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COVID-19 Updates

Media Inquiries

Please contact Venice Fahey

(858) 337-7538

venicef@62above.com

Serving Seniors Responds to Coronavirus

Up-to-date news regarding measures being taken by Serving Seniors to address the novel coronavirus pandemic. Be sure to check back regularly. 

It is our utmost priority to keep everyone associated with Serving Seniors healthy and safe, while also ensuring that we meet the needs of our senior clients who need us now more than ever. We are working diligently to provide meals to as many seniors as possible for the weeks and months to come. 

Meals & Services

Due to state mandates and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of Serving Seniors' congregate dining sites have been temporarily closed. We rapidly transitioned to home delivered meals for all clients to continue meeting the needs of the thousands of low-income and homeless seniors who rely on meals as a primary source of nutrition to survive. Since the mandate for seniors to self-quarantine, our organization has expanded our home delivered meals to 25,000+ meals per week. Thanks to our dedicated staff and an outpouring of community support, we pivoted on a dime to accommodate this unprecedented number of meal sign-ups, which has put us at capacity for accepting new senior clients at this time.

To support the large number of homeless seniors who visit the our Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, we are offering pre-packaged to-go meals daily for seniors to pick-up at the center.

Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center
1525 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Breakfast pick-up, Mon-Sat: 7-8 a.m.
Lunch pick-up, daily: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

*Note: No breakfast pick-up on Sundays.

For additional resources for older adults, please contact Aging & Independence Services at 1-800-339-4661.

Ways to Help

At-risk seniors throughout San Diego continue to reach out to us in need of meals and services. Now more than ever, we are relying on donations and community support to continue providing services and reach more vulnerable seniors throughout the county. Donations help by increasing:

  • Number of meals
  • Number of drivers and staff to process new clients
  • Number of delivery vans
  • Kitchen resources (i.e. additional staff, refrigeration, storage, etc.)

The Senior Nutrition Emergency Fund will help ensure we have the resources necessary to continue delivering meals to food insecure and quarantined seniors during this crisis.

  • Wish List

    Our  WISH LIST items provide essential support to seniors during this pandemic. With supply shortages and financial uncertainties, these items are needed now more than ever. If you would like to help, please set up a donation delivery time with Tim Ruis, Director of Activities & Volunteers, at (619) 487-0727 or tim.ruis@servingseniors.org. 

    *The greatest current need is getting supplies of cloth masks to the seniors. If you or someone you know makes face masks, please consider donating to Serving Seniors. To coordinate, please reach out to Tim Ruis at (619) 487-0727 or tim.ruis@servingseniors.org.

    • Tissues
    • Toilet paper
    • Disinfecting wipes, sprays
    • Shampoo
    • Conditioner
    • Incontinence products 
    • Soap
    • Hand soap
    • Hand sanitizers
    • Gloves
    • Masks: surgical, N95 Respirators and cloth 
    • Paper towels
    • Toothbrush/toothpaste
    • Blankets
    • Rain ponchos 
    • Umbrellas
    • Bags for delivering items (Reusable preferred, but not necessary)
    • Letters of kindness, support and encouragement to senior clients in isolation

    Learn more about our Wish List.

  • Volunteer

    VOLUNTEER  with our crisis response efforts. Please contact Elle Leidy, Activities & Volunteer Coordinator, (619) 487-0605 or elle.leidy@servingseniors.org.

Additional Resources

Spreading Joy In The Community

During this time of stress and uncertainty, we want to give you some tools to help you through and lighten the load. We are virtually sending you happiness, hugs, and laughter in a Virtual Care Package. Thank you to YOU and all community members, willing volunteers, and dedicated staff for supporting Serving Seniors. You are appreciated beyond words!

Open my Virtual Care Package

We also want to thank all our volunteers for supporting Serving Seniors for 50 years and through this crisis. You are honored and celebrated during National Volunteer Week, April 19-25, 2020. 

Learn how volunteers make a positive impact