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Santa Ana staff outline senior‑center programs, transportation and volunteer needs
Summary
City staff told the Youth Commission the two Santa Ana senior centers offer daily congregate lunches, twice‑monthly commodity distributions, transportation with three city vehicles, and a full calendar of excursions and events; staff also requested volunteers and partner support.
Juan Lara, recreation community services supervisor, told the Youth Commission the city operates two senior centers — the Santa Ana Senior Center and the Southwest Senior Center — that run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and serve as hubs for senior activities.
Lara said the centers host a free congregate lunch program (donations accepted; nonmembers who register are charged $5 per meal), and run twice‑monthly commodity distributions for seniors and the broader community. "We also host a congregate lunch program ... it is free," Lara said, adding donations are accepted and nonmembers pay $5 per registered meal.
Lara described regular programming that includes fitness and recreation classes (from martial arts to Zumba), education seminars (nutrition and fraud prevention), monthly themed special events and an annual International Older Adult Celebration at Jerome Park on Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. He said the centers also offer excursions planned for the year (Natural History Museum — Los Angeles; Hampton Library — Pasadena; Getty Villa in June; OC Fair in July; Citadel Palace in November) and that longer trips use charter buses while the city’s three vehicles (and three full‑time drivers) provide door‑to‑door service for local outings.
On services and partnerships, Lara said the program relies primarily on the city’s general fund but depends heavily on external partners: Meals on Wheels (meal service and home delivery), Santa Ana College (course instructors), Amistad Medical Clinics (event sponsorship and health screenings), the county older‑adults office (Medicare/Medi‑Cal appointments), the Santa Ana Public Library (technology help) and Community Legal Aid of Southern California (one‑on‑one legal appointments).
Lara closed by calling for volunteers to help with front‑desk duties, lunch service, the coffee bar and teaching classes. "If you know of anybody that is interested in primarily volunteering their time ... please send them our way," he said. The presentation concluded with staff offering contact information for follow‑up.
The commission did not take formal action on the presentation; staff invited members and the public to connect with senior services for volunteer or partnership opportunities.
The Santa Ana Youth Commission heard this presentation during the information section of its Feb. 9 meeting; Lara’s presentation ran from the introduction (SEG 056) through his closing (SEG 435).
