I’m Kim Fountain (she/they), Deputy CEO at The Center, with an update about the Senior Services Community Advisory Committee at The Center, and the status of the Maurice Thimot and M. Rust Rawnsley Fund, an $18.9 million bequest that was left to The Center.

Introducing the Senior Services Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

Last year, we started the process of reimagining how Center volunteers and program participants can be involved in providing input on The Center’s programs and services. We moved to a more formalized structure that could be replicated across the advisory committees. We started with recruiting for Community Advisory Committee (CAC) members for Project TRANS, Latin@x Services, and Senior Services.

In December 2025, we launched our new Senior Services Community Advisory Committee, made up of a diverse group of active participants and volunteers from The Center. The committee started its work by first getting to know one another and setting priorities, one of which is to find more ways to get community feedback and to decide which issues they will tackle as they move forward. They recently elected Mikie Lochner (he/him) to serve as Chair. Members are dedicating time to listen, gather input, and provide guidance on programs and services that support LGBTQ+ older adults.

Want to share your voice? Please email your ideas and input to seniorsfeedback@thecentersd.org by the last day of each month. The CAC reviews community comments at its meeting the following month. Please stay tuned for more ways to interact with the committee. 

Stewardship Update: The Thimot and Rawnsley Fund

I also want to provide you with an update on the Maurice Thimot and M. Rust Rawnsley Fund given the San Diego Union Tribune article published in early March.

The San Diego LGBT Community Center is deeply grateful for the extraordinary Maurice Thimot and M. Rust Rawnsley estate gift. Because this was a complex, multi‑property estate, we conducted an extensive, multi‑year due‑diligence process with legal and accounting specialists. We are implementing a clear strategy that strengthens current services benefiting LGBTQ+ seniors while ensuring long‑term organizational stability and compliance with donor intent.

Over the last nearly four years, The Center conducted a careful, thorough review of the $18.9 million bequest, which was received in full in September 2024. This review included monitoring the progress of the sale of 21 domestic and international properties and consultations with multiple specialists, who at times had differing opinions on the scope of the bequest’s intent.

To ensure that this extraordinary gift is used in the way it was intended, we assembled a team of experts that includes our attorneys and auditor. It took time to organize the team, and for them to align on how the full gift could be utilized to maximize the benefit to the community. As we near the end of this long process, we are awaiting final guidance to ensure our shared interpretation follows all regulations related to charitable assets.

The Board of Directors is responsible for The Center’s finances and had approved a multi‑year stewardship approach that includes a set annual allocation of $350,000 from the gift supporting seniors’ housing stability and related services. We have paused the use of gift funds until that final guidance is confirmed. We appreciate your patience while we complete this final step.

We will continue providing quarterly updates on both the Senior Services Community Advisory Committee and the Maurice Thimot and M. Rust Rawnsley Fund. Our next update, scheduled for the summer, will include the outcome of the final guidance we are expecting, along with information about the funds, including a portion of the interest, that has been withdrawn to date and how it will be applied in alignment with donor intent.

Our commitment remains the same: honor the donors’ intent, protect the long‑term health of The Center, and invest in services that seniors use every day.

Community Input Makes a Difference

One thing I did want to clarify: we have never said that we could not use these funds for senior housing, as the San Diego Union Tribune article stated, and we have asked for a correction; we said we could not use these funds for a senior center. Early in the process, community members asked us to consider using the funds for a senior center, where programs like Feeling Fit could be located. We looked into it, but unfortunately, we cannot use the funds for a space primarily dedicated to recreational activities.

The Center values community input, the Center’s Board of Directors hears public comment at every board meeting, and we want to make sure that there are continued ways for folks to provide their ideas and suggestions to ensure The Center’s programs and services are meeting the needs of the community. Over the last few years, we developed a senior survey that has informed programming at The Center, and in December 2025 we held a Senior Listening Session to get more ideas specifically about how to use the Maurice Thimot and M. Rust Rawnsley Fund in a manner that aligns with the donors’ intent. This is also why we have now established a dedicated email address to provide input to the Senior Services Community Advisory Committee.

Community input is the reason why Senior Services is now one of the most robust programs at The Center, and we will continue to include community feedback as we expand and strengthen these services.

What’s Happening in Senior Services

There’s a lot to going on for seniors at The Center. Here are a few highlights:

• Tech on the Go (Weekly at The Center). Friendly, hands‑on help with smartphones, tablets, and online tools.
• Daily Congregate Meal Program. A welcoming space to eat, connect, and build community.
• Feeling Fit & Wellness Activities. Gentle movement and balance sessions designed for older adults.
• Transgender Elder Network (Monthly). Peer support and community for transgender and gender‑diverse elders.
• Housing Support through Adult Housing Services. Navigation, stabilization, and eviction-prevention assistance.

We’re proud that Senior Services visits increased by 70% last year, with 13,904 total service visits, proof that our community is engaged and that these programs matter.

Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do to build this community. We’re excited for what’s ahead.

With gratitude,

Kim Fountain (she/they)
Deputy CEO