WARSAW — Kosciusko Community Senior Services is located at 800 North Park Avenue, Warsaw. Although they offer invaluable services to area seniors, many local residents are either unaware of their existence or are unfamiliar with exactly what they do.

The three major services offered at KCSS include mobile meals, handicapped van transportation and a senior activity center. The programs have been in operation for more than twenty years.

KCSS is a nonprofit agency. Although they receive some state and federal funding, the agency relies heavily on assistance from other organizations as well as donations and volunteers. Volunteers are essential for the success and continuation of the programs.

KCSS Executive Director David Neff shared his concern over recent funding obstacles.

“We’ve had some funding cuts,” Neff acknowledged, “There’s more need than we’re meeting. There are more seniors out there who need our help, but we just don’t have the funding for it right now.”

“We’re increasing services, increasing the amount of people we’re helping, which costs more money,” Neff advised, “With the mobile meals service, seniors who can afford to pay full price for their meals do, but for those with lower incomes, Senior Services helps subsidize this.”

KCSS provides over 35,000 mobile meals each year as well as emergency frozen meals for clients when weather does not allow for daily delivery.

Neff explained that the meal delivery also serves as a wellness check of sorts for the client, as the volunteer delivering the meal alerts someone at KCSS if a client does not answer their door for a scheduled meal delivery. KCSS can then get in touch with the client’s emergency contact or notify the police department, if necessary.

“Sometimes the meal delivery volunteer is the only person a senior will have contact with that day,” Neff advised.

The handicapped van transportation service provides an average of 12,000 rides per year, assisting clients in getting to doctor appointments, the pharmacy, grocery store and the Senior Activity Center as well as other places. Neff said each ride costs approximately $18.

“There’s the cost of maintaining the van and the cost of gas,” he explained, “We have rides where we pick people up in Syracuse for a medical appointment in Warsaw. Then of course we take them back home.”

The KCSS Senior Center is much more than bingo. Senior centers can be an important source of social support and interaction for aging adults. Lack of social support is related to negative impacts on health and well-being, especially for older people. Social interaction and support can reduce stress, increase physical health and help elderly adults with depression and anxiety.

Neff and Pam Kennedy, executive director of Warsaw Housing Authority, are currently working on a joint fundraiser, with a 50/50 split of proceeds from the event. “Cruzin Memory Lane” will be held at 12 p.m. Nov. 29 at the North Park Avenue location. Seniors will be pairing with volunteers to present a ‘Vinyl Fashion Show Luncheon’ where they will dress up to represent an album cover of one of their favorite recording artists from the past. Tickets are $10. Seniors age 60 and over can purchase their ticket for $3.

KCSS is also hosting a Sunrise Breakfast event Nov. 3. Attendees will have an inside view of the valuable services provided by KCSS and learn about ways to support their efforts. Mayor Joe Thallemer will be the guest speaker at this event.

Neff is determined to do whatever it takes to keep the senior programs running, despite recent obstacles such as the funding cuts.

“When money gets tight, we are not going to cut services,” said Neff, “We haven’t cut services since I’ve been here.”

Volunteer opportunities at KCSS are available in several areas, including mobile meals drivers, office assistance with phones, group leaders for Friday Yarn Group, movie coordinator and newsletter processing.

Donations can be made to KCSS through the website using the PayPal option or by mailing or delivering a check to 800 N. Park Avenue, Warsaw.