Senior Citizen Services Offers Gas Cards to Recruit Meals On Wheels Atlanta Drivers

With gas prices approaching $4 per gallon, Meals On Wheels Atlanta volunteers are not only giving up their time to deliver meals to seniors, but they are also taking a hit in their wallet when they fill up their car with gas.

That’s where Jerry Lowry, Chairman of D.A.T. Broadband, Inc. stepped in. D.A.T. Broadband donated 100 gas cards to be given to new Meals On Wheels Atlanta volunteers during the month of May, which is also nationally recognized as Older Americans Month. Each card will roughly cover the gas that it takes to deliver a Meals On Wheels Atlanta route. Eligible recipients will be any driver who has not delivered for Meals On Wheels Atlanta before.

“D.A.T. Broadband should be recognized for this creative and practical solution to rising gas prices,” stated Jeffrey Smythe, Executive Director of Senior Citizen Services. “With more seniors in need, this gives volunteers an extra boost to deliver meals.”

Meals On Wheels Atlanta, one of Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta’s programs designed to enable seniors to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community was created to meet the nutrition and human contact needs of homebound seniors in the metropolitan area in 1970. Last year, nearly 95,000 meals were delivered to hundreds of homebound seniors. Recipients receive a visit with their meals by a volunteer or staff person, assuring that they receive more than just nutrition. To serve each senior better, Meals On Wheels Atlanta has entered into formal collaborations with multiple service providers across the metro area, thereby minimizing duplication and maximizing the benefit of each charitable donation.

Interested volunteers may contact Senior Citizen Services at 404-351-6194 or volunteercoordinator@scsatl.org to schedule a delivery route. Turn-by-turn directions are provided and routes can be completed in less than two hours.

Meals On Wheels Atlanta is inviting additional $10 gas cards donations to promote volunteerism. Call 404-351-3889 if you would like to donate gas cards.

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About Senior Citizen Services: Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. (SCS), a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 and is designed to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community. Their programs include Meals On Wheels Atlanta, Home Repair Services, Vivian T. Minor Adult Day Care for Alzheimer’s/Dementia, and Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Centers. For more information on programs, please visit www.scsatl.org.

Senior Citizen Services Announces Older Americans Month Activities

Each May, Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta participates in Older Americans Month as part of the annual nationwide celebration that commemorates the signing of the Older Americans Act. Older Americans Month is an occasion to show appreciation and support for our seniors as they continue to enrich and strengthen our communities. This year’s national theme -- Older Americans: Connecting the Community -- pays homage to the many ways in which older adults bring inspiration and continuity to the fabric of our communities, and highlights how technology is helping older Americans live longer, healthier, and more engaged lives. Thursday, May 5, 10 am—4 pm Neighborhood Senior Centers Open House Fulton County/SCS Senior Centers will be open for seniors to drop by and tour each center. Food and drinks, games, Wii, music, aerobics/exercise, arts & crafts, and much more will be offered. Saturday, May 7, 8:00 am SWEEP! Day—New Horizons Neighborhood Senior Center SWEEP! is a focused, high-impact event where hundreds of volunteers perform home maintenance and enhancement projects for seniors. Get out your paint brush and yard gloves for a special day of service in Atlanta! Thursday, May 12, 10 am—4 pm SPARC Health Fair—Senior Citizen Services Health screenings, referrals, memory screenings, dental exams, blood pressure checks, etc. Tuesday, May 17, 10 am—2 pm Senior Talent Show—Senior Citizen Services Seniors from the Neighborhood Senior Centers will sing, dance, perform dramatic readings, etc. Thursday, May 19, 10 am—2 pm Taste of SCS—Senior Citizen Services Seniors from the Neighborhood Senior Centers will cook up their best dish to share with friends. Saturday, May 21, 8:15 am geneRACEtion 10K and 2K Fun Run— Grant Park Proceeds raised from geneRACEtion will benefit two worthy organizations: Kate’s Club, a non-profit organization that empowers children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling (www.katesclub.org) and Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc., a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 (www.scsatl.org). Register to participate at www.geneRACEtion.org! Wednesday, June 8, 12 noon Open House and Annual Meeting—Senior Citizen Services Senior Citizen Services will open its doors to community and corporate partners to celebrate 46 years of continuous service for older adults in Atlanta.

Volunteer for SWEEP! Keep a Senior in Her Home!

Mrs. Nash moved into her home in 1988 with her husband, two boys, and two girls. They were attracted to the northwest Atlanta neighborhood because it was mostly older people. She has lived in Atlanta for 42 years after moving from Griffin, GA. Elizabeth worked as a maid for the Georgia Building Authority until she retired in 1997.

She enjoys going to her church’s senior program and was formerly a client at Dogwood Neighborhood Senior Center.

