Joyful Hearts: San Pedro, Pasadena Highlights Seniors Program

San Pedro, Pasadena, like many other churches, faced challenges due to the pandemic in 2020. Its community center, North Pasadena Outreach Center (NPCO), started a senior program in 2019 but had to cease operations for the safety of seniors and staff. Prior to the closure, 20-25 seniors would gather once a month.

In March of 2022, the center reinstated the program, initially meeting twice a month. After noticing a high interest in meeting more often, the staff changed to weekly gatherings in October 2022. Currently, San Pedro’s sees an average of 40-55 seniors every Friday, and numbers are growing. NPCO provides the seniors with a hot meal, an engaging activity such as bingo, Zumba, raffles, and informative sessions about health. In addition, the outreach center distributes boxes of food complete with fresh produce and other food staples.

“It gives me great joy to come and spend time with other people and share my blessings with them and to receive their blessings as well,” said Juanita Perez, a senior who has been attending the program since September 2022. “I am very grateful to all of you who do this for us because it is such a blessing and it gives me so much joy."

The seniors are part of the most vulnerable population in Pasadena, and the need to take care of them is a priority. The senior program has won the hearts of staff members and volunteers. They truly enjoy being able to spend time with the seniors each week.

Program Coordinator Celie Curiel said that serving the seniors brings so much joy to her and the other staff and volunteers. “I feel like we truly are touching their lives and making a positive impact,” Curiel said. “We are providing a space where they can form friendships and this improves their mental health.”

With the assistance from grants, NPCO supplied 23 seniors with utility and rental assistance last year. The organization and its volunteers look for additional ways to improve the mental, physical, and emotional health of the seniors.