NAPLES — Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate, Collier County’s first nonprofit senior resource center dedicated to addressing the needs of older adults and caregivers, is partnering with the American Red Cross to offer free daily hot lunches for seniors in-need in Collier County this week at 11:30 a.m. at 4898 Coronado Parkway, Naples 34116.

“This week, we are partnering with the Red Cross to provide a hot meal to any senior in-need at 11:30 a.m. at our senior center on Coronado Parkway in Naples,” explains Senior Center Director Esther Lully. “In addition to the free hot lunch, Collier Senior Center provides both older adults and caregivers access to community agencies and organizations, as well as referrals for programs and services available in Collier County.”

As a result of calls into Collier Senior Center, the staff is also sharing the following information from the State of Florida regarding accessing emergency safe shelter post hurricane Ian:

Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Director Kevin Guthrie announced that the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) Program has been activated by the State of Florida, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for impacted residents in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia counties.

To apply for FEMA, please visit: https://www.fema.gov/locations/florida.

The nonprofit, located at 4898 Coronado Parkway, is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and provides an array of free services for seniors, caregivers, and those in-need throughout Collier County:

• More than 10 weekly programs plus a variety of offerings each month: daily breakfast, hot lunch, and coffee bar; weekly food pantry; monthly birthday parties; virtual and in-person chair yoga, dance, and exercise classes; art and craft classes; cards and games; holiday parties and additional life-enhancing offerings like blood pressure, vision and diabetes screenings; balance testing and fall prevention lectures; counseling and support services.

• More than 1,000 hot lunches a month to seniors in-need and weekly access to a Meals of Hope food pantry to 780+ Collier County families, including 330 needy seniors, and provides 120+ older adults Harry Chapin “Care & Share” nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal kits each month.

• Centralized source for local and long-distance caregivers seeking senior-related information, services, and resources in Collier County.

• Partnerships to provide programs, socialization, and convenient access to other agencies.

• Virtual Resource Directory.

The charity maximizes each dollar received by collaborating with trusted partners, including AARP Foundation (job placement and training for out-of-work, low-income seniors), Area Agency on Aging, Catholic Charities (social services), Collier Area Transport, Collier County Nutrition, Sheriff’s Office and more.

The Red Cross hot lunch is provided through Friday, Oct. 14, at 11:30 a.m. Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 4898 Coronado Parkway, Naples, Fla. For more information or to donate, please call 239-25-4541, or visit CollierSeniorCenter.org.