Generations
February 4, 2022 | Monthly News & Updates
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We have a winner!
A HUGE Congratulations to our 2021 Mercedes Benz SUV raffle winner, Chris C. a Winter Garden resident and longtime supporter of the Osceola Council On Aging, we were thrilled his family took home the winning SUV since their 2014 Hybrid quit running in December (what a coincidence!!) The OCOA would like to thank everyone who supported our 2021 raffle!
A BIG thank you to Mercedes-Benz of South Orlando for partnering with the Council to support Osceola County residents.
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Stay tuned for our 3rd Annual Car Raffle! This year we will be raffling off a Ford F150 in partnership with Kisselback Ford. Ticket sales begin March 12th at our March for Meals Event! |
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Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of "Negro History Week," the...
Read more
www.history.com
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Who do you think is going to win Super Bowl 2022?
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SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE EMAIL
OLIVERAB@OSCEOLA-COA.COM
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Alexa Together: Amazon launches service to help care for ...
Amazon's Alexa has a new role: helping seniors and caregivers. On Tuesday, Amazon launched Alexa Together in an effort to help aging consumers and family members or friends who assist in caring for them. The subscription service requires an...
Read more
www.usatoday.com
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March for Meals St. Patrick’s 5K Run/Walk
March for Meals St. Patrick’s 5K Run/Walk is a fun run event to create awareness of senior hunger and to raise money for the Meals on Wheels program in Osceola County through the Osceola Council on Aging. It is a fun run with a clock, so you can catch your time at the finish line!
We will award the top 10 male and 10 female overall finishers plus the top male and female finisher 65+. This year’s event will be a few days before St. Patrick’s Day. Since we are so close to St. Patrick’s Day, we are asking all participants to have fun with the color “green” by wearing your “lucky” green to celebrate ending Senior Hunger! We are asking you to put together a team and participate in our “Team Challenge” category and win the “MOST SPIRITED TEAM” and/or “LARGEST TEAM” in 2022
Put your team together today and show your spirit and help us fight senior hunger by supporting the Meals on Wheels program in Osceola County. Thank you for signing up and we look forward to seeing you there!
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New St. Cloud Community Action Site Now Open
Our new St. Cloud Community Action Site is now open!
Food Pantry and Community Actions Services will be available.
We will be open for donations Monday- Friday 8:30am-4:30pm
Food Pantry Thursday from 9:30 - 11:30am
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Volunteers Welcomed!
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Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program
Want to give back? Support the community and the environment! For the entire month of FEBRUARY, when you purchase a $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Winn-Dixie located at 3318 Canoe Creek Road, Saint Cloud, FL 34772, $1 is donated to Osceola Council on Aging.
We strongly encourage you to share this news with family and friends as well!
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Want to be a Meals on Wheels volunteer?
We have been blessed with the most AWESOME, CARING, COMPASSIONATE and DEDICATED group of Volunteers! These angels have been there with us during our hardest times (COVID Pandemic). Day after day, some of them are doing more than a route, more than one day a week! WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO EACH ONE OF THEM!
Because of COVID, the number of people we serve has doubled, making the routes longer! We have had to split routes to make it more manageable for volunteers and to better control meal temperatures. This is the reason why we need more volunteers! We are in need of volunteers especially in Poinciana, Poinciana Blvd., Pleasant Hill Road, Good Samaritan, Campbell City, Holopaw, Old Canoe Creek Road, BVL area, 192 going toward Celebration, among others!
If you are interested or would like to know more about being a hero to our Seniors in need, please call Wilda at 407-847-2144.
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Weatherization Services Available in
Osceola & Orange Counties
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The Osceola Council on Aging’s Weatherization
Program helps low-income seniors and families in
Osceola and Orange Counties to permanently reduce
their energy bills by making their homes more energy
efficient by performing energy efficiency checks, and
repair or replacement of insulation, doors, windows,
water heaters, heating units, air conditioning and more,
as allowed by program guidelines.
This service is FREE to qualifying
Low income households.
INCOME LEVELS:
Household Size - Max Monthly income
1 - $2147
2 - $3237
3 - $3660
4 - $4417
** Must provide: FLA. ID (Adults), All Household SS
Card(s), Birth Certificates of minors, All Proof of
Household Income, Proof of Home Ownership, Last 2
Electric Bills and Proof of Disability (if applicable).
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Fat is an essential nutrient and needs to be consumed daily. The dietary reference intake for total fat in adults is 20-35% of total calories or about 44-77 grams per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Adults should limit saturated fat intake to 10% or less of total calories which is 22 gm or less per day for a 2,000 calorie diet. The American Heart Association recommends replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and avoiding artificial trans fat.
Eat More
Monounsaturated Fats:
- Oils: Olive, Canola, Peanut, Safflower & Sesame
- Avocados and Avocado Oil
- Most Nuts
Polyunsaturated Fats*:
- Walnuts & Brazil Nuts
- Seeds: Chia, Flax, Hemp, Pumpkin & Sunflower
- Soybeans
- Fatty Fish: Salmon, Sardines, & Tuna
- Oils: Safflower, Soybean, Sunflower,
- Canola & Corn
*Polys include omega-3 and omega-6 fats
Eat Less
Saturated Fats:
- Animal Flesh
- Butter & Margarine
- Fried Foods
- Processed/Hydrogenated Oils
- Coconut Oil
Artificial Trans Fats*:
- Fried Foods
- Baked Goods and Snacks
- Stick Margarine
- Non-dairy Creamer
*In recent years manufacturers have
reduced the amount of trans fats found in
many processed foods
Why You Need Fat
- Surrounds and protects organs, such as the kidneys, heart, and liver
- Balances hormones
- Preserves body heat by providing an insulated layer of fat beneath the skin
- Acts as a long-lasting fuel source for low-intensity exercise
- Absorbs fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E, and K
Too much fat gets stored in the body and is used to make cholesterol. Too little fat may lead to skin integrity problems, hair loss, poor wound healing, fatigue and poor mental function.
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Although you may not be able to fully prevent an illness this season, a healthy immune system is one way to give your body extra protection. Focusing on nutrient-rich foods and healthy lifestyle behaviors can help you and your family stay a step ahead.
Immune-Supporting Nutrients
The following nutrients play a role in the immune system and can be found in a variety of foods:
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Beta Carotene is found in plant foods, such as sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, mango, broccoli and tomatoes.
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Vitamin C rich foods include citrus fruits, berries, melons, tomatoes, bell peppers and broccoli.
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Vitamin D is found in fatty fish and eggs. Milk and 100% juices that are fortified with vitamin D also are sources of this important nutrient.
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Zinc tends to be better absorbed from animal sources such as beef and seafood, but also is in vegetarian sources such as wheat germ, beans, nuts and tofu.
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Probiotics are “good” bacteria that promote health. They can be found in cultured dairy products such as yogurt with live cultures and may also be in other fermented foods such as kimchi.
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Protein comes from both animal and plant-based sources, such as milk, yogurt, eggs, beef, chicken, seafood, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.
Focus on Balance
To help keep your immune system healthy all year long, focus on a balanced eating plan, adequate sleep and stress management.
Aim for five to seven servings of vegetables and fruits daily to get vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that may support immune health.
Good hygiene and hand-washing help prevent the spread of germs. Remember to wash produce before eating or using in recipes. Clean glasses, forks, spoons and other utensils to reduce the spread and growth of bacteria.
Find healthy and appropriate ways to cope with stress, such as meditation, listening to music or writing. Physical activity also is a great way to help manage stress and may help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases that could weaken your immune system further.
Lack of sleep contributes to a variety of health concerns, such as a weakened immune system. Seven to nine hours is recommended each day for adults, and children need eight to 14 hours, depending on their age.
What About Herbals?
Many herbal remedies are marketed to help fight colds or shorten their duration but check with your health care provider before taking any supplements or medications. No one food or supplement can prevent illness.
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2022 Congregate:
The Osceola Council on Aging has made the decision to reopen our congregate sites starting February 7th! We will continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines and practice safety measures to ensure the safety of our clients while in our sites.
- February 11th - Valentines Day Party
- February 23rd - Black History Month Celebration
*Due to COVID-19 all regularly scheduled meetings are being held virtually by Zoom. For more information on meetings contact Janice Casler at caslerj@osceola-coa.com
Thursday, February 17th - Finance Committee* 12:00 P.M.
Wednesday, February 23rd - Executive Committee* 3:00 PM & Board of Directors* 3:30 P.M. (CANCELLED)
*Friday, February 25th February Meeting will take place during Board Retreat
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Thank you to all of our donors. We are not able to get a photo of every donor but we thank you all the same.
We are so fortunate to have had so many of you reach out to us asking how you can help and what you can do to ensure our community is well cared for. As an essential business we provide meals and other services to members of the community in need.Your donations are more critical now than ever to ensure they continue to receive these services during this unprecedented time.
Our greatest needs are contributions, both monetary and grocery items, for our community food pantry. We are trying to keep up with the new demand and increasing needs to feed the community. Leveraging your monetary donations allows us to stretch your dollars to serve even more individuals.
Thank You!
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FEBRUARY'S NEWSLETTER SPONSORED BY |
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Osceola Council on Aging | www.osceolagenerations.org
Solicitation of Funds The Osceola County Council on Aging, Inc. #SC00067 has complied with the registration requirements of Chapter 496, F. S., Solicitation of Contributions Act. "A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE." 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com
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