Twenty percent of SLO County residents are over 65, and it’s predicted that by 2060, California’s population of residents over 65 will increase by 89%.
Meals that Connect provides free, healthy noontime meals to over 2,000 seniors throughout SLO County. Seniors congregate every weekday at one of 10 dining sites or receive home delivery. They may even receive frozen meals for weekends and holidays. Currently, our local program serves around 2300 clients, though not all receive meals daily.
Daily volunteer drivers provide social contact and a safety check, and are critical to seniors who are homebound. Just ask Johnine Talley, who has volunteered every Friday for years, how personally satisfying it is to give back to the community.
Of the 2300 people in SLO County receiving free meals, 60% are women, half of whom live alone; 38% of these women live at or below the poverty level.
Meals that Connect is a program of the national nonprofit, Senior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo. A big thank you to CenCal Health for donating annually to this program, the Area Agency on Aging, and the many San Luis Obispo people and partners who prioritize seniors in our community.
Talley Farms supports Meals that Connect and had a booth at the recent SLO Pickle Festival, their primary fundraiser. More than 600 tickets were sold at $60 each. Attendees 21 and over could enjoy pickle-themed activities, including pickle-eating contests, pickling demonstrations, unlimited tastings of pickle-inspired bites and sips, a photo booth, live music, and face painting. Look for the 3rd annual SLO Pickle Festival next October and help support our seniors!
