2022 Giving Guide: Senior Services
(PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SENIORS FIRST, INC)
Seniors First, Inc.
5395 LB McLeod Road, Orlando 32811 | 407-292-0177 | seniorsfirstinc.org
“The world comes to me, and I am not alone.”
Those are the words of Seniors First beneficiary Anna. Like so many other senior citizens, Anna wants to stay in her home, with the independence that affords. For aging residents who are healthy, the home they have lived in for years or even decades provides a comfort that may be hard to find elsewhere. But it can also feel isolating.
Orlando-based Seniors First understands that. Each Meals on Wheels provider takes that meal-delivery opportunity to check in on clients and provide a link to the outside world. It’s the quiet part of their mission.
“Our volunteers who deliver Meals on Wheels add much-needed conversation and a safety check on the well-being of our clients,” President and CEO Marsha Lorenz says.
Anna’s words confirm the organization’s worth: “Your delicious meals and the care you provide have filled my life with friendship and joy.”
For over 50 years, Seniors First has been serving Central Florida’s older residents with essential programs that ensure their clients are cared for physically and emotionally. They are the safety net for which family members hope.
According to Seniors First, one in six seniors struggles with hunger and may not know where their next meal will come from. In Orange County alone, that represents over 16,000 people with food insecurity.
To overcome that, Seniors First has served over 406,000 meals in total and in 2021, served over 4,000 clients.
Besides delivering meals, Seniors First runs a community food pantry, serves congregate lunches and operates programs for such specialized needs as personal care, homemaking, companionship, respite for caregivers and guardianship. It also has an agency for residents needing medical supplies, called Stepping Stone Medical Equipment Bank.
“Our mission is to enhance the quality of life of seniors by maintaining their independence and dignity,” Lorenz says. “(Our) programs focus on keeping older adults living healthy, safe and independent lives in their own homes, where they prefer to be.”
(PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SENIORS FIRST, INC)
Other Resources
Alzheimer’s Association, Central and North Florida Chapter | 2170 W. S.R. 434, Suite 300 | Longwood 32779 | 407-951-7992 | alz.org
Guardian Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center | 350 S. John Young Parkway | Orlando 32805 | 407-295-5371 | guardiancarenursing.com
Jewish Family Services | 2100 Lee Road | Winter Park 32789 | 407 644-7593 | jfsorlando.org
Meals on Wheels Etc. | 2801 S. Financial Court | Sanford 32773 | 407-333-8877 | mealsetc.org
Orlando Senior Health Network | 300 E. Church St. | Orlando 32801 | 407-425-1033 | orlandoseniorhealth.org
Home | Senior Services | Children | Special Needs | LGBTQ+ | The Arts | Pets | Hunger and Homelessness | Medical
