Two of Santa Cruz County’s longest-standing senior-serving nonprofits—Community Bridges’ Meals on Wheels and Grey Bears—are partnering to address a growing issue: thousands of older adults in our area are going hungry.
Together, the nonprofits aim to help elders access nutritious food and social connection. The organizations are working to conduct wellness checks, deliver weekly grocery bags and carry out visits across the county.
According to Age Well Santa Cruz County’s community assessment, about 1 in 3 older adults in Santa Cruz report having concerns about their ability to afford food; 38% of seniors live alone, thus increasing risks of isolation and food insecurity; and 45% of older adults say their current income is insufficient to meet their basic needs.
At the same time, senior citizens are in need of support more than ever due to federal cuts to CalFresh (SNAP), Medicaid, the National Senior Nutrition Program and other support programs. Challenges are expected to grow with the newly passed “Big Beautiful Bill” further decreasing funding for such programs.
Meals on Wheels delivers more than 1,000 healthy meals every week to homebound Santa Cruz County seniors, accompanied by a wellness check — often the only human contact an older adult might have that day. Meals on Wheels also serves about 500 seniors at in-person dining sites in Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Live Oak and Ben Lomond each weekday.
Grey Bears provides weekly bags of fresh produce and pantry staples to over 4,000 older adults’ households. Grey Bears also serves communal hot lunches five days a week from its Mid-County location on Chanticleer Avenue, serving 63,000 meals last year, nourishing seniors and reducing social isolation.