Community support in action

This is a summary of an opinion column by Senior Services' chief executive officer, published in The Virginian-Pilot on March 15, 2024.

On March 1, 2024, Senior Services held its first Night of Magic Gala at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach, raising money to fight food scarcity among older adults in the region. The column argues that hunger among seniors is not only about food: fixed incomes and health conditions can make it hard to shop or cook, and going without enough food raises the risk of weakened immune systems, slower wound healing, falls, and chronic disease.

Through its Meals on Wheels program, Senior Services delivered more than 225,000 home-delivered meals last year, and still keeps a waiting list of older adults who need help getting food. The gala was meant to help close that waiting list, and the column closes by thanking everyone, individuals, businesses, and community organizations, who supported it.