Senior center welcomes new director

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

The Jefferson Senior Citizens Center (JSCC) has a new director: Latoya Moody! Moody has been passionate about working with the elderly since she was an undergraduate at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) studying for a career in social work. Throughout her program at FAMU, she had the chance to interact with children, teens and adults in a variety of social work contexts.
“I most enjoyed working with the elderly,” she says. “They have life experiences, knowledge and wisdom. Working with elderly individuals is like spending time with grandparents. I guess I am an old soul!”
Moody followed her passion as she worked at the Area Agency on Aging for North Florida in Tallahassee and as the director at Gadsden Senior Services in Quincy, Fla., before starting her new job at JSCC on Nov. 8. During her first month here, she has been enjoying getting to know a new group of colleagues and becoming familiar with the social events, recreational activities and meal programs offered.
JSCC resumed its on-site services during the summer, after a nearly one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, but it is still in the process of drawing back all of the previous clients.
When Moody looks to the future, she would like to see JSCC not only reach it previous level of service but also find ways to expand.
“I really want to see our organization improve the quality of life for our seniors by opening an adult day care program,” says Moody. This would add a health component, including a staff nurse and physical therapy services. In order to accomplish this goal, Moody would guide JSCC through the process of becoming licensed for adult day care through the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. With this additional license, JSCC would be able to reach new groups of clients and have access to new sources of funding.
Moody commutes to JSCC from Tallahassee, where she lives with her husband, Willie, owner of Advanced Cutz N Shavez in the Tallahassee Mall. They have three children: Amari (19), Xavier (13) and Jazmine (10). Although work and family keep her quite busy, Moody also serves as a Notary Public and is an active member of Mu Mu Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, a service organization.
For more information about JSCC, call (850) 342-0242.