This month, we celebrate the generations who built our communities. But we’re also called to act.
She raised a family. He built a business. They taught in our schools, volunteered in our parks, started small businesses, survived recessions, and served our country.
San Diego’s older adults shaped the world we live in.
May is Older Americans Month—a time to recognize their contributions and reflect on the future we’re building for aging in San Diego. It’s also Mental Health Awareness Month, reminding us that aging well must include emotional well-being, connection, and community.
Growing older shouldn’t mean disappearing. It should mean being seen, supported, and celebrated.
Older Americans Month: Honor with Action
Today, too many seniors in San Diego face real threats: crumbling infrastructure, closed programs, and shrinking support systems. With 1 in 4 residents projected to be over 60 by 2030, we cannot afford to wait.
At San Diego Seniors Community Foundation, we’re working to strengthen the infrastructure of aging—modernizing senior centers, funding local programs, and expanding community-based supports. We’re committed to ensuring no senior is left behind.
💛 Honor their legacy with more than words.
👉 Make a Gift Today
At first glance, you might think it’s a museum, a university, maybe even a library. But this striking building is actually a senior center.
Yes, you read that correctly. It’s a senior center!
It’s called the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace—a bright, modern hub in Los Angeles that’s redefining what aging can look like. With natural light, open design, and classes in art, wellness, and technology, GenSpace offers more than services—it offers dignity, creativity, and connection.
And it challenges us to ask:
What would it look like if every community invested in joy, belonging, and lifelong growth for older adults?https://sdscf.org/senior-center-master-plan/
No Senior Alone: Because Connection Is Protection
“I just needed someone to see me.”
We hear this all the time.
Isolation is one of the most devastating challenges facing older adults. That’s why we created No Senior Alone, a countywide initiative that delivers emergency support and builds relationships with seniors who are too often forgotten.
Through community partnerships, direct relief, and emotional connection, we’re proving that aging with dignity starts with being noticed.
🔗 See How We’re Fighting Isolation »
Tech + Dignity = Freedom
A missed ride shouldn’t mean a missed meal.
Transportation gaps constitute a significant barrier to health and independence for older San Diegans. That’s why SDSCF is championing autonomous vehicle technology that serves seniors, giving them safe, reliable access to food, care, and connection.
This National Autonomous Vehicles Day (May 31), we celebrate the promise of technology designed with dignity in mind.
Play. Laugh. Connect. Repeat.
Board games aren’t just for kids—they’re brain-boosters, memory-stretchers, and social lifelines.
With support from SDSCF, the Let’s Play a Game Foundation is bringing curated games and guided sessions to senior centers across San Diego—from Solana Beach to Vista. Volunteers lead the fun, and every session includes laughter, new friends, and a few surprises.
🃏 Interested in joining, volunteering, or sponsoring a session?
📧 Email info@sdscf.org
Honoring Paul Downey: 30 Years of Leadership
After three decades of leadership, Paul Downey is retiring as President & CEO of Serving Seniors. His legacy is enormous: from providing millions of meals to building affordable housing and wellness centers that will serve generations.
The newly opened Paul Downey Senior Residence and Judith L. Seltz Senior Wellness Center are a tribute to a man who helped define what compassionate leadership for older adults looks like.
Thank you, Paul.
Meet Jessica Buell: Our New Program Coordinator
We’re proud to welcome Jessica Buell to the SDSCF team. With a background in global service and community care, Jessica brings heart, insight, and a deep commitment to aging equity in San Diego.
She’ll help lead our program expansion and deepen community partnerships, ensuring no senior slips through the cracks.
Aging Is All of Us
Aging isn’t about “them.” It’s about all of us—our future, our families, our neighborhoods.
When we invest in older adults, we strengthen the fabric of San Diego for generations to come.
This May, honor their legacy. But more importantly, help build what’s next.
With gratitude,
The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation Team