Kat Macchia serves bread baked by Butter Me Up Bakery to Frank Lang

DOWNIEVILLE — On Tuesday, dozens of Downieville seniors joined in a tasty meal at the Community Hall of rice, beans, salad, and beef stew cooked by Sabrina Melendrez of Sabrina’s at the Forks Restaurant. Autumn Barry’s Butter Me Up Bakery also donated cookies and other sweet treats for dessert. Senior Lunch has become more than a food provider; it’s a popular weekly gathering and an excellent opportunity for social interaction, which is often hard to come by in the dreary winter months.

Senior Lunch just began its fourth year back serving Sierra County seniors since closing for the pandemic. The non-profit organization behind Senior Lunch, the Golden Rays Senior Citizens of Sierra County, has gathered a substantial fund for the program’s continuation through donations by attendees ($5 for seniors and $10 for non-seniors recommended) and generous one-time contributions. Frank Lang and the Western Sierra Food Bank, Inc. made last year’s largest donation, $5000.

The Senior Lunch program had a financially successful year in 2021, bringing in over $13,000 in donations. It saw a deficit in 2022 at about $700, but in 2023, the Golden Rays brought in over $11,000 with a surplus of more than $3000. Still, Western Sierra’s donation made the difference between surplus and deficit last year. The total number of meals served has increased yearly, with 721 served in 2021, 1451 in 2022, and over 1600 in 2023. The average meal cost per person in 2023 was $4.74, which could not be covered by attendees‘ average weekly donations alone.

Volunteer hours also greatly support the senior lunch program. Sabrina volunteered to cook Tuesday’s meal, helping cover costs the program might otherwise need to spend on labor. Local Kat Macchia also volunteered to help cook, serve, and clean. Volunteers like Sabrina and Kat and organizers such as Greg and Connie Johnson are essential to the continued success of Senior Lunch. We hope support for this outstanding community service will continue to grow.