NISC Programs of Excellence 

• Year Awarded: 2026
• Programs of Excellence Name: Active Living Programming
• Hosting Organization: White Birch Center for Active Living, Henniker, New Hampshire

About Active Living Programming: 

White Birch Center for Active Living operates within a rural, multi-generational community hub in Henniker, New Hampshire, serving older adults across more than 20 surrounding towns. Recognizing increasing isolation among older adults and fragmentation of community services in rural areas, they redesigned their senior center approach by integrating Active Living Programming into a co-located Family Resource Center model.

Rather than functioning as a stand-alone senior center, the Center for Active Living shares space with early childhood playgroups, youth enrichment programs, parenting education, and resource navigation services. This intentional co-location allows for daily cross-generational visibility and natural connection, while preserving program integrity for each age group.

"The problem we addressed was twofold: rising social isolation among older adults and limited centralized access to coordinated services in rural communities," said Rusty Gage, the White Birch Center's Direector of Active Living. "Transportation barriers and geographic spread often prevent seniors from engaging consistently. By situating Active Living Programming within an existing, trusted community hub, we reduced access barriers and increased participation."

Active Living offers: weekly exercise classes focused on strength, balance, and fall prevention; social gatherings and shared meals; health and aging education sessions; and opportunities for volunteer engagement. Older adults benefit from structured wellness programming while also engaging informally with children, youth, and families who use the same facility.

"The model’s unique strength lies in its layered design," Gage said. "Older adults are not isolated participants but contributors within a broader community ecosystem. Some serve as volunteers or informal mentors. Families gain increased awareness of aging services. Referral pathways are streamlined—seniors can receive warm handoffs to benefit navigation, food access programs, or community partners located within the same building."

Benefits include reduced isolation, increased physical activity, improved awareness of community resources, and strengthened intergenerational understanding. For the senior center itself, integration has increased visibility, diversified partnerships, and enhanced sustainability through shared infrastructure and collaborative programming.

This model is replicable for other rural senior centers by:

• Identifying an existing community hub (library, family resource center, municipal building, etc.)
• Co-locating or partnering intentionally rather than operating independently
• Preserving senior-specific programming while encouraging structured intergenerational opportunities
• Creating warm referral systems across programs

"By positioning seniors as active members of a whole-community framework, White Birch Center for Active Living demonstrates how crossgenerational integration can strengthen both individual wellbeing and community cohesion," Gage said.

Key takeaways from the Active Living Program:

• Benefits include reduced isolation, increased physical activity, improved awareness of community resources, and strengthened intergenerationalunderstanding.
• Participants engage in weekly wellness classes, shared meals, and social gatherings that foster
  meaningful peer relationships and routine engagement outside the home. 
• Because Active Living operates within a multi-generational community hub, older adults are not isolated from the broader community. 

About the White Birch Center for Active Living

The White Birch Center for Active Living in Henniker, New Hampshire, is "a dynamic program offering older adults in our community the opportunity to engage with others and embrace wellness. Through a variety of activities for the body, mind, and soul, we provide a fun and supportive avenue to socialize and be vibrant."