Department on Aging Recognizes 50th Anniversary of National Senior
Nutrition Program
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[March 26, 2022]
This March, the Illinois Department on
Aging (IDoA) is joining the Administration for Community Living
(ACL) and local senior nutrition service providers to celebrate the
50th anniversary of the national Senior Nutrition Program.
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“Since its inception, the national Senior Nutrition
Program has provided healthy, well-balanced meals to older adults in
both group and home settings,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois
is proud to recognize the 50th anniversary of this program and the
tremendous impact it has on seniors’ health and continued
independent living in their communities.”
Since 1972, the Senior Nutrition Program has supported nutrition
services for older adults. Funded by the federal Older Americans
Act, local senior nutrition programs serve as hubs for adults age 60
and older to access meals and other nutrition services that
strengthen social connections and promote health and well-being.
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Each year in the U.S., up to half of older adults are at risk of
malnutrition, and more than 10 million face hunger. To combat food
insecurity among this population, Illinois’ Aging Network provides
nutritious and culturally appropriate meals to older adults at more
than 393 congregate dining sites statewide, including senior
centers, churches, senior housing facilities and community
buildings. Home-delivered meals are also available to older adults
who are unable to cook or shop for food on their own. With the
temporary closure of in-person dining sites at the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the Aging Network responded to a 50% increase in
need for home-delivered meals, providing an average of nearly 1
million home-delivered meals per month since March 2020. Today, many
reopened group dining sites are providing packaged grab-and-go-style
meals as an alternative option while demand for home-delivered meals
remains high.
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Mar/10/images/ads/current/christianchurch_lda_PRESCHOOL_2022.png) “Local nutrition programs are
making a difference in the lives of older Illinoisans every single
day,” said IDoA Director Paula Basta. “For decades, they have met
our seniors’ most basic needs to keep them in their home and
provided a daily safety check and social interaction. I am grateful
to our Aging Network for sustaining these vital programs that
promote healthy aging, and I am excited to join them in celebrating
50 years of success.”
IDoA serves and advocates for older Illinoisans and their caregivers
by administering quality and culturally appropriate programs that
promote partnerships and encourage independence, dignity, and
quality of life. For information about the Department’s programs and
services for older adults and persons with disabilities, visit
https://www2.illinois.gov/
aging/programs
or contact the Senior HelpLine toll-free at 1-800-252-8966, Monday
through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information]
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