Seniors Return to In-Person Dining
Hayward Area Recreation Department’s Board President, Peter Rosen, helps prepare take out meals for Seniors who were unable to dine in-person in March of 2022. | Photo Credit Larry Rosa
More than a year after renovation began at the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior & Community Center the doors have reopened as a Senior Meals site and the sounds of conversation over lunch again rang through the social hall last Monday, Feb 5.
“We are grateful to H.A.R.D. for partnering with us again, and providing the space,” said Lara Calvert, Executive Director of Spectrum Community Services, which prepares and delivers hot and healthy meals that meet federal nutritional standards for older adults. “As we’re learning in emerging longevity research, eating healthfully and connecting with your community are key for living longer, healthier lives.
In addition to Kenneth Aitken, other locations at which Spectrum Community Services operates Senior Meals include: Hayward Area Senior Center, Josephine Lum Lodge in Hayward, Downtown Oakland Senior Center, St. Mary’s Center in Oakland, Mastick Senior Center in Alameda, San Leandro Senior Center, and Ruggieri Senior Center in Union City.
“Each meal meets one-third of daily nutritional requirements for protein, vegetables, grains, dairy, fruit, Vitamin C, and weekly Vitamin A–all while being low sodium,” said Duke Hwang, Senior Meals Program Manager at Spectrum Community Services. A $4 contribution is requested for each meal; non-senior guests can dine for a flat fee of $14.
Alameda County residents aged 60 and better can register for Senior Meals (or Meals on Wheels in the TriValley area) by visiting SpectrumCS.org or calling 510-881-0300. Spectrum is also seeking volunteers to help serve or deliver meals at various distribution sites. For reservations and questions about Senior Meals at Kenneth Atiken, please call 510-881-673.
Spectrum’s Meals on Wheels and Senior Meals programs are not fully funded by the government so that funding gap means they rely heavily on private and individual donations to ensure that no seniors are ever turned away. Online donations and information about Spectrum’s upcoming “Show Your Love”, a whiskey, wine and dine fundraiser, are available online.
About Spectrum Community Services
Spectrum Community Services is a nonprofit organization that enhances the quality of life for seniors and residents experiencing low-income in Alameda County. Senior nutrition programs provide home-delivered Meals on Wheels in Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and Sunol, and in-person group Senior Meals in Oakland, Alameda, San Leandro, Hayward, and Union City. The Fall Prevention Program (FPP) seeks to reduce injuries among at-risk low-income seniors. The recently launched Connect Program helps alleviate social isolation and loneliness through friendly visits and telephone reassurance calls. Through the Energy Program, Spectrum Community Services administers the federally-funded weatherization and Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) programs.