Every March, California recognizes Older Californians Nutrition Month. California offers a wide array of services to ensure older adults have access to groceries and nutritious meals, helping to promote healthy living. While many older adults face economic challenges and food insecurity, programs providing free group and home-delivered meals help ease burdens throughout California.
“Californians aged 60 and older have access to free meals specifically designed to meet the nutrition needs of older individuals,” said California Department of Aging (CDA) Director Susan DeMarois. “For many older Californians, a meal represents more than nutrition — it’s about health, independence, and connection.”
“Ensuring that older Californians have access to healthy meals and essential services is part of our broader commitment to equity and well-being across all generations,” said California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) Secretary Kim Johnson. “Through programs like CalFresh, the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, the Older Californians Act, and community partnerships, we’re strengthening our efforts to achieve a California for All where every individual, no matter their age, can thrive.”
Last year, CDA’s local partners provided 6.5 million group meals in senior centers, community centers, and other venues, offering warm, nutritious food as well as opportunities for social connection. CDA partners delivered an additional 15.7 million meals to homebound or isolated older adults. Meals in both programs are designed by nutritionists to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Other older adult nutrition and well-being resources provide cash benefits to eligible participants and allow benefits to purchase fresh produce at certified farmers’ markets or hot meals at participating restaurants. Special classes help lower-income older adults eat healthily on a budget, eat a balanced diet, and promote physical activity. Check with your local Area Agency on Aging to see what’s available in your area.
Proper nutrition has never been more important for older adults, the fastest growing segment of California’s population. By 2030, for the first time in state history, older adults will outnumber those under 18, as 25 percent of the population will be 60 or older. One in 10 California households struggles with food insecurity, disproportionately impacting older adults of color. And poverty, which affects access to food, is now higher for older Californians than for children.
Programs For Older Californians
Since its inception in 1972, the Older Californians Nutrition Program — funded by both the Older Americans Act and the Older Californians Act — has been a lifeline for older adults across California. CDA administers this program in collaboration with 33 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and their service providers. The program invests in infrastructure support, including refrigerators, freezers, and food delivery vans, as well as nutrition and well-being programs including:
• The Health Promotion: Evidence-Based Program, which teaches techniques and strategies to prevent and mitigate the effects of chronic health conditions such as hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis. Services also include falls prevention, physical activity, mental health, and support for caregivers.
• The Congregate Meals Program, where participants receive delicious and nutritious meals as well as nutrition education and nutrition risk screening. These gatherings at senior centers, community centers, and housing communities provide valuable opportunities to socialize and form new friendships and support networks.
• The Home-Delivered Meals Program provides healthy meals via home delivery or to-go programs along with nutrition education and nutrition risk screening to support overall well-being. Meal program participants share that the Older Californians Nutrition Program helps them eat balanced meals five days a week and improve their overall health.
Other resources offering older adults help with food and nutrition:
• The CalFresh Outreach program provides assistance to local organizations to help older Californians who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or State Supplementary Payment (SSP) enroll for CalFresh benefits. Tens of thousands of older adults are eligible for CalFresh grocery assistance and just need to sign up.
• CalFresh Healthy Living services, offered through many of California’s AAAs, provide eligible people with resources to support healthy, active lifestyles by offering physical activity and mobility classes to enable independence and help people stay in their homes.
• The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program enables eligible older adults to use their CalFresh benefits on prepared meals at more than 5,000 participating restaurants throughout California.
• The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program provides fresh, nutritious, locally grown produce, herbs, and raw honey through Certified Farmers’ Markets. Local AAAs help issue Farmers’ Market cards to eligible individuals who are 60 and older and on a limited income.
Impact Of CalFresh Program
CalFresh provides financial assistance to purchase food for low-income California residents. CalFresh participation among older adults has increased by more than 600 percent since 2014. This significant increase is largely due to the expansion of CalFresh eligibility in 2019 to include recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), recent efforts to implement policy options aimed at helping older adults get and keep benefits, and increased outreach. As of December 2024, approximately 1.3 million of the more than 5.5 million people served by the CalFresh program were older adults. Data on CalFresh participation is available through the CalFresh data dashboard. Apply for CalFresh by visiting benefitscal.com or getcalfresh.org, calling 877-847-3663 (FOOD), or contacting your local Area Agency on Aging.
California Department Of Aging
Under the umbrella of the California Health & Human Services Agency, CDA administers programs that serve older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers throughout the state. These programs are funded through the federal Older Americans Act, the Older Californians Act, the State General Fund, and through the Medi-Cal program. To promote the department’s goal of every Californian having the opportunity to enjoy wellness, longevity, and quality of life in strong, healthy communities, CDA actively collaborates with a wide array of partners on transportation, housing and accessibility, emergency preparedness and response, wellness and nutrition, falls and injury prevention, improving services to persons with dementia, reducing fraud and abuse, and many other issues. To learn more, visit aging.ca.gov.
