Senior Day Services gets saved by philanthropist

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning Valley philanthropist and businessman Anthony Lariccia today pledged $60,000 a year “for as long as I live,” thereby keeping alive the Senior Day Services run by the Mahoning County District Board of Health. The health department was poised to close the program May 7 because of lack of funds.

Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said an additional estimated $56,000 in Medicaid and PassPort program benefits have been identified for clients that will make the program nearly self-sufficient at it’s current level. Traficanti said commissioners also pledged $4,000 to keep the program running while adjustments were made to enable it to be self-sufficient. Also, he said, the county would continue to make space for the program available in the county’s South Side Annex on Market Street at no cost.

With Lariccia’s gift, the program will not only survive, but possibly expand and offer services to more clients, said health Commissioner Matthew Stefanak.