The Rev. Dr. David Dieter, Executive Director of Services for Older Citizens (SOC), was the guest speaker at the Wednesday, Aug. 23, evening meeting of Rotary of Grosse Pointe at The War Memorial.
SOC is in its 39th year and serves 9,000 people in the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods. To make sure it stays relevant, SOC is re-evaluating its strategic plan and has hired a company to market and rebrand the organization. It will be updating its mission statement, possibly changing the name from Services for Older Citizens because many of those up in age do not consider themselves old.
Unlike most, if not all, senior organizations in the country, SOC does not operate with any tax money. In fact, 80 percent of what it spends has to be raised annually. This needs to change. An example of one of their costs is Meals on Wheels, where it costs $1,100/year to feed one person five days a week. SOC provides 60-100 meals a day.
Dr. Dieter says that we would be surprised as to how many of our neighbors are living on the edge, worrying about food and having enough money to stay in their home. With what SOC provides the community, it is literally keeping people alive.
(Photo by George R. McMullen Jr.)