Join forces with AARP and the LOA to keep seniors from going hungry this winter

AARP Virginia encourages everyone to help end senior hunger by giving soup and crackers to the Local Office on Aging (LOA)’s annual Soup for Seniors collection. Contributions will make a huge difference in the lives of your homebound neighbors.

This year’s goal is 50,000 cans of soup to be delivered to more than 3,500 local residents. The soup collected helps provide a hot meal on a cold day and also reminds them, in the bleakest part of winter, that the community has not forgotten them.

There are many ways to help LOA in this endeavor.  The easiest way is to donate a can or cans of soup at one of the many collection sites.  All the items collected will be put into reusable cloth bags provided by AARP and distributed to the homes of older neighbors.  Civic groups, church groups or business or school service projects are also welcome to participate.  The more soup collected enables LOA to serve more neighbors.

You can make a difference in your community by teaming up with your church, place of business or any organization of which you are a part and doing a collection in January.  Then, February 4-8, 2019 deliver that collection of soup, crackers, and other non-perishable food items to a drop off location close to you.

Drop off Sites

The drive will take place February 4-8 , between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.  The main drop off site is  The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, 4909 North Lake Dr, Roanoke (just off Peter’s Creek Road).  Other sites include:

• All Freedom First locations:
  • Botetourt –  11 71 Roanoke Road, Dalveille
  • West End Center – 1210 Patterson Ave., SW, Roanoke
  • Tanglewood – 4203 Electric Road, Roanoke
  • Downtown – 102 Campbell Ave., Roanoke
  • Towers – 2221 Colonial Ave., SW, Roanoke
  • Crossroads – 5102 Williamson Road, Roanoke
  • Salem – 1235 Electric Road, Salem
  • Vinton – 203 Virginia Ave., Vinton
• Vistar Eye Centers:
  • 426 West Main Street, Salem
  • 70 Summerfield Court, Roanoke
  • 3320 Franklin Road, Roanoke
• Bent Mountain Center, 10148 Tinsley Lane, Bent Mountain
• All Bank of Fincastle locations:
  • Fincastle – 17 South Roanoke St, Fincastle
  • Daleville – 1245 Roanoke Rd., Daleville
  • Glebe – 200 The Glebe Blvd., Daleville
  • Troutville – 5192 Lee Highway, Troutville
  • Cloverdale – 614 Lee Highway, Roanoke
• Wells Fargo Bank, 246 W. Main Street, Covington
• Clifton Forge Town Hall, 547 Main Street, Clifton Forge
• Clifton Forge Fire Dept., 701 Church Street, Clifton Forge
• VFW Post #1033,  Dolly Ann Drive, Covington

LOA also needs volunteers, who play a vital role in this project.  Volunteers are needed in varying capacities, including:

• people at collection sites to check dates and sort the soup as well as work in an assembly line format putting the donated soup and crackers into the bags, getting them ready for delivery.
• People to deliver those bags to the Meals on Wheels sites, Diners Club sites, senior independent living centers, etc.  In some cases, we will need volunteers to deliver to the home.
• Volunteers to pick up soup at the drop off locations and bring to our main collection site.
• Volunteers available at the church to assist in unloading the items.

How to Reach Us

LOA Main Office – Aimee Lawson – 540-345-0451 or email  info@loaa.org

Alleghany Highlands – Patrice Jefferson – 540-962-0465 or email  loacov@ntelos.net

If you would like to make a monetary contribution, you may send it to Soup for Seniors, Local Office on Aging, Inc., PO Box 14205, Roanoke, VA  24038.  Funds collected will be used to meet the goal of serving 3,500 seniors or used to further end senior hunger by providing Meals on Wheels to homebound seniors.