Mrs. Nash is one of ten older home owners who will receive needed home repairs on Saturday, May 1st. Senior Citizen Services will hold its annual SWEEP! Day for their HOMES Program (Home Owner Maintenance and Enhancement for Seniors). The event will take place from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. SWEEP! is a focused, high-impact event celebrating Older Americans Month. On the morning of May 1st, a volunteer team will “sweep” through each sponsored home and perform improvements inside and out. Improvements will include painting (inside and out), yard maintenance, gutter cleaning, and minor carpentry. SWEEP! will target ten homes in this event and will host an after-party for volunteers, homeowners, their guests, and donors.

Volunteer Here!

-- by Steve Hargrove, Director of Events and Marketing

Older Americans Month 2010 - Age Strong! Live Long!

May is Older Americans Month—a tradition dating back to 1963 to honor the legacies and ongoing contributions of older Americans and support them as they enter the next stage in life. Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta (SCS) is joining communities nationwide in celebrating this month with special activities and events.

Sunday, April 25, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Friends & Family Day at Neighborhood Senior Centers

Saturday, May 1, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
SWEEP! Day, Home Repairs for ten Atlanta seniors
Volunteer Here!

Saturday, May 22, 8:15 am, Grant Park
geneRACEtion 10K and 2K Fun Run benefitting SCS and Kate’s Club

Register to participate here!

This year’s Older Americans Month theme—Age Strong! Live Long!—recognizes the diversity and vitality of today’s older Americans who span three generations. They have lived through wars and hard times, as well as periods of unprecedented prosperity. They pioneered new technologies in medicine, communications, and industry while spearheading a cultural revolution that won equal rights for minorities, women, and disabled Americans.

These remarkable achievements demonstrate the strength and character of older Americans, and underscore the debt of gratitude we owe to the generations that have given our society so much. But the contributions of older Americans are not only in the past.

Older Americans are living longer and are more active than ever before. And with the aging of the baby boomer generation—the largest in our nation’s history—America’s senior population is expected to number 71.5 million by 2030.

While keeping the growing population of older Americans healthy and active will increase the demand for senior services, what is remarkable is the extent to which older Americans themselves are supporting each other. As the new generations of seniors become better educated and more financially secure than their predecessors, they are spending more time making significant contributions in their communities through civic and volunteer opportunities.

In fact, older Americans are a core component of service delivery to seniors—embodying and modeling the drive to Age Strong! Live Long! They volunteer at group meal sites and deliver food to homebound seniors; they act as escorts and provide transportation for older adults who cannot drive; they help seniors with home repair, shopping and errands; and they provide vital counseling, information and referral services. Their energy and commitment reminds all Americans—not just senior citizens and their caregivers—to do their part to enhance the quality of life for older generations.

The annual commemoration of Older Americans Month is our opportunity to recognize the contributions of older citizens and join them in providing services and support that empower the elderly. Americans of all ages and backgrounds can volunteer with programs that improve health literacy, increase access to quality health services, offer food and nutrition services, provide financial and housing counseling, sponsor social activities and community engagement, and more. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging by visiting http://www.eldercare.gov or calling 1-800-677-1116 to find out what you can do to strengthen services for older Americans, this month and all year round.

-- by Steve Hargrove, Director of Events and Marketing

Older Americans Month is Full of Activities at SCS

Each year in May, America celebrates “Older Americans Month.” In this year’s proclamation, President Obama said:

Older Americans have carried our Nation through great challenges and triumphs. They have enriched our national character and strengthened the Republic for those who have followed. During the month of May, we pay tribute to the wisest among us.

Throughout the land, older Americans are strengthening our communities and the American way of life. Many senior citizens remain in the workforce to support themselves and their families. Others are embarking on second careers and exploring new interests and fields of knowledge. Inspiring citizens of all ages, many serve as advocates and volunteers in community service roles. In this important work, they make a real difference in the daily lives of fellow citizens of all ages, while promoting and strengthening the American spirit of civic participation.

On Saturday, April 25, more than 300 volunteers swept through Atlanta repairing seniors’ homes in our annual SWEEP! Day celebration. Participants cleaned up yards by raking leaves, mowing grass, trimming bushes, and picking up trash. Others painted the interior and exterior of homes for seniors who can’t do that work for themselves anymore. Some people cleaned up after a recent fire in a senior’s home.

On Sunday, May 3, each of our eight Neighborhood Senior Centers celebrated Friends & Family Day at their center. Guests for invited for an afternoon of fun and fellowship that included games, craft making, pictures, programs, and lunch.

On Saturday, May 16, SCS continues its celebration of Older Americans Month with our inaugural geneRACEtion 5K Run/Walk in Grant Park. Participants are invited to raise money for SCS and for Rainbows Georgia. Runners/walkers are still needed. Register at www.geneRACEtion.org.

Lastly, think about a senior that has influenced your life. Maybe that is a grandparent, a Sunday school teacher, a neighbor that fought in a war. Tell them how much you appreciate them during Older Americans Month.

-- by Steve Hargrove, Director of Events and Marketing