— from Lena Kassa for Orcas Senior Center —
The Senior Services Council of San Juan County has acquired a $25,000 award from the Norcliffe Foundation. Funds will be shared among senior centers on Orcas, Lopez, and San Juan Islands to fund kitchen equipment for their Senior Nutrition Program.
The number of County “food insecure” seniors is growing. In 2009, almost 1 in 12 seniors were food insecure. Between 2001 and 2016, the number of very low food secure seniors doubled. Last year, the Senior Nutrition Program provided regular meals to more than 400 Senior Community Meals participants and 100 Meals on Wheels participants.
The Senior Services Council is a stand alone nonprofit separate from County Senior Services. This grant application was prepared and submitted by the Orcas Senior Center nonprofit, which is dependent upon grants and charitable donations to fund its staff and services. The private nonprofit works closely with County Senior Services staff and brings a complementary set of resources to community programs for seniors.