Avondale has renewed its contract with Area Agency on Aging for the 2013-14 fiscal year. The contract renewal was approved by the Avondale City Council at the Aug. 5 meeting.

The contract provides $300,000 in funding to Avondale’s senior center through the Area Agency on Aging under the stipulation of providing transportation to the senior center, nutritional lunches and center sponsored activities. Area Agency on Aging is a nonprofit organization that plans, coordinates, develops and delivers services for seniors 60 and older and adults with disabilities.

“They provide funding to us,” Avondale City Manager Charlie McClendon said. “What we use that for is to provide our senior center programs, our congregate meals program, our meals on wheels program, senior center activities, and things like that.”

McClendon said the city has been receiving funding from Area Agency on Aging for more than a decade.

“We’ve been receiving funding for longer than I’ve been [with Avondale], which is 11 years,” McClendon said.

The program also reaches out to senior citizens in Goodyear and Litchfield Park.

Programs

Area Agency on Aging advises the city on activities as part of the contract, said Erin Sparks, recreation coordinator and senior and active adult programming director.

“They actually vote and have monthly meetings to advise the staff on what’s going on in the center,” Sparks said.

Last week, the senior center held an event with an Elvis impersonator.

“We had an Elvis party,” Sparks said. “That event is something funded in part by Area Agency.”

One of the main things the senior center uses the funds for is providing meals, both at the center and for delivery, Sparks said.

“We deliver hot and frozen meals Monday through Thursday to clients’ houses,” Sparks said. “There’s about 50 [clients] on a daily basis, many that are disabled or unable to come get it.”

Sparks said the meals are completely subsidized by Area Agency on Aging as well as a few other organizations.

Another part of the contract is providing nutritional lunches at the senior center, Sparks said.

“We’re required to provide a nutritional lunch that has one-third of the daily nutritional value,” Sparks said.

The senior center also provides exercise classes and nutritional seminars throughout each month, Sparks said.

The city also works with Care More, which provides aerobic exercises for the center, Sparks said.

“We probably have 100 people that we provide services to,” Sparks said.

For additional information on senior center programming, or to find a monthly menu, activity calendar or newsletter, visit www.avondale.org/seniors.

Shane McOwen can be reached by email at smcowen@westvalleyview.com.