Renaissance on 9th Provides Help to Local Residents, Community Members in Need

If you have driven past Bradenton’s Renaissance on 9^th or attended a meeting there, you’ve probably thought it’s an attractive facility for weddings or other special events.

What you may not realize is what an active role it plays in helping local residents, particularly seniors.

Meals on Wheels Plus

The Meals on Wheels PLUS program of Manatee County owns Renaissance on 9^th, and all proceeds from the facility benefit local seniors and the hungry. Meals on Wheels PLUS delivers 750 to 800 nutritious meals daily, Monday through Friday, says Stephanie Grepling, marketing director for Meals on Wheels PLUS. (There are also frozen meals delivered to clients for over the weekend.) The program has 52 routes all across Manatee County, ranging from Myakka City to Parrish to Anna Maria Island. Like other Meals on Wheels across the U.S., the Manatee program caters to homebound seniors with limited mobility. In fact, through 5,000 national programs, Meals on Wheels helps nearly 2.4 million seniors, according to the national Meals on Wheels website.

In Florida, 15% to 20% of seniors struggle regularly with hunger, Meals on Wheels reports. That illustrates the need for Meals on Wheels PLUS in Manatee County.

During a recent campaign, users of Meals on Wheels PLUS had the chance to express how the program makes a difference in their lives. “The vast majority said they couldn’t survive without our support and nutrition,” Grepling says.

Meals on Wheels PLUS designs its meals for the average nutritional value of an older woman, but it can alter meals according to dietary restrictions and preferences.

Enrichment Center

Another way that Renaissance on 9^th helps the local community is with its Enrichment Center, which caters to people age 50 and over, says Judi Bjork, manager of Renaissance on 9^th. For just $55 a year, local residents can take advantage of exercise and education classes. The center also has various social events, such as a popular coffee club and line dancing.

Classes include yoga, belly dancing, languages, and a lunch club with speakers focused on health aging, Bjork says.

Feedback from the Enrichment Center’s 400 members includes comments on how affordable the center is and the social aspect it plays in many members’ lives. Enrichment Center members mostly live in Manatee County, but some also live in Sarasota.

Both Meals on Wheels PLUS and the Enrichment Center are always looking for volunteers. If you would like to volunteer or want to learn more about the Enrichment Center, call 941-749-0100 or visit www.renaissanceon9th.org.

If you know someone who may benefit from Meals on Wheels PLUS, visit their website at www.mealsonwheelsplus.org or call 941-747-4655. Meals on Wheels PLUS charges on a sliding scale to make it affordable for everyone.

Yours truly,

Jonathan Marsh