Foundation Makes Grants for Hungry Seniors in Riverside County
In these tough economic times extra vigilance is required to ensure seniors and older adults are getting proper nutrition. More than 7,000 seniors in Riverside County report that they are not getting adequate nutrition on a daily basis, according to the Health Assessment Resource Center.
In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving the non-profit Riverside County Foundation on Aging will be providing 32 Senior Centers across the County with gift cards to enable them to prepare meals for seniors in that Center’s community. The donation from the Foundation will help feed over 1,000 and ensure that seniors enjoy a holiday meal. Some gift cards will be raffled to seniors to purchase a turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner or enable those on restricted diets to purchase appropriate foods.
“It is an absolute shame that there are thousands of senior residents in Riverside County who go to bed hungry at night”, said Gloria Sanchez, president of the Foundation on Aging.
“Given the onset of the holiday season, the Foundation is taking up the task of helping to provide food for the Thanksgiving table of hungry seniors.”
Anyone interested in supporting the work of the Foundation is encouraged to call 951.867.3822 for more information.
About the Riverside County Foundation On Aging
Organized under the mission of “to provide program funds to enhance the quality of life of older adults through the work of the Riverside County Office on Aging and its Advisory Council” the organization has a single purpose - to serve as a complimentary funding vehicle allowing donors to collaborate with the Office on Aging and its Advisory Council to impact the unmet needs of seniors within the County.
Public funding for services to seniors is limited. And, public dollars are decreasing due to the State and County’s distressed economy. The Foundation provides the ideal vehicle for private citizens and philanthropic organizations to collaborate with the Office on Aging to respond to the diverse programmatic needs of older adults.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2006 Estimate, 11.2% of people living in Riverside County were 65 years or older – some 227,000 persons. Many of Riverside’s older adults live in the desert communities of the eastern Coachella Valley. In 2007, eastern Riverside County residents were studied thoroughly by the Health Assessment Resource Center headquartered in Palm Desert. The Center’s report, Community Health Monitor 2007, highlighted that some 5,607 seniors lacked health insurance. Seven thousand seniors reported not getting adequate nutrition on a daily basis and 62,800 respondents who need assistance do not have someone to help them. Over 10,000 persons noted that they have difficulty in obtaining transportation when they need it and nearly 22,000 reported that they have been abused financially or mistreated physically or emotionally. A similar study for western Riverside County is projected to begin this year.
The Riverside County Foundation on Aging is taking on the responsibility of filling in gaps where public programs and public dollars may be limited.
Contact: Gloria J. Sanchez, President, 951-672-2588