Volunteer drivers, cooks and office staff needed for Senior Nutrition Program

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The El Dorado County Senior Nutrition Program is currently in great need of volunteers to help in the Senior Nutrition kitchen, provide office support, or drive meals to homebound seniors enrolled in the County’s Home Delivered Meals Program.

The program operates in South Lake Tahoe and on the west slope of the county and volunteers are needed in all areas.

“We’re thankful that the Senior Nutrition Program helps so many senior residents throughout our county,” said Yvette Wencke, program manager with El Dorado County Senior Services. “However, our current staff and volunteers are stretched very thin. We’re looking for additional community members who can help.”

The Senior Nutrition Program prepares and serves nutritious meals for seniors five days per week at seven community dining sites in the county and prepares hundreds of meals each day for homebound residents. According to Wencke, the Senior Nutrition Program traditionally needs 200 volunteers per month and currently only has 160.

“Unfortunately, we lost many volunteers during the pandemic, and several longtime volunteers left due to advanced age or moving out of the area,” explained Wencke. “We hope to find additional people who’d love to volunteer with us and enjoy serving local seniors.”

“We appreciate our volunteers very much,” added Wencke. “They often tell us how rewarding their experience is, including the bonds and connections they’ve made with other volunteers and the clients they serve.”

Individuals interested in volunteering with the Senior Nutrition Program are encouraged to contact program staff at (530) 621-6160. The Senior Nutrition Program also holds a monthly one-hour Volunteer Orientation where potential new volunteers can learn about the opportunities and ask questions. The next Volunteer Orientation is Thursday, March 14, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Placerville Senior Center, 937 Spring Street in Placerville. Additional Volunteer Orientation sessions are scheduled on April 4 and May 2, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Placerville Senior Center. Those interested in volunteering in the South Lake Tahoe area may call (530) 621-6160 with questions or to schedule an in-person orientation to be held at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, located at 3050 Lake Tahoe Boulevard.

The El Dorado County Senior Nutrition Program is one of many national Senior Nutrition Programs funded under the Older Americans Act of 1965 serving older adults through home-delivered meal service and community dining centers. The program is a service of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency.

For more information about the Senior Nutrition Program and other senior services, visit https://www.edcgov.us/SeniorService.aspx.