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Residents and volunteers tell Riverside council seniors were turned away from meal programs
Summary
Multiple public commenters told council that seniors were denied lunch at community centers when meals ran short, asked the city to expand meal provision to more community centers and sought clear donation and operations information.
At the meeting's public comment period, two Riverside residents who help run and use the city's senior meal programs described occasions when signed‑up seniors were given numbers and later told meals had run out.
Aurora Chavez asked the council to provide meals at each community center without a dedicated senior center, saying she witnessed a case where a friend received number 237 and later was told lunches had run out. She urged a solution that would allow donations and local distribution so seniors would not be turned away.
Irvin Shaw, who helps run lunches at the Genesys Center and said he typically hands out about 120 meal numbers each morning, told the council he sometimes sees shortfalls of 10–15 meals and asked staff to investigate whether shortages stem from Sodeco (the vendor), kitchen production, distribution errors or other causes. He noted that starting July 1 the reservation system may change and urged planning to avoid seniors losing access to meals.
Councilmembers and staff acknowledged the concerns and asked Parks & Rec and procurement staff to follow up. Commenters asked for clarity on whether donated funds should be sent to the city or to Sodeco and for a staff response with next steps.
