FROM:
Community Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Fontana Community Senior Center Annual Report Fiscal Year 2020 - 2021
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Accept staff report
End
DISCUSSION:
Since opening its door in May 2010, the Fontana Community Senior Center (FCSC) has provided a myriad of programs, classes, services, social opportunities, and resources to adults 55 and older both in Fontana and throughout the County.
For this past fiscal year, the Fontana Community Senior Center shifted its focus to providing essential services to the community, further establishing itself as an effective avenue to various resources and social services to the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Fontana Community Senior Center partnered with a number of agencies and companies to further its reach out to the older adult community to meet basic needs. These agencies include but are not limited to San Bernardino County Aging Services, Herbalife Nutrition, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Family Services Association, and CityLink.
The services, programs, and events offered at the Fontana Community Senior Center during the facility closure were designed to address the many issues that have plagued the older adult community due to the global pandemic:
• Access to nutritious meals
• Access to transportation
• Access to health care
• Social isolation, depression, and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects of social issues.
From the facility closure on March 14, 2020 to July 2, 2021, the Fontana Community Senior Center provided several programs and services including:
• Daily home delivered meals
• Transportation for essential needs including dialysis, doctor’s appointments, grocery and retail stores, and prescription pickups
• Wellness Checks
• Facility and programming updates through automated voice messages
• Host location for vaccination clinics
At the time of the facility closure on March 14, 2020, the Fontana Community Senior Center had 1,510 active memberships. In July 2020, due to the uncertainty of the pandemic and when facilities would be able to reopen, the Fontana Community Senior Center froze all active members so that participants would be able to extend the life of their memberships once the center reopened. Since the reopening of the Fontana Community Senior Center on June 15, 2021, an additional 15 older adults have purchased a general membership. (as of July 31, 2021)
Meals:
The Fontana Community Senior Center transitioned from a dine-in experience to home delivered meals were prepared, cooked, and frozen on-site at the Fontana Community Senior Center by City of Fontana staff.
• A total of 136,802 meals were distributed to older adults in the Fontana Community
o 92% (126,186) of meals were delivered to the homes of Fontana residents by City of Fontana staff.
§ Recipients of the meal program also had the option of picking up their meal at the Fontana Community Senior Center through contactless, curbside pickup
• Packed meals included a starter, entrée with side, dessert, and plastic utensils
• Distribution Quarterly numbers
o March 2020 (1,643)
o April 2020 - June 2020 (26,105)
o July 2020 - September 2020 (27,353)
o October 2020 - December 2020 (27,634)
o January 2021 - March 2021 (26,538)
o March 2021 - June 2021 (27,529)
• Program remained consistent throughout the closure with an average of 8,550 meals distributed per month.
Transportation:
Transportation provided services that allowed Fontana seniors to maintain access to necessities throughout the shutdown and closure.
• 1,636 riders received a total of 3,260 individual one-way trips
• Quarterly Distribution numbers - individual one-way trips
o March 2020 (200)
o April 2020 - June 2020 (528)
o July 2020 - September 2020 (652)
o October 2020 - December 2020 (619)
o January 2021 - March 2021 (527)
o April 2021 - June 2021 (734)
Wellness Check and Updates
Throughout the closure, City of Fontana staff provided direct phone outreach to Senior Center members. The goal of member wellness checks were:
• To provide comfort
• To provide emotional support to combat isolation and depression
• To provide information on social services including the SB County Restaurant Meal Delivery program and COVID testing and vaccination
• 15,459 individuals were contacted through the wellness check and an additional 7,500 received an automated message including holiday greetings, vaccination information and reopening plans.
• Quarterly Distribution numbers
o March 2020 (195)
o April 2020 - June 2020 (4,302)
o July 2020 - September 2020 (2,588)
o October 2020 - December 2020 (2,800)
o January 2021 - March 2021 (2,846)
o April 2021 - June 2021 (2,728)
Virtual Programming and Activities
Beginning in August 2020, the Fontana Community Senior Center began to provide virtual activities, drive up programming, and drive through events.
• 2,621 individuals attended various programs and activities including:
o Bi-weekly drive through bingo
o Bi-weekly virtual bingo
o Bi-weekly take home crafts and DIY kits
o Weekly virtual chats with topics including birthday celebration, gardening for mental health, chair yoga, and recipe swaps.
o Quarterly Distribution numbers
§ August 2020 - September 2020 (317)
§ October 2020 - December 2020 (831)
§ January 2021 - March 2021 (802)
§ April 2021 - June 2021 (671)
Vaccination Site
The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health has partnered with the Fontana Community Senior Center to provide vaccinations for the COVID-19 virus to the community. Saturday events as well as weekday events during the summer have supplied the community with 1,631 vaccinations to combat the COVID-19 epidemic.
San Bernardino County is looking to continue to utilize the Fontana Community Senior Center as a host site through the month of September 2021.
Moving Forward
Restrictions for indoor programming and activities were officially lifted in June 2021. Since the reopening of the Fontana Community Senior Center, attendance numbers compared to prior to the pandemic have been low, however, it is anticipated that as staffing levels rise, programming, operational hours and services will expand and will draw participants in.
For the upcoming Fall season, the Fontana Community Senior Center is looking forward to a number of activities and programs including monthly dances, Senior Paint Night, Holiday events, Senior Advisory Board election, participation in various city-wide events including Let’s Move on the Trail and Festival of Winter.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact
MOTION:
Accept staff report