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HEALTHY FOOD FOR SENIORS • RECYCLING CENTERS • THRIFT STORE • BOOKS ELECTRONICS • ZOOM CLASSES • REPAIR CAFÉS • VOLUNTEER • DONATE 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz 95065 /// (831)479-1055 /// greybears.org +Recycling Centers ★ Delivered 3 million pounds of healthy food to 4,500+ seniors ★ Served 36,000 meals including for CZU fire evacuees ★ Repurposed 1,500 tons of household items and electronics in our thrift store ★ Diverted 7,000 tons of material at our 3 recycling centers and created 30 tons of compost ★ Paid $306,509 in CRV redemption to 3,600 SLV residents ★ Engaged hundreds of seniors in Zoom classes • 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz Open Every Day, 7:30-3:30. Free Drop-off of e-waste, appliances, metal, styrofoam (EPS#6) & more. • Ben Lomond Transfer: Redeem your CRV, Mon-Sat, 10-2:30 • Buena Vista Landfill: Open Mon-Sat, 7:30-2:30 Thank You Volunteers! Together we're moving forward at every age BEST THRIFT STORE BEST ANTIQUES SANTA CRUZ New Thrift Store Hours: Open every day 9am-3:30pm All with the help of 600 amazing volunteers who donated more than 60,000 hours of service. This year, with your help through COVID, we: Photo: Jeremy Lezin "Old age," Bette Davis once said, "is no place for sissies." Had she known about local nonprofit, Grey Bears, at the time she might have added, "and is immeasurably enhanced through volun- teering." Grey Bears has dispelled the myth that as we age we lose our vitality and sense of purpose. In fact, ageism is prejudice against our own future selves, says Grey Bears Chair Yoga teacher, Suzi Mahler. "New studies are emerging that even during the pandemic, people over the age of 50 are mentally better off, more resilient and happier." Researchers and doctors studying aging tell us for the most part, older people enjoy better mental health than the young or middle aged. "Think back to your 20's; would you live that decade over again? Prob- ably not. Yes, we may see the doctor more and have some aches and pains, but all of the acquired wisdom has taught us this too shall pass and life is generally good. Volunteering helps keep the blues away, too." Grey Bears offers more than 20 ways to volunteer – from prepping, assem- bling and delivering bags of groceries to seniors, to testing electronics, refurbishing computers, working in the bookstore, running a thrift store register and helping in the office. A whopping 700+ volunteers, the majority of whom are age 60+, donated 