Each year, more and more older adults are making a positive impact in and around Northwest Houston. As volunteers, employees, employers, educators, mentors, advocates, and more, they offer insight and experience that benefit the entire community. That’s why Older Americans Month (OAM) has been recognizing the contributions of this growing population for 56 years.

Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) each May, OAM provides resources to help older Americans stay healthy and independent, and resources to help communities support and celebrate their diversity.

This year’s OAM theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, encourages older adults and their communities to:

• Connect with friends, family, and local services and resources.
• Create through activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment.
• Contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others.

Northwest Assistance Ministries will celebrate OAM by promoting ways that community members of all ages can take part in helping Houston thrive. We encourage you to:

Connect: Visit NAM’s Senior Center which is filled with social gatherings, physical fitness, entertainment, and trips into the city and surrounding area; or meet new friends at the 60+ Café which serves a hot lunch three times a week.

Create: NAM’s Senior Center also offers creative activities, such as the Helping Hands group, which meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays to sew and craft together to make items to sell, which helps NAM’s programs and services.

Contribute: Volunteer opportunities are available at NAM too, such as delivering meals for Meals on Wheels, serving lunch at the 60+ Café, answering phones in the Family Violence Center, stocking shelves in the Joanne Watford Nutrition Center, sorting donations at NAM Resale, or assisting with office duties like filing and data entry, and more.

Communities that support and recognize older adults are stronger! Join us in strengthening our community – this May and throughout the year.