The Caring Cupboard: A Helping Hand for Seniors in San Carlos.

November 18, 2016

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A Time of Need.

In a community where so much attention and funds are vectored toward our younger generation (think SCEF, and the plethora of parcel tax measures that we are paying for schools), it's important to acknowledge another equally important segment of our society that doesn't enjoy nearly the focus and attention that is bestowed upon our youth: Our senior citizens. This may come as a surprise to some people whose perception of San Carlos is that of a haven for young, wealthy professional families who value the small town feel and the great schools, but senior citizens still make up a significant portion of our population — many of whom still live on their own.

Quite a few of these seniors live on fixed incomes which are comprised of Social Security, pensions, and maybe and investment or two. But as our seniors are living longer and the cost of living continues to increase in this already expensive area, some of these long-time San Carlos residents are starting to fall on hard financial times as they struggle to keep up. This has forced them to sacrifice basic necessities…such as food.

That's where the Caring Cupboard comes in.

Funded primarily by the Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary Clubs of San Carlos — with additional funding coming from the San Carlos Park and Rec Department and the Adult Community Center — the Caring Cupboard is collection of local volunteers who work to distribute nearly $30,000 of groceries for free to low income San Carlos seniors.  And this is all year round, not just during the holiday season.  Residents who qualify for the program are:
— 50 years of age or older.
— Annual income from all sources is less than $1,945 a month/single, or $2,622 a month/couple.

The program has been an amazing success, but they could always use additional volunteers and funding.

Interested?

The Caring Cupboard meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from 10AM – Noon at the San Carlos Adult Community Center at 601 Chestnut Street (a the corner of Chestnut Street and San Carlos Avenue). If you're a senior in need of assistance, or you're a citizen who wants to volunteer for the program, simply drop by the ACC during regular business hours to register.

A big thank you to everyone who helps make this program a success. I have lived in San Carlos for over 25 years, and was not aware until recently that this program even existed!

 

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