Senior Center Best Practices

Workshops and
Events Calendar
Updated 12-19-2011

Managers, Directors and Center Personnel

Senior Center Best Practices

Category
Creative Meals

Senior Center/Nutrition Program/Organization Name
Good Neighbor Senior Center

Address
1085 Hook Road, Darby Township, PA

Phone Number
610-237-8100 ext. 14

E-Mail
npanico@scs-delco.org

Contact Person
Nikki Panico, Associate Director

Event Name
Southern Grill

Description/Overview
Traditionally the only meal program offered at this Center was the congregarte meal prepared by the County contracted caterer. The meals were not eaten by the Center participants. Survey responses indicated that Center participants did not like the menu choices or the taste of the food.

In May 2009 Good Neighbor Senior Center seized an opportunity – to increase the number of daily diners to their lunch program. Noting that Center participants were walking to two nearby eateries to purchase chicken or fish to bring into the Center to eat, Center staff decided to make such meal selections available for their participants. After much committee work, which included input from the county Area Agency on Aging, the County Dietician, Center participants and staff, the “Southern Grill” was unveiled as a Tuesday and Thursday dining experience for authentic favorites! Coined as “Food That’s Good for the Soul” – delicious home-cooked meals are now offered to members and their family and friends for eat-in or take-out for only $5 an entrée. Menu’s alternate between Fried or baked Chicken Wings, Baked Turkey Wings, BBQ Ribs and Fried Whiting fish. Each entrée is served with two sides and corn bread or roll. Prior to the Grill’s introduction, an average of eight seniors ate at the Center daily.

Time and Manpower
The part-time meal supervisor who has been an employee for 12 years oversaw the home delivered meal program and the congregate meal prepared by an outside vendor. On the weekends she cooked for her church and was willing to use that skill at the Center by cooking twice a week.

We increased her hours by 1 hour every Tuesday and Thursday.

Marketing
Flyers were created in-house on Microsoft Publisher. They were distributed to local churches and clubs.

Press releases were written and sent to local newspapers.

Audience Served
Low income African American Seniors.

Partnerships Utilized
None

Budget/Costs
We had to increase the meal supervisor hours by 2 hours each week. No other funding was needed.

Good Neighbor is working to further expand the Grill’s meal options with spaghetti and meatballs with tossed salad, baked chicken breast with stuffing, meatloaf and mashed potatoes. This would thereby keep interest high and even attract more diners.

Impact On Center
With the Grill as an option, SCS served between 13 and 40 older adults each Tuesday and Thursday! On average, the Southern Grill increased the number of diners to 22 daily, which was almost tripling the number of meals served by the outside catered meal.

Good Tips/Other
None Given