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2025–2026 United Way Community Impact Grants
STUART, FL - Clients of the Council on Aging Martin’s Senior Dining Program call it “the perfect antidote to loneliness.” The program provides free or low cost meals to seniors every weekday at sites in Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Stuart, and now Hobe Sound.
“We know that good nutrition is essential for aging well,” said Council on Aging Martin President and CEO Karen Ripper. “In addition to the nutritional value of the food itself, though, the opportunity to socialize with others over a meal is priceless.”
The Council on Aging Meals on Wheels staff prepares the meals at its commercial kitchen housed at the Kane Center on Salerno Road. Drivers then deliver the meals to each site, where anywhere from twelve to thirty diners may be waiting.
Annette Lopez, who oversees the program for the Council on Aging Martin, described the socialization that comes with the meals as a lifeline. “For many of those we serve, this is the only hot meal they’ll have in a day and the only time they get to meet with others, share a laugh, and take part in group activities. The program feeds their spirits as well as their bodies.”
The program has been so successful at the Log Cabin Senior Center in Jensen Beach, the 10th Street Community Center in Stuart, and Indiantown Big Mound Park in Indiantown that Council on Aging Martin has expanded it to the Hobe Sound First Baptist Church on Church Street in Hobe Sound. The Hobe Sound meal site is made possible through the philanthropic support of the Hobe Sound Community Chest and other donors, and the Hobe Sound First Baptist Church generously donates the space.
Seniors can sign up through the Council on Aging website, by calling 772-223-7800, or coming in person to a Senior Dining Center site. There is a modest fee for the meals, but community donations underwrite the costs for seniors unable to pay.
In addition to the Senior Dining Program, Council on Aging Martin also provides Meals on Wheels programs to more than 500 vulnerable seniors each weekday throughout Martin County. The Kane Cuisine is available for those who are able to pay a fee for their meals but appreciate having a hot meal delivered to their home.
Find out about this and all of the programs of the Council on Aging of Martin County at www.coamartin.org.
About the Council on Aging of Martin County
The Council on Aging of Martin County is the community’s hub for senior resources and the county’s Lead Agency on Aging. Founded in 1974, the organization offers expertise, programming and support for older adults and their families to help seniors maintain lives of quality and purpose. Services include Day Primary Care Center, Memory Enhancement Center, Adult Day Club, Meals on Wheels, care management, caregiver support, and a robust offering of educational, cultural, fitness and wellness programs.
The Kane Center located at 900 SE Salerno Road in Stuart is the Council on Aging of Martin County’s headquarters and is also an event venue available to the public. It serves as a special needs hurricane shelter when necessary. The Council on Aging of Martin County also operates senior outreach facilities in Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, East Stuart and Indiantown. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Council on Aging receives funding from state and federal agencies and relies on philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors.
For more information, contact: Karen Ripper, 772.223.7851 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
