volunteers, and staff, the Center became a non-smoking facility, and Bingo eventually closed down.

In 2004, a new direction

In 2004, the Center began to take on a new identity, with the arrival of a group of committed professionals and parents, and earnest young people, all seeking to open a teen center for Brunswick youth – and our facility became the focal point for such a venture.  People with dreams, much like the pioneers who fought for the acquisition of the former church and the formation of a senior center in 1976, have begun the work of building collaborations, seeking allies, and raising funds to convert an almost-unused part of our building to a vibrant, safe place for teens to meet and to grow.

As all of this has happened, the members of the Board of Trustees were looking at what our organization is today, and what it should be in the future.  More and more, they heard from members of the public that our name wasn’t really reflective of who and what we are.  Much as have countless other organizations, the Center’s leadership sought to come up with a new name that would more accurately reflect who we want to be as we move forward in the 21st century. 

Picking a new name for an organization is never an easy process – for its history needs to be honored, just as its future is anticipated and celebrated.  The Board sought and got excellent counsel from many sources, and made a very good – and very exciting—decision about a new identity for our wonderful organization.  Thus we took on the name of People Plus – and identified ourselves as  “the center to get more out of life”.

Our Continuing Mission: Services and Programs for Older Adults

Our mission continues to be focused on providing services and programs for older adults – and our name reflects that we believe we must bring generations together, to learn, to grow, and to understand each other. 

Through our programming, we seek to address the social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual needs of our participants, and to promote their independence.  We work to link older adults with younger people, in order to enrich the lives of everyone.