Banner Olive Branch Senior Center recently held its first community block party, a free event for people living in the Sun Cities and surrounding areas. The event, which featured a vintage car show, live music, free food and nearly 50 vendors promoting community resources, resulted in an influx of nearly 1,000 people who learned about the center’s programs and offerings.

“This fantastic event showcased everything Olive Branch is about, which is helping connect our aging community members with the resources they need,” said Jennifer Lawless, director of Banner Olive Branch. “We’re thrilled about the new relationships we formed with neighbors and look forward to helping them take advantage of our various programs and other fun events in the future.”

In addition to promoting Olive Branch’s core community resources, the April 25 event celebrated the center’s recently expanded Senior Advocacy Program. After receiving a grant from Banner — University Health Plans, Olive Branch hired a senior advocate who will train and oversee volunteers to help people sign up for cost saving benefits. The program is free to community members who make an appointment.

Another key element of the Senior Advocacy Program is its benefits enrollment assistance resource. With the help of a community outreach coordinator, seniors can simplify the benefits enrollment process and avoid the need for travel and long wait times at community offices. Members also benefit from services like utility discounts, tax support and a supplemental nutrition assistance program, among others. Currently, about 1,700 seniors benefit from this program and save an average of $2,000 per person each year.

In order to accommodate a fast-growing senior community and increased demand for services, the center aims to increase the number of seniors it helps through benefits enrollment and other assistance services with the expansion of the Senior Advocate Program.

Banner Olive Branch Senior Center has been serving the Sun Cities and surrounding communities since 1988. The senior center offers a variety of social and educational programs, as well as support services, including a home-delivered meal program, daily congregate lunches, health and wellness classes and a pantry program supported by donations from the community. The center is also a Medicare benefits check-up site.

Visit bannerhealth.com/olivebranch for more information.