Hands to Help Seniors

Monterey, CA  Free Thanksgiving Dinner At Monterey Fairgrounds : View From A Nonprofit Serving Seniors In Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

There will be a free Christmas dinner held from noon to 3:00 p.m. once again at the Monterey County Fairgrounds & Event Center.  Thank you so much for all of the volunteers who have helped to put together this great event for the past 27 years.  If you go, you will find not just a good meal but musical entertainment, toys for your children, and Santa Claus will be there as well.  If you can't get to the fairgrounds please call 884-1200.  The Marina Police department is in charge of getting meals to the homebound.  If you would like to volunteer, please give Linda or Joe a call between 10:00 a.m and 8:00 p.m.  If you can afford to donate, you can call 757-5709 to help out.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to 

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View From A Nonprofit Serving Seniors In Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

The debate in Congress continues over how much to cut the food stamps program, also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.  Its $80 billion budget is a huge target, even though with 47.3 million people on it, the benefits on a per person basis at $133 per month are nominal.  Many of those trying to make major cuts to the budget have a conspiracy theory where they see people selling them on the black market to buy alcohol and cigarettes.  Studies have shown that this is just not true on a widespread basis.  Currently, the black market sale of food stamps is just 1.3% of the program.  However, some merchants have been unscrupulous, allowing customers to come in and swap the food stamps for cash and then taking a big cut.   One merchant was just sent to prison for doing just that, keeping 30% of the proceeds for himself and conducting a nearly $5 million fraud out of a small town store.  I am glad that our government is working diligently to try and cut fraud in the food stamps, Medicare and Medi-Cal programs.  It's a huge problem in our country. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/19/us/food-stamp-fraud-in-the-underground-economy.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131219

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.

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It was heartwarming to read that people have been so generous in giving to help victims of the massive fires which recently swept through Big Sur and cost many people not just their homes, but belongings that they have collected over a lifetime.  There have been so many tragic events that have happened over the years in Big Sur, and this is just the latest which has cut into the income of assets of residents in this beautiful city.  Even the fire chief lost her home in this disaster.  Some donation centers have been so inundated with donations that they have had a hard time keeping up.  That's a good thing!  There have been a number of fundraising events all across Monterey County and attendance has been good.  If you would like to help victims of the fire, please go to www.bigsur2013.org.  The Monterey County SPCA is also trying to raise funds to help animals who have been injured or abandoned in the fire.  To find out more about their efforts, go to http://www.spcamc.org/.

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View From A Nonprofit Serving Seniors In Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

A charity in Los Angeles has generously stepped up to the plate and offered to sign up and pay the insurance premiums for 50 people via the online California Insurance marketplace.  Surprisingly, this concept has gotten bad press.   Insurance companies are fearful that this plan could spread across the county and they are complaining that they can't make money unless they get young healthy people to sign up for the insurance, and to date most of the new enrollees have had health problems.   Hospitals are also considering paying premiums for frequent visitors that are uninsured, reasoning the payments will be much less than  what they are writing off after treating these people in the emergency room.  An ER visit can cost thousands of dollars versus insurance premiums of just $50-$100/month.  I hope this issue gets resolved quickly.  That's very generous of the donor to step forward and offer to pay the premiums for these 50 people.  Hopefully, other people who can afford it will get the same idea and offer to donate money towards this great cause.   

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors

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View From A Nonprofit Serving Seniors In Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

I am involved in two non-profits, the Alzheimer's Association and Hands to Help Seniors, and both of them were able to raise a record amount of funds this year despite a tepid economy.  This is quite an accomplishment.  I was happy to read in the latest issue of AARP The Magazine that doing volunteer work for nonprofits has been shown to make you live longer.  A new study from UCLA found that the specific type of happiness that you get from volunteering improves your gene profile, causing less inflammation and better antibody and antiviral activity.  This doesn't necessarily have to be tied to a nonprofit, it can be anything that you enjoy doing with your free time.  "It can be as simple as investing more time with your grandchildren—whatever you care about," Steven W. Cole, professor of medicine at UCLA, told AARP Magazine.  This is great news.  Relaxing and doing what you enjoy can pay big health dividends.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.

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