Every September, our nation marks National Senior Center Month. It is organized by the National Council on Aging in collaboration with other organizations to inform the public about valuable programs and services offered by senior centers, while also sharing a more positive image of aging and the value of building a stronger community and future for older adults.
Senior centers, like the Serving Seniors Gary and Mary West Senior Center downtown, and our new Judith L. Seltz Senior Center in Clairemont, are community-based facilities whose mission is to support older adults by providing a safe and welcoming place for them to connect, to access services, and to stay healthy.
Senior centers in San Diego County vary in size and scope. All of them including those operated by Serving Seniors share the same mission: to improve the quality of life for older adults and strengthen our community.
While Serving Seniors focuses on low-income and homeless older adults, our centers are open to everyone age 60 and older. We provide a broad range of services and activities.
First among them is nutritious meals. Serving Seniors serves meals seven days a week, 365 days a year at the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center. But we also serve meals at eight more congregate dining sites from Oceanside to La Mesa to Imperial Beach. Our meals help older adults stretch fixed incomes while insuring they get healthy, balanced nutrition.
You may be shocked how many older San Diegans are affected by food insecurity. It is a daily reality for thousands of people. According to the San Diego Food Bank, nearly one in four San Diegans struggles to put food on the table, and an estimated 182,000 of them are age 60 and older.
The high cost of living in San Diego can make it difficult to afford food. Individuals face the decision to buy food or essential items like housing, medical care, and transportation. Social Security is not keeping up with the rising cost of groceries.
When older adults don’t have enough to eat, they are more likely to experience health issues. They are also more likely to suffer from depression and social isolation. Our senior centers are lively places where people enjoy a meal in the company of friends.
When someone begins receiving meals, Serving Seniors case managers are available to meet with them to assess additional needs. This often leads to healthcare referrals, housing support, exercise classes, social activities like games and entertainment, and access to technology through our Cyber Cafes. A hot meal may be the first step toward rebuilding stability.
We offer activities including health and fitness classes, cultural programs, games and entertainment. Lifelong learning gets our clients involved in cooking demonstrations, health education, and technology tutoring. Our Community Engagement Group is made up of older adults who get involved in civic issues affecting older adults, making sure their voices are heard.
Serving Seniors has been at the forefront of this work since 1970, and we remain the largest provider of senior meals in San Diego County. For more than 30 years, we have also led the way in home-delivered meals, ensuring that even those who cannot come to a dining center are not left behind.
Last year, we served 1.5 million meals. The need is growing faster than ever, and we are working hard to keep up.
Our work is possible because of a strong partnership between local donors and federal programs. Federal funding through the Older Americans Act stretches every private dollar we raise, allowing us to serve more people more effectively.
This lifeline is under threat. Earlier this year, Congress narrowly avoided a shutdown by passing a continuing resolution. Both the Senate and House bills provided flat funding for the nutrition portion of the Older Americans Act. With rising costs and increased need, flat funding is essentially a cut in these vital programs.
Now, as budget negotiations resume, the very programs that feed and provide critical services to older adults remain vulnerable.
The stakes are high. The Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2026 is a bipartisan-sponsored bill that would authorize an additional 18% in funding over the next four years. Without increased funding, organizations like Serving Seniors cannot meet the accelerating demand.
The Older Americans Act supports the delivery of 251 million meals to 2.2 million older adults each year. However, there are an estimated 2.5 million more seniors who are not receiving the services they need, according to Meals on Wheels America.
As we mark National Senior Center Month, I urge our elected officials to protect and strengthen the programs that allow older adults to live with health and dignity. It is cost effective, and it is humane. I ask all San Diegans to join in this mission.
For all of us at Serving Seniors, a meal is never just a plate of food. It is the foundation of healthy aging. It is the antidote to loneliness. It is the promise that no one should spend their later years hungry or forgotten.
At Serving Seniors, we are committed to keeping that promise. With your support, we will.
Melinda Forstey is president and chief executive officer of Serving Seniors.
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