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Kelowna’s seniors desperate for help

Seniors are in need of food and money as the cost of living continue to rise
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As the cold weather moves in and the holiday season approaches, Seniors Outreach in Kelowna is seeing an increase in calls asking for help from the city’s most vulnerable.

The non-profit provides a wide variety of resources and services to support the non-medical needs of older adults in the Central Okanagan region. Seniors in their 80s and 90s are telling the non-profit’s executive director, Vi Sorenson, that they are unable to buy food and need help getting to the food bank.

“Many of these older seniors are single, vulnerable, isolated and living alone with no family. Some are living in budget motels, campers and converted cargo trailers even cars, as they can’t find an affordable place to live. The more it costs for housing, the less the seniors have to spend on groceries. It’s as simple as that,” she said.

Seniors Outreach is trying to meet the needs of all those asking for help and anticipates growth in demand over the winter months.

According to Sorenson, Kelowna’s population is ageing and the number of seniors is expected to double between 2006 and 2040, with B.C. having the highest rate of seniors living in poverty in Canada.

“We will be ramping up our services going into the holiday season and there are a number of ways that Kelowna citizens can help, from adopting a senior to put a hamper together for or donating gifts or cash,” said Sorenson.

Details are available at https://seniorsoutreach.ca/ways-to-give/.

Seniors Outreach is also selling 50/50 raffle tickets to raise funds to provide meals to seniors this winter. The draw is on Dec. 10. Tickets are available at https://seniorsoutreach.ca/online-raffle/.

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Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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