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Date: 2/14/2023
SPRINGFIELD – A hot lunch program for the senior community made its official return on Feb. 1. Meals will be provided on different days throughout the city’s various senior centers.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno previously ran the program before the advent of the coronavirus pandemic. Once the city’s senior centers closed, Sarno initiated a hot meals distribution program for seniors registered with the Department of Elder Affairs that delivered to households throughout the city, according to Sarno’s press release. The delivery program ran in partnership with Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi.
Sarno said that returning the program has been a lingering goal of his.
“Bringing back the hot lunches for our seniors at all of our senior centers was a priority of mine as we transition out of the pandemic and welcome back our seniors,” said Sarno.
The mayor worked alongside Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Elder Affairs Director Sandy Federico and Ward 7 City Councilor Tim Allen in reinstating the program. Sarno expressed that returning the program became a priority for him as senior centers continue returning to normal activities.
“This has been on my mind for some time. With attendance at our senior centers increasing now that they are reopened and the many great programs restarting again, the numbers reflect the need to begin to serve hot lunches for our Springfield seniors,” said Sarno.
Caulton-Harris anticipates the hot meals providing “robust content with healthy foods” for the senior community.
“We are now in a position to safely provide lunches to our seniors at our senior centers and we are grateful that Mayor Sarno has made the seniors a priority. With the return of the hot lunch program, we anticipate a robust content with health foods, and we are looking forward to welcoming back more of our seniors,” said Caulton-Harris.
Federico shared that the program’s return has already been celebrated by the seniors.
“Our seniors are so grateful to Mayor Sarno for restarting the hot lunch program. They had expressed their hope to be able to have hot lunch again at our senior centers and with this announcement they feel that their voices have been heard,” said Federico.
Readers interested in participating in the program are encouraged to reserve their meal one day in advance by calling 787-6785 by 12:30 p.m. Meals will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on their scheduled days.
Here is the full schedule for senior lunches: