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“Seniors are my favorite. They have so much wisdom and good advice.” That’s coming from Joy Pace, SeniorAge center lead at the West Plains Senior Center. “They’ve lived their life and they deserve the respect. They deserve to be taken care of, but sometimes they get forgotten.”

Adults over age 65 are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country, yet this age group makes up one-third of the people served by Ozarks Food Harvest’s network. Too many seniors aren’t getting the food they need. They face challenges like mobility issues, health problems, and fixed incomes that don’t keep pace with grocery costs. This significant group of people are at risk of falling through the cracks, but the West Plains Senior Center is determined that seniors do not go overlooked in their community.

To combat senior hunger, the West Plains Senior Center serves hot lunches at the center five days a week. Each meal consists of a protein, vegetable, fruit and whole grain, making every lunch a well-rounded, nutritious meal. They also provide home-delivered meals to people who can’t make it to the senior center and distribute Senior Boxes from Ozarks Food Harvest to income-qualified adults.

Nutritious meals are crucial to keep seniors healthy. It impacts everything from body to mind, as Joy explained, “In the South, where I’m from, we say food is for the soul. You’ve got to replenish your soul, which is part of your body, your mental health. Our meal programs are our top programs, but we also believe you have to have great mental and physical health to thrive.”

Recently, the senior center has addressed both mental and physical health through their on-site garden, which has grown to become a great source of exercise and fulfillment for local seniors. Vegetable, fruit and flower seeds are provided in large part by Ozarks Food Harvest’s Full Circle Gardens department, and the garden is tended to by the seniors themselves. They even get to take home the fresh produce they grow.

West Plains is a rural town with a growing elderly population. Between more adults aging out of the work force and out-of-state seniors retiring to the Ozarks, the number of seniors in the area is increasing. The community needs the senior center more than ever, but the center faces its own challenges.

“Federal and state funding has been cut a little bit on our end,” explained Joy, “So we rely on donations that we get from Ozarks Food Harvest. I’ve had seniors break down and cry because they’re getting on the meal program and a release of relief coming over them. I’ve had family members cry because they know that their parent or grandparent is going to eat.”

The stories of hope that Joy hears every day are why she fights to keep seniors’ needs top of mind. Last year, the West Plains Senior Center was awarded Civic/Nonprofit Organization of the Year by the West Plains Chamber of Commerce. That’s because Joy and her team are strong advocates for the senior center.

As Joy explained, “You know, everybody feeds kids, and I don’t disagree. I have two children myself. They deserve good food, but it needs to be continued at every level. Especially for seniors, because maybe their family moved away, or maybe they’re the last living person of their family. Whatever the situation is, they deserve those services and to not be forgotten.”

The West Plains Senior Center staff and volunteers are wholly committed to making seniors feel seen and cared for. In addition to food programs, the center offers free tax clinics, exercise classes, support groups, wellness classes, pop-up health clinics, hobby-based groups and so much more.

Thank you to the West Plains Senior Center for their commitment to ending senior hunger in the Ozarks. Your advocacy for seniors is how we Transform Hunger into Hope. To learn more about the West Plains Senior Center, visit senioragemo.org/locations/west-plains-senior-center-2.