A very special volunteer partnership continues to form between the Notre Dame Alumni Club of SWFL and Senior Friendship Centers programs.  Over the past 3 years the Alumni from the Notre Dame Club of SWFL have “adopted” various projects during their “Hesburgh Month of Service”. May is dedicated to Father Ted Hesburgh, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, and recent awardee of the Centennial Medal from Catholic Charities USA for his devotion to education and service.

 We are proud to highlight this reoccurring donation of time philanthropy on our website this month.  Each year this community minded Club has undertaken projects such as visiting our Adult Day Services program clients and surprising them with a donation of a Wii game system plus a flat screen TV for activities in their center. Last year they painted and refurbished one of our Friendship Cafés/ Community Centers and assisted in delivering meals to our home bound clients.  "This year their volunteer commitment to helping local seniors will help launch an exciting new program within the Nutrition Department in Lee County", says Community Engagement/Nutrition Services Director, Kristina Rodriguez..

 Notre Dame alumni, through volunteerism, is helping to launch a small but significant new food program named “Friendship Food Bags” for our area seniors.  This program is in direct response to the growing hunger & food insecurity our local senior population continues to struggle against. Local Aging Network businesses will be holding food drives each month and will be collecting enough “senior friendly” food items to fill a minimum of 30 food bags to the top.  Our friends at the Notre Dame Alumni Club of SWFL will be assisting with the first delivery of these “Friendship Food Bags” on May 17^th.  Our goal is to distribute food at least once a month to our food insecure seniors in Lee County.  SFC will be coordinating this ongoing food collection and distribution program for some of our community living seniors who are in need of targeted food assistance. SFC will only be acting as the “coordinator” of this project and will be advocating and partnering with the Aging Network and community volunteers like the Notre Dame Alumni Club of SWFL to help resolve the senior hunger issues in the area. 

 We offer a big THANK YOU to our friends at the Notre Dame Alumni Club of SWFL and to all our volunteers/ partners whose time and support continue to ensure our senior’s needs are always met!