Jerry's Story: A Place He Calls Home

Loneliness, discomfort, and sadness were all emotions Jerry felt for 516 days.

Staring at the walls of his apartment soon became a part of his daily routine, and he could only daydream about receiving a warm embrace from one of his friends. His mouth watered as he remembered the taste of his favorite chicken lunch served at the Oceanside Senior Citizens Center.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jerry was a regular at the senior center and would show up bright and early just to get as much time as he could with his friends and the Serving Seniors staff.

"All the staff members are 100 percent," Jerry said. "I get here at seven in the morning and they're already here. They're hardworking and they're already going at it. That is special."

Over the years Jerry has built a strong bond with the Oceanside community that embraces him wholeheartedly. It was like Christmas morning when he was able to walk through the doors once again on August 16th at the Grand Reopening Event.

Jerry walked up to the podium, grabbed the mic and beamed, "This center is well managed, it's well inspected, it's well senior-oriented. This is a special day. Thank you all."