Brandywine Valley Active Aging and Phoenixville Area Senior Center Announce Plan to Strengthen Services for Older Adults
Coatesville, PA — Brandywine Valley Active Aging (BVAA) and the Phoenixville Area Senior Center have announced plans to strengthen and sustain services for older adults in Phoenixville and across Chester County.
The Phoenixville Area Senior Center Board of Directors recently voted unanimously to move forward with a transition that will bring the organization into the Brandywine Valley Active Aging family. This step will position the current Phoenixville Area Senior Center to become the Phoenixville Campus of Brandywine Valley Active Aging. The Phoenixville location will remain open and continue serving the local community, with existing programs, services, and staff continuing—and new opportunities to expand and enhance offerings over time.
“Our Board approached this decision with great care and a deep commitment to the Phoenixville community,” remarked Marianne Peffall, Board President of Phoenixville Area Senior Center. “This undertaking with Brandywine Valley Active Aging allows us to protect the programs and relationships our members value while ensuring long-term stability and access to expanded services. We are confident this step strengthens the future of aging services in Phoenixville.”
As a result of this plan, the Phoenixville community will gain access to BVAA’s expanded infrastructure and services, including:
• Evidence-based health and wellness programming
• Nutrition and food security initiatives
• Enhanced resource navigation and benefits enrollment
• Housing stability and homeless case management services
“This is about stability, strength, and the future,” said Bill Pierce, Chief Executive Officer of Brandywine Valley Active Aging. “Across Chester County, demand for services for older adults is growing rapidly. By working together, we can protect local services while expanding access to programs that support health, independence, and quality of life.”
Brandywine Valley Active Aging currently operates campuses in Coatesville and Downingtown, serving more than 2,000 older adults annually through congregate and community-based services that address social isolation, food insecurity, housing instability, and health needs.
The addition of the Phoenixville Campus will expand BVAA’s regional reach and strengthen long-term sustainability for aging services in the county.
“Community-based senior centers are more important than ever,” Buffy MacLellan, of the Phoenixville Area Senior Center board of directors. “Our goal is not just to preserve these services for older adults in Phoenixville, but to reimagine what aging services can look like here and across the county — places where older adults don’t just receive support, but find connection, purpose, and a place to belong.”
The plan builds on BVAA’s recent growth, including the opening of its new Downingtown Campus and the ongoing Aging Elevated capital campaign, which is reimagining the future of community-based aging services.
“Pursuing this opportunity reflects our shared belief that older adults deserve strong, sustainable community resources,” said Nick Hoffman, Board President of Brandywine Valley Active Aging. BVAA’s Board is proud to make this announcement as part of a thoughtful growth strategy that expands access, strengthens infrastructure, and positions our organization to meet the growing needs of older adults across Chester County.”
Negotiations, planning, and transition efforts are ongoing. The organizations are targeting an effective date of July 1, 2026, though the plan remains subject to certain government approvals that may affect this timeframe.
For more information about Brandywine Valley Active Aging, visit: www.bvactiveaging.org
Media Contact: Bill (William) Pierce President & CEO Brandywine Valley Active Aging 610-383-6900 ext. 104 bill@bvactiveaging.org
