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Senior Nutrition Program Celebrates 50th Anniversary

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. — The County of Santa Clara and partners today celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Senior Nutrition Program, which provides nutritious meals and social activities to adults 60 years and older.

Operated by the County Social Services Agency, the Senior Nutrition Program served more than 16,000 residents last fiscal year and provided roughly 1.56 million meals. The program offers meals at 38 sites throughout Santa Clara County along with a host of activities, from arts and crafts to tai chi and line dancing. 

“I’m delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Senior Nutrition Program, which provides healthful meals and so much more to older adults in our community,” said Susan Ellenberg, president of the County Board of Supervisors. “I want to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to County staff, our valued community partners, and wonderful volunteers for managing and growing a program that provides nutritious meals and opportunities for social connection to more than 16,000 county residents every year.”

In addition to serving hot meals at community sites, the program delivered meals to 1,772 homebound seniors last fiscal year. All the food the program serves meets U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The program is funded in part through the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program.

“Since its inception, the Senior Nutrition Program has played a vital role in improving the health, well-being, and quality of life for thousands of seniors through its comprehensive meal and social support programs,” said Mary Ann Warren, director of Aging and Adult Services for the County of Santa Clara Social Services Agency. “Over the past 50 years, we’ve continually adapted to meet the needs of our aging population, expanding not only the number of meals we provide but also the breadth of services we offer. We are incredibly proud of that legacy.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program transitioned to a grab-and-go meal service model. This shift allowed the program to triple its capacity, serving 1.7 million meals in just one year. In 2023, the program resumed dine-in services and expanded its partnerships to offer more fresh meal options for homebound clients as well as culturally tailored Asian meals. 

In the years to come, the program will continue to innovate, forging new partnerships and offering new initiatives, while maintaining its mission of promoting the health and quality of life of seniors.

Luz Daniels has volunteered for the Senior Nutrition Program in Morgan Hill for more than a decade. She serves food five days a week. At the age of 84, she enjoys and looks forward to this activity every day. 

“It gives you life – the day goes very fast,” said Daniels, adding that participants “really appreciate it, especially nowadays with the cost of living being so high.”

The Senior Nutrition Program reflects the County’s core values, such as advancing equity and providing efficient, effective and quality service. Of the people served by the program last year, 76% identified as people of color and 46% were below the federal poverty line.

Anne Zhu has been participating in the Senior Nutrition Program in Sunnyvale since her husband passed away, which left her feeling alone. Besides enjoying the food, she has made friends and found a sense of community. 

“When I come here, I feel very happy,” Zhu said. “This place is like a family, full of love.”

To access video of two Senior Nutrition Programs in Santa Clara County, please visit this WeTransfer link. The video contains soundbites and B-roll. Media outlets are welcome to use this video. No courtesy attribution is required.

ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 

The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.

Visit the County of Santa Clara at: www.santaclaracounty.gov

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MEDIA CONTACTS: María Leticia Gómez/Aaron Kinney, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119, [email protected]