SCAN Employees and Community Volunteers Deliver

1,200 Thanksgiving Meals to Seniors In Need

(LONG BEACH, Calif. – November 28, 2011) — Traditional Thanksgiving dinners were delivered to 1,200 local seniors, thanks to Independence at Home (IAH), a division of SCAN Health Plan. For 19 years SCAN has gathered hundreds of volunteers to deliver warm holiday meals to seniors who may otherwise go without.

“The holidays can be a difficult time for seniors, particularly for those with minimal resources and minimal opportunities for holiday celebrations with family and friends,” said Denise Likar, director of IAH. “We work hard to reach as many people as we can. Three years ago we delivered 500 meals. This year we will deliver two and a half times that many. Year over year the demand continues to increase.”

Many seniors rely on community-based organizations for their meals and not just during the holidays. To help these agencies fulfill their mission at Thanksgiving and throughout the year, in 2011 SCAN Health Plan contributed $55,000 to senior nutrition programs across the state.

“The challenging economic environment, as well as decreases in state and federal funding, have created financial shortfalls for many community-based organizations,” said Lena Perelman, director of community outreach for SCAN, a senior-focused, not-for-profit health plan. “At SCAN we feel strongly about ensuring critically important resources remain open and available to seniors who rely on them, especially for something as basic as a warm meal.”

For more than 30 years, SCAN Health Plan has been focusing on the unique needs of seniors. Further information may be obtained at scanhealthplan.com.