“Alive & Kicking!” Inaugural Dallas Senior Hunger Summit
Dallas Senior Hunger Summit 2022
The Senior Hunger Action Team of the Dallas Coalition for Hunger Solutions collaborated to launch the Inaugural Senior Hunger Summit during Older Americans Month in May. Over 100 seniors attended. The event brought stakeholders and older adults together to hear directly from older adults about their experiences with food access and food security, share resources and information to help them thrive, and provide them with socialization and enrichment.
Hosted by The Senior Source, the summit’s theme was “Alive & Kicking!” or how to live your best life after age 60. Physician Donald Wesson MD, MBA, kidney health researcher and Dallas area resident, kicked off the program with tips for healthy aging. His advice? A relationship with a health care provider, healthy eating, healthy moving and social connectivity. Audience members added rest and a positive outlook.
The program continued with a panel of service providers addressing the topic, “What We Do, How We Can Help You and How to Connect with Us”. Attendees heard about transportation, mental health, financial, and legal resources available to help them remain independent. They also learned about the City of Dallas Senior Affairs Commission, older adults appointed from each City Council District to advise City Hall and advocate for older adults.
Information about healthy eating on a frugal budget, saving money at the grocery store and resources to supplement the food budget, particularly SNAP, followed in a demonstration of how “Eating Well is a SNAP!”
A Community Resource Fair provided an opportunity for vendors with programs and services for older adults to interact with participants and answer individual questions. Entertainment provided by members of local senior centers, lunch, door prizes and Bingo contributed liveliness and fun.
Feedback from attendees of the first Senior Hunger Summit was overwhelmingly favorable! Partner organizations and donors are planning to make it an annual event.
~Written and contributed to the blog by Wyonella Henderson-Greene, Coalition Specialist, Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty
