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Sun City area residents will get a chance to see the new facilities for Olive Branch Senior Center.
The facility made the move to a renovated building on Banner Health property on 103rd Avenue just north of Grand Avenue in April. Officials will host an open house 1-3 p.m. Thursday, June 22 at the new location, 13049 N. 103rd Ave., Sun City.
The new location, in a former Banner storage building, is a 25,000-square-foot facility and is three times bigger than the previous location. The Banner Olive Branch Senior Center works to maintain and improve seniors’ nutrition as an essential service. According to Banner Olive Branch Senior Center officials, Olive Branch strives to help older adults maintain health and independence and avoid complications from chronic health conditions.
According to America’s Health Rankings, 14.7% of adults 60 and older in Arizona are experiencing food insecurity. Banner Olive Branch Senior Center offers food programs that address food insecurity that many homebound, low-income and disabled in the Sun Cities seniors face.
The five programs include the food pantry program, where seniors get to visit the food pantry daily to pick free groceries for individuals. The new food pantry is much larger with state of the art shelving for easy picking, as well as large industrial sized coolers for individuals to pick cold items. The Mobile pantry comes once per month with a semi-truck delivery from St. Mary’s Food Bank that offers all community members bags of food. Last year the food pantry collected and distributed more than 1 million pounds of food. As recently as April 14, a record 192 people visited the pantry.
In the old facility, the cooler and freezer areas were maxed out, so having a full large walk-in refrigerator and larger freezer area is a luxury, according to Dawn Gielau, Banner Olive Branch Senior Center director.
Volunteers had a more challenging time at the old facility. But with the new scale and storage spaces, the process is much easier and can cut back on the amount of lifting for volunteers, she added.
The home-delivered meals program delivers hot, nutritious meals delivered to homebound seniors, which will be made in the brand new kitchen by staff and volunteers. Delivery staff also provides wellness checks during services and averages 200 meals per day.
The congregate meals program makes meals for individuals in the dining room.
“Now the seniors can choose what they want to eat on this serving station and serve themselves,” Gielau said.
Jodie Snyder, Banner Health marketing and public relations, said the serving station also gives the seniors a sense of independence.
The older location held 160 seniors in the dining room, while now 208 seniors can dine together. Last year, the facility averaged 80 congregate meals per day. The takeout program is also an option for seniors who visit the center.
Currently, the breakfast program is available every week day.
On top of the food program, Banner Olive Branch Senior Center offers health screenings, counseling, transportation, legal assistance and educational outreach.
The new facility has two health rooms thanks to a grant from the National Council on Aging Wellness Center. Gielau said the Senior Center will host four flu and COVID booster clinics this fall.
A movie room complete with a large television and furniture, library and a chair exercise room for seniors to have an opportunity for fitness are all available in a dedicated space.
Also located in the dining room, a stage is available for speakers, entertainers and the Monday Mending Group, who repair clothes on-site.
Call 623-465-6000.
Reporter Jennifer Jimenez can be reached at jjimenez@iniusa.org. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
I am passionate about sports and community writing and shining the light on positivity, while delivering the facts. I have been with the Independent team for five months, but in the game for 15 years. I am a proud Grand Canyon University alumni. Born and raised in Peoria, I also am blessed to have a street named after me called Jennifer Rose Court.
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