United Way of Northern Arizona — Partner Update: Round Valley Community Center

Seniors in Springerville, Eagar and surrounding towns have missed visiting the Round Valley Community Services and Adult Center since it stopped hosting lunchtime meals and in-person programs last year due to the pandemic.

In fact, Community Services Director Robin Aguero says she gets calls every week from seniors asking when they can come back.

That long wait might be over soon, as the center – a partner agency of UWNA – works to slowly reopen in-person programs.

The center just began offering “Silver Fitness” classes on Wednesday mornings, with masks and social distancing required. Meanwhile, there are plans to host some socially-distanced morning coffee klatches. Limited to an hour with no more than 5 seniors per room, the Thursday morning events will allow seniors to begin to enjoy each others company again.

“I’m excited to get people back here,” said Aguero. “We have to start at some point, but we’re going to be very cautious.”

During the past year, Round Valley has converted its in-person meals program to at-home meals delivered by volunteers. This was in addition to the center’s existing Meals-on-Wheels program. Between the two programs, about 40 meals are delivered daily.

Senior meals and programs are only part of the services provided by Round Valley.

The communities around the center experience a high level of poverty, a situation that has only been exasperated by the pandemic. The center provides rental and utility assistance and appliance repair and replacement for qualifying families. In addition, there is a food bank which distributes 125 boxes of food each week and serves almost 500 families every month.

While Round Valley has enough people to help with its senior programs, it is looking for food bank volunteers. For more information on how to volunteer, call (928) 333-2516.

Donations to United Way of Northern Arizona help local community programs and initiatives like Round Valley Community Services and Adult Center. Please join us and Step Up for our community today.