Community Bridges announces the promotion of Dana Wagner as senior program director for Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, which is facing a six-figure budget deficit.
Because of the budget deficit, Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County will likely need to implement a waitlist for services on July 1 for the first time in nearly five decades, according to Community Bridges officials, something other programs have already done.
Dana Wagner
Wagner, a registered dietitian living in Santa Cruz, began her career in a skilled nursing facility in Maryland, where she helped older adults maintain healthy lives.
After relocating to California, she joined Community Bridges as a supervising dietitian for its Women, Infants, and Children program in 2001. Over the next two decades, she rose to become the program’s director and served as the interim director of Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County beginning in March 2024, succeeding Darren Daley.
In September, she was officially named senior program director overseeing both programs, bringing her deep expertise in nutrition and passion for serving the community to the role.
“It is really great that as my career has evolved, I am coming full circle working with older adults,” she said. “There is a poetic beauty to that.”
She aims to continue Meals on Wheels’ mission of helping older adults remain in their homes while receiving nutritious meals and caring interactions.
“We are so fortunate to have local talent and statewide level leadership within the organization, with leaders such as Dana,” said Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino. “After an exhaustive search for the next leader facing significant challenges, we were able to easily see that we couldn’t get much better than using the talents of Dana to support the operations of Meals on Wheels of Santa Cruz County. With this move, we have streamlined administration and made a significant move toward organizational alignment that ensures cohesion across various nutritional programs.”
Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, operating since 1976, serves more than 1,700 participants annually, with 92% reporting it helps them live independently. And 87% report feeling safer at home; 79% report eating healthier foods.
Last fiscal year, the program provided more than 155,000 home-delivered meals and served 23,000+ meals at community dining sites where seniors enjoy social connections.
The number of seniors served grew by 429 – a sign of the local population aging.
The work is supported by a dedicated army of 80 volunteers.
Since the 2010 census, Santa Cruz County has seen the number of older adults age 65-84 increase by 81%, the fastest rate in California.
Compounding this challenge are rising operational costs, uncertainty about the program’s current headquarters at the Live Oak Senior Center (which is owned by the Live Oak School District) and stagnant or declining government funding at federal, state, and local levels.
“This is an expensive place to live, and with inflation over the last few years, it has been a challenging time for many older adults on fixed incomes,” Wagner said. “Meals on Wheels is so important for meeting their needs and helping them stay in their homes.”
She added, “The reason I have continued to work with Community Bridges all this time is because it aligns with my values of service and helping others.”
To volunteer for Meals on Wheels, see https://communitybridges.org/mealsonwheels/