Piedmont Agency on Aging’s mission is to help our local senior citizens remain independent, stronger, and in their homes longer. We are a private, non-profit, 501 © 3 organization, serving the Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and Saluda areas of South Carolina. Our services include Meals on Wheels, congregate nutrition centers, and a transportation program, which provides rides to medical appointments, essential shopping and to our senior centers. Meals on Wheels provides daily, home-delivered meals to individuals in need of proper nutrition. Piedmont Agency on Aging is the primary Meals on Wheels provider in the Greenwood, Abbeville, Laurens and Saluda County communities. Meals on Wheels will either provide a hot, frozen, or shelf stable meal to frail and vulnerable seniors in these areas. On a daily basis, we serve over 850 meals out of our nutrition center in Greenwood. Our meals are prepared daily in our own commercial kitchen. We do not use an outside catering service to supply our meals.
Our agency works well as a unit among the staff involving local businesses and individuals to volunteer to deliver meals and our own transportation department in transporting meals when necessary. Most of these individuals receive visits daily from volunteers. Through our programming we increase senior’s ability to remain independent and at home for as long as possible and delays long term care treatment. Our programs provide a low-cost, community-based service that makes a huge difference in the lives of our communities’ older citizens and their families.
The agency also operates the first Intergenerational Child Care Center in South Carolina, Lifetime Discoveries Daycare as well as a Foster Grandparent program in each county. Lifetime Discoveries provides childcare for children between the ages of 1 – 13. The children share space and interact with senior adults within our program. The Foster Grandparent program allows senior adults to be placed in schools to help tutor and nurture children development and learning.
The agency is supported by approximately 300 active volunteers. The majority of these volunteers deliver meals or work alongside staff in our senior centers. Our agency employees over 65 employees. . We drive between 11,000 – 12,000 miles a month.
Piedmont Agency on Aging has proven to have strong ties in our community with its 51-year history. Since its beginning in 1971, Piedmont went from serving the two counties of Greenwood and Abbeville to later expand to Laurens and Saluda Counties. The agency is supported through state and local funds. Donations are essential to help offset the cost of fund and gas, that is not fully supported through state funding. Individuals can always give of their time by delivering Meals on Wheels in the community they live.