The Kenai Senior Center last week hosted the annual March for Meals fundraiser, which seeks to raise money for scholarships to seniors that cover the cost of a variety of food service options, including meals-on-wheels, dine-in or takeout.

Center director Kathy Romain said Tuesday that the center receives funding for meals as part of the Older Americans Act, but that funding doesn’t cover the full cost of meals — which are otherwise covered by donations and scholarships. That difference has climbed as inflation has impacted the costs of producing and serving those meals.

The local fundraiser, put on by Kenai Senior Connection as part of a national “March for Meals” effort by Meals on Wheels America, is an opportunity for people to donate to what Romain referred to as “scholarship meals,” covering costs and helping provide access to the meals.

The annual event is a themed fundraising dinner, which Romain says people always enjoy dressing up for. This year, the theme was James Bond — titled “License to Give.” That meant sharp suits, casino-themed decor and other colorful touches. The Civil Air Patrol Cadets filled the roles of servers.

There were a variety of ways for people to donate — Romain pointed to a bidding war for a lemon meringue pie — and all proceeds stay in the local community with no overhead.

Romain said the fundraising effort is important to ensure “no senior goes hungry.” She said the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank is increasingly describing that demographic as facing insecurity. She said each year people begin to make donations for March for Meals the fall prior — this year as early as September.

The senior center, Romain said, means different things for different people. Access to quality food either inside, for takeout or delivered is something people count on.

“In a time of financial instability … it helps the senior center, especially as we see seniors who are unable to contribute what they used to,” she said. “They know they can come and get a hot meal at least once a day.”

For more information, find “Kenai Senior Center” on Facebook.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Items “handcrafted by senior citizens” are ready for auction in the annual March for Meals fundraiser at the Kenai Senior Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Terry Turner, provided by Kenai Senior Center)

The Kenai Senior Center’s dining space is readied for the annual March for Meals fundraiser in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Ken Aaron, provided by Kenai Senior Center)