Elm Court Center Meals

Our Elm Court Center in downtown Portland provides more than a meal. In addition to tasty and nutritious meals, the Center provides a place where older adults can gather, have a cup of coffee, read the paper, work on a puzzle, take an exercise class or just chat with others. Many of those who come into the center have outlived spouses, siblings and friends. Elm Court provides them with the companionship they cannot find elsewhere. Janice grew up in Portland, a first generation Japanese-American. During World War II, her family was sent to the Minidoka Internment Camp in Idaho. When they were released and returned to Oregon, they had lost everything. Her family eventually integrated into the community once again, but Janice is now the only one left. Her parents and siblings died years ago. Her husband passed away 10 years ago and her children have moved out of state. She doesn't really need the meals at Elm Court, but she comes into the Center three or four days each week just to eat lunch with others and have some conversation. She knows if she did not come into the center, she would become a hermit. That's how we have been changing lives, one meal at a time, for 50 years. 

Between July 1 and September 30, Elm Court Center served and delivered nearly 27,000 nutritious meals to almost 800 older adults in the downtown area for a total cost of $66,000.