Efforts to Save Vassar-Warner Home Take Root in Poughkeepsie

As Dutchess County’s historic Vassar-Warner Home faces closure, the Save Vassar-Warner Committee is dedicated to preserving the building’s legacy.

After Poughkeepsie’s historic Vassar-Warner Home announced its plans to close after 153 years, a grassroots movement has emerged to preserve the building’s legacy and prevent its closure this fall. Spearheaded by the Save Vassar-Warner Committee, the movement has gained momentum in the Dutchess County community, resulting in leadership changes in a final bid to secure the future of the home.

The county’s only nonprofit senior living facility, Vassar-Warner Home was forced to shutter its doors and relocate its residents after well over a century of serving hundreds of senior citizens in the Hudson Valley. Now, with just two remaining residents, the Save Vassar-Warner movement is working to gather the necessary funding to keep the home operational.

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Earlier this month, the president of the home’s board of trustees, Ellen Smyth, resigned from her position, leaving the door open for Rich Schuster to be elected president after he filled one of the 18 vacancies on the board. As the head of the Save Vassar-Warner movement, Schuster represents the home’s residents and their families — including his own mother, who is one of the last remaining senior citizens at Vassar-Warner — as well as its employees. As he works to secure the necessary funding to keep the home open and meet the region’s critical senior housing needs, he continues to have promising discussions with Will Truitt, the chair of the Dutchess County legislature, and Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino.

“Rich brings substantial business acumen to our board of trustees and continues to demonstrate impeccable leadership on behalf of Vassar-Warner Home’s extended family,” says Wayne Quint, president of the Vassar-Warner Home Foundation. “We are confident that, as president of the board, Rich will secure a bright future that is reflective of the Home’s long and storied history.”

With a viable plan to keep the institution afloat, Vassar-Warner Home’s plans to close that were filed with the New York State Department of Health in August are reversible. Now, in the eleventh hour, the Save Vassar-Warner Committee is imploring the Dutchess County community to come together and contribute all resources available to address budgetary and leadership challenges.

“My mother, Dorothy, now 86 years of age, has called Vassar-Warner Home her home for the last 19 years,” says Schuster. “After a lifetime of commitment from her, I feel that it is my duty to save this establishment not only for her but for the hundreds of seniors that have come through the doors of the Home over the last 153 years. I am confident that, with the community’s help, we can secure a bright future for this pillar of the Hudson Valley.”

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As for Schuster’s mother Dorothy, she couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than the place she has called home for almost 20 years. “I’ve lived here for a long time now, and this is my home. The staff is very nice, and the food is very good,” says Dorothy. “I want to stay here; I don’t want to move anywhere else.”

To be a part of the movement and help save the legendary institution, join in on the committee’s next meeting on October 30 at 5:15 p.m. at Vassar-Warner Home, or learn more at savevassarwarner.com.

Related: Poughkeepsie’s Vassar-Warner Home to Close After 153 Years

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