A carton of milk, two cans of chicken, a jar of peanut butter and bags of beans help Dale, 74, make it through the week with meals on the table.
Dale, a Talmadge Senior Village resident, said his budget can’t get him the groceries he needs to survive.
“We’re living from week to week with the way things cost today,” Dale said.
Once a month, the San Diego Food Bank provides 40 boxes of food for qualifying residents at Talmadge Senior Village, a National CORE affordable housing community in San Diego. Each box contains pantry staples such as beans, cereal, canned vegetables, chicken, milk and peanut butter.
“I don’t know what I would eat if I didn’t have this food,” Dale said.
The distribution is part of food assistance available at 11 National CORE communities across the San Diego region. Through Hope through Housing, residents can access this support where they live.
An estimated 182,000 adults age 60 and older in San Diego County experience nutrition insecurity, according to the San Diego Hunger Coalition.
“A lot of them are struggling financially and may not be getting enough from their Social Security,” service coordinator Cesar Pacheco said. “It spares those who have trouble walking or have disabilities from having to leave the property to look for food because it’s right here for them.”
Diem, 80, has lived at Talmadge Senior Village for about 14 years. She said the groceries help feed residents who cannot afford the high prices at the market.
“Food is expensive,” Diem said. “This helps us a lot. We need to eat and we can’t always afford to eat.”
“Housing provides a foundation, and services like food assistance help residents remain healthy and stable,” said Stephanie De La Torre, Hope through Housing regional director for San Diego. “Bringing these resources directly to our communities allows us to respond to everyday needs and support older adults in the place they call home.”
For Dale, that support means having food through the final week of the month.
“The food is a blessing for a lot of people, including me,” Dale said. “I’m thankful that they have a program like this that truly helps people.”
