Senior Friendship Centers

When he founded Senior Friendship Centers in 1973, Brother William Geenen, famously said that “isolation and loneliness are the malnutrition of aging.” In Sarasota County alone, more than 40,000 seniors, or about 23% of the population, live alone. As a nonprofit organization serving older adults in four counties in Southwest Florida, Senior Friendship Centers is THE safety net for close to 10,000 seniors, providing programs and services such as caregiving resources, adult day services, dining centers, home-delivered meals, exercise classes, lifelong learning, economic assistance, socialization, friendly visitors, and more. The support of generous community partners, agencies and donors enables us to help more seniors in need. A belief in “People Helping People,” has been the foundation of Senior Friendship Centers for more than four decades. Volunteers serve in nearly every facet of the organization. Our award-winning programs and services are considered nationwide models for the health and wellness of older adults.

As an organization, our goals are to: - Empower older adults to live active, healthy lives to improve all aspects of health. - Promote good nutrition and physical activity to maintain healthy lifestyles. - Provide crisis/supportive intervention and help promote financial stability through education and community resources. - Allow older people to maintain their independence and live in their own homes for as long as possible. - Prevent the harmful effects of isolation, which include loneliness, depression, poor health, and more.