As Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County reaches its 50th year of serving older adults, the organization will celebrate the milestone with the 13th annual Food From the Heart Luncheon, a fundraiser supporting senior nutrition and wellness programs in the region.
The Valentine-themed luncheon is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13, from 11am-1pm at Chaminade Resort and Spa in Santa Cruz. Proceeds from the event directly support Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, a program of Community Bridges that has delivered nearly 10 million meals since its founding in 1976 as the Golden Age Nutrition Program.
Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County provides close to 200,000 nutritious meals each year through home deliveries and congregate dining sites. The program is supported by 14 staff members and more than 75 volunteers who deliver meals, conduct safety checks and offer regular social interaction to older adults throughout the county.
“Meals on Wheels is not just about food—it is about consistency, safety and knowing someone will be there,” said Ray Cancino, CEO of Community Bridges. “Every delivery represents a commitment to care and connection. After 50 years, that promise matters more than ever.”
The Food From the Heart Luncheon has become a longtime community gathering, bringing together local leaders, supporters and donors. Guests will enjoy a catered lunch, silent and live auctions, a raffle and the annual Sweetheart Award ceremony, along with reflections on the program’s history and future. Sponsorship opportunities and auction item donations are available.
A key component of the luncheon is the Fund-A-Need pledge drive, which allows attendees to directly support Meals on Wheels participants, from funding a week of meals for an individual senior to supporting meals countywide for a day.
Beyond the numbers, organizers say the program’s impact is measured in daily interactions that help seniors remain healthy and independent. Volunteers deliver meals across mountain, coastal and rural routes, often serving as a vital point of human contact. At dining sites, seniors receive meals in a social setting that helps reduce isolation.
According to recent client surveys, more than half of congregate meal participants rely on Meals on Wheels as their primary source of nutrition, and nearly nine in 10 say the program helps them feel less isolated. Home-delivered meal recipients report improved nutrition and an increased ability to remain safely in their homes.
Participants described the program as essential to their daily lives, calling it their “main meal of the day” and crediting it with reducing isolation. One participant wrote, “You are a godsend. It means more than I can say.”
The anniversary comes as Santa Cruz County faces a growing need for senior services. The county is the fastest-aging in California, with nearly 30% of residents expected to be 60 or older by 2030. At the same time, federal funding for senior nutrition programs has remained largely stagnant as food, fuel and labor costs continue to rise.
In the past year, a county funding reduction forced Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County to establish a waitlist for the first time in its history.
“We have never had to tell seniors to wait,” said Dana Wagner, senior program manager for Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County. “But rising costs and reduced funding have brought us to a point where demand is outpacing our ability to respond. That is why this moment—and this community’s support—matters so deeply.”
Organizers say Food From the Heart is both a celebration of five decades of service and an effort to secure the program’s future, ensuring that seniors continue to receive meals, safety checks and human connection.
Tickets, table-hosting opportunities, sponsorships and auction item donation information are available at communitybridges.org/ffth.
