frequently asked questions

We serve 46,000 meals a year to our seniors – that’s an amazing accomplishment. The daily gathering in our dining room is an important event in the lives of so many local elders. For folks who can’t make it in, we bring lunch to them at home. That’s why I’m asking you to help –we’ve always taken care of our own here on the Coast. Lunch cost $367,000 last year. The seniors themselves pay 47%, and the federal government pays 40%. Please help us make up the remaining $50,000.

Think of us as the “elder taxi”. We don’t run scheduled routes. Instead, folks call in and we go pick them up at home and deliver them to their destinations. Door to door and back again for all seniors, 600 rides a month and growing. Our drivers personally assist with people and their packages – whatever it takes to make our elders comfortable, secure, and independent. MTA pays a big part of the bill, because we’re partners with them. Of course, we have to make up the extra cost ourselves.

Sometimes older folks need constant care and companionship. If their families cannot stay home all the time, the elder usually has to be placed in a care facility. That’s where we come in. We operate a “home away from home” on weekdays – our Day Program. It’s a warm, loving place where a family’s elder can count on sensitive care, food, fun, safety, and security while their caring family members get a few hours of unburdened regular life. Our Day Program is like the neighbor you can count on taking care of everything when you have to go out for the day.

Over fifty people every week put in a few hours serving or delivering meals, running Granny’s Attic (our thrift store), gardening, helping in the Day Program, fixing the building, staffing the office, being on the Board, or running events. Most volunteers are seniors! The Center depends on them, and we elder volunteers enjoy an opportunity to use experience and skills in an important and meaningful way: operating our own community. Of course we love it when younger folks work side by side with us. You might try it – call and volunteer; we’ll put you to work, and you may be amazed by how much fun we have together!

Our primary service is personal consultation. We answer nearly 600 calls every month from seniors needing information about how to handle some aspect of their lives. We refer them to the right service provider, or provide intervention and service by our own staff. We like to think of ourselves as the “front desk at a fine senior hotel” – whatever you need around town, we’ll try to make the connection for you. There are also social, educational, and service programs at our Center. We encourage seniors to use our facilities here for whatever events they want to put on - mostly at no charge.