Serving Seniors Awarded $400,000 Grant from SDG&E. Sponsored by SDG&E Older adults face a number of economic challenges – from low incomes to a lack of affordable housing. In fact, three in eight San Diego County seniors are forced to choose between food and rent each month. Serving Seniors is committed to providing wraparound services and support to help older adults 60 years old and above thrive. CEO & President Paul Downey joins our Laura Cavanaugh to share the many ways that the nonprofit is helping more than 9,000 local older adults live healthy and fulfilling lives. Serving Seniors is the largest provider of meals for seniors in San Diego County with 1.2 million meals served annually, both in their senior centers and through home-delivered meals. “We provide the whole gamut of services that are the safety net that ensures people can live healthy and fulfilling lives,” said Downey. The organization provides comprehensive case management services. Their case managers step in to help with housing, social security and Medicare. Serving Seniors also provides activities, exercise classes, even enrichment and volunteer opportunities. They also provide affordable housing units and homelessness services for those who may have fallen through the cracks. Serving Seniors also promotes socialization and connection. Serving Seniors was awarded a $400,000 grant from the SDG&E Community Assistance Fund. The generous grant will assist in providing no-cost, nutritious meals to low-income, homebound and unhoused seniors, as well as help to improve economic security, housing and health outcomes for our county’s seniors. “It’s a game changer for us,” said Downey. “It allows us to invest in infrastructure, trucks and kitchen equipment, so that we can provide those 1.2 million meals. It provides some direct funding to fund the meals so that we can prepare and get them out to folks. It provides for a case manager who steps in and helps with some of the things that a family member might do and help folks navigate through the system. And probably most importantly, it provides an emergency assistance fund when people are literally on the cusp of perhaps becoming homeless because they are a month or two behind in rent, or some other economic crisis that has occurred, for us to step in, give them a check that keeps them housed and at home where they want to be, and really where the community wants them to be.” To learn more, support or to get involved, call (619) 235-6572 or visit www.servingseniors.org And to learn more about how SDG&E is powering positive change and for a full list of the grant recipients, visit www.sdge.com/community Sponsored by: SDG&E