Founded in 1971, Spectrum Community Services improves the health and safety of low-income residents and seniors in Alameda County by enhancing their quality of life and helping them age at home with dignity.

"Spectrum has consistently adapted our programming to serve the changing needs of our community," says Lara Calvert, Executive Director. "As demographics have changed, older adults have become a larger percentage of our overall population, and senior-focused services are more vital now than ever before."

Spectrum's senior services include a Fall Prevention Program and a Senior Nutrition Program that serves healthful meals to seniors in 24 locations. Spectrum's Meals on Wheels Program delivers meals directly to homebound residents where they live.

"Spectrum's Senior Nutrition Program feeds the heart of our community, the older adults who rely on a healthy, hot, delicious meal each day," notes Calvert. "Providing more than a meal, the friendly interactions with our passionate volunteers and staff offer our homebound seniors friendly socialization, regular safety and wellness checks, and access to information on other available senior services."

Those who benefit from Spectrum's Senior Nutrition Program truly appreciate the service. But not everyone who needs the service has access.

"Our Meals on Wheels program has been going strong for over 30 years meeting the need of the homebound elderly," says Calvert. "But in the past two years, we have experienced a doubling of the number of Tri-Valley residents who need our help. We currently have 88 residents who qualify for Meals on Wheels who we cannot serve due to lack of funds. This is the first time in our history we have had a wait list."

Spectrum's Meals on Wheels program is made possible by donations and nearly 100 volunteers. The nonprofit wants to end the wait list and meet the needs of Tri-Valley seniors by growing this much-needed program. Toward that end, Spectrum is holding its inaugural Feed the Need fundraiser on Thursday, September 6, 2018. Event details will be released soon for community members who would like to purchase tickets and support this viral program.

Teams are being formed now to participate in a Feed the Need Throwdown lunch-making competition. For more information, contact Charlie Deterline at cdeterline@spectrumcs.org or 510-876-8806.

The wellness checks provided by the Meals on Wheels Program can be just as important as the meals it provides. "One of our volunteer drivers aided in a life-saving emergency situation when one of our recipients didn't answer their door," says Calvert. "Our volunteer did exactly what he was trained to do and called the office coordinator who then called the seniors emergency contact person while he continued delivering meals in the senior complex.

"Just as he circled back to her door he could hear the air conditioner go off and he heard a faint call for help. He then rushed to the apartment manager's office to get help. Together they opened the door to find the senior on the floor. They called 911, and help rapidly arrived while the Meals on Wheels staff stayed on the phone with the senior's emergency contact.

"We later learned that our recipient had suffered a heart attack and was on the floor for at least six hours before our Meals on Wheels volunteer arrived to deliver her meal. Because this senior was on the Meals on Wheels program, she was found and received life-saving help more quickly."

Hayward-based Spectrum also provides services for low-income Alameda County residents. Eligible residents can get help with the Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps residents pay their energy bills, and the Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps residents reduce their energy burden and provide health and safety measures.

For more information about Spectrum Community Services, please visit www.spectrumcs.org.