Celebrate the Senior Nutrition Program | ACL Administration for Community Living

Since 1972, the national Senior Nutrition Program has supported nutrition services for older adults across the country. Funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA), local programs serve as hubs where people 60+ find healthy meals and vital services that strengthen social connections and promote well-being. Every March, we celebrate our program's anniversary and its many accomplishments at the national and local levels. We promote how nutrition services help people stay independent as they age, and highlight critical senior nutrition issues.

Theme

The 2024 theme, Connection in Every Bite, highlights one of the most important aspects of the Senior Nutrition Program: the profound relationship between food and social connection. When local nutrition programs serve and build their communities through meals and fellowship, they provide a powerful reminder that the act of coming together over a meal transcends sustenance — it fosters a sense of belonging, contributes to the health of participants, and creates an opportunity for connection in every bite.

2024 Graphics

Evergreen Graphics

Materials

Events

Senior Nutrition Program Celebration Event (YouTube) | March 20, 2:00-3:00 PM ET

ONHPP hosted this virtual celebration recognizing the program's impact and discussing how to advance services for older adults. In addition to remarks from ACL senior leadership and ONHPP director Keri Lipperini, the event featured a panel discussion from the state unit on aging, an area agency on aging, and a local service provider in Tennessee. They discussed how they are enhancing and expanding connections for older Tennesseans — strategies that can be leveraged by the broader aging services network.

"Get Ready" event (YouTube) | January 24, 2:00-2:30 PM ET
ACL’s Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs (ONHPP) and the Nutrition & Aging Resource Center jump-started the March celebration. Speakers shared resources available to help you participate and offered a sneak peek of what’s ahead for the program in 2024.

Grab-and-go Quotes

Need an ACL quote for an article or other materials? Please feel free to use these pre-approved statements.

Alison Barkoff, Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, ACL: “As the keystone program of the Older Americans Act, the Senior Nutrition Program is at the foundation of our nation's system for helping older adults age in place. For 50 years, it has provided healthy meals, opportunities for social interaction, and access to a wide variety of programs and services to help older people stay active, healthy and engaged in their communities. ACL is proud of this program and the aging services network whose leadership and tireless efforts bring it to life across the country.”
Edwin Walker, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, ACL: “For 50 years, the Senior Nutrition Program has helped older adults access healthy meals, nutrition education, social opportunities, and other invaluable supports in communities nationwide. This year marks a milestone for both the Older Americans Act, which authorizes the program, and for community living, which is made ever more achievable by community-based resources like the Senior Nutrition Program.”
Keri Lipperini, Director, Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, ACL: "Prior to my work at the Administration for Community Living, I managed local nutrition programs. I know first-hand the difference these programs make in the lives of older adults every single day. For decades, our programs have offered nutritious meals and socialization opportunities, all while promoting overall health and well-being for seniors across the country. I am so proud of the many accomplishments of these programs during the last 50 years, and at ACL, we look forward to a future fueled by innovation, education, and, of course, nutrition."