Happy New Year 2024 from the

Local Office on Aging!

All of the holiday festivities are in our rearview mirror. The Roanoke area Diner's Clubs gathered in LOA’s Center for Health & Wellness for their annual Christmas Party, and it was wonderful to see the center packed and used to serve the seniors of our valley. Each Diner received a “winter wonderland” gift bag filled with goodies that were generously donated by our community, including contributions from Second Presbyterian Church, New Century Church, the National Association of Railway Business Women Roanoke Chapter 19, and Christmas ornaments made by LOA’s own Becky Jennings, Nutrition Coordinator for Botetourt and Craig Counties.

Thank you to everyone who took a tag from the Be a Santa to a Senior trees and helped wrap and deliver presents. We are so appreciative of the community support to provide gifts to 157 seniors who otherwise would have received nothing for Christmas. Thanks to Pat Houghton and the wonderful parishioners at Second Presbyterian Church who adopted a grand total of 70 seniors – and also donated 135 chocolate covered cherries for our Diner's Club participants. Wells Fargo adopted 40 seniors, Belk gave 20 seniors gifts, and New Century Church gave 14 gifts and donated scarves for each and every Diner’s Club member. 



Medicare's Open Enrollment season has concluded, and our staff and volunteers assisted hundreds of clients to help them realize an estimated savings totaling $181,450 for health insurance. Special thanks to our volunteers to worked tirelessly and will continue to do so during the year, to counsel seniors with unbiased information about Medicare and health insurance options.

Soup for Seniors: Give a Senior a Hot Meal on a Cold Day

LOA's annual canned food drive is coming soon! Help provide a hot meal on a cold day and remind thousands of seniors in need that we have not forgotten them. For those who may be unable to drop off items in person, monetary gifts are accepted and appreciated, to buy shelf-stable items and support seniors’ nutritional needs. Join us by:



• donating food,
• volunteering, or
• holding a canned food collection at your church, school, or business during January.
• Then deliver your collected food to one of our drop-off sites between January 29-February 4, or
• to our main collection site the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul on February 5-6.

Volunteers Needed

Hungry seniors in your neighborhood need your help today! Do you have 1-2 hours available, once a week or once a month, to drive Meals on Wheels? We need volunteers to drive Meals on Wheels out of the following delivery locations:



• Northwest Roanoke area
• Vinton/Southeast Roanoke
• Williamson Road area of Roanoke
• South Botetourt
• Salem
• South Roanoke

You could even sign up to be a substitute driver on an as-needed basis! LOA has 12 sites across our area that deliver Meals on Wheels, and we are happy to work with you and your schedule for any site or dates that are convenient for you to volunteer.

• SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
• LEARN MORE

Questions? Please contact Jason Brooks at 540-345-0451 extension 3023 or by clicking the button below. If you already volunteer, thank you! Please share this information with others who may be interested in helping seniors.

Volunteer Spotlight

Thank you to Kathleen Claytor and all the members of Roanoke Chapter 19 of the National Association of Railway Business Women (NARBW)! Longtime supporters of LOA, the NARBW gave a generous donation to help provide Christmas gifts for our Diner’s Clubs participants. In addition, they also donated Christmas mugs, hats, and gloves for our seniors.

The Local Office on Aging continues to strive to fulfill its mission of helping older persons remain independent for as long as possible.



But we can’t do it alone. Your donation today will help fill the plate of services where it is needed most.

• $1,000 enables LOA to help more seniors with Transportation to the doctor, pharmacy, or grocery store.
• $500 to assist one senior with In-Home Care.
• $250 funds Center for Health & Wellness programs.
• $100 gives eligible seniors much needed Legal Assistance.
• $50 provides 5 people with Emergency Services.
• $25 delivers 3 Meals on Wheels, or 2 Diner’s Club lunches.

OFFICE CLOSINGS: Please note that LOA will be closed

Monday, January 1, and Monday, January 15.

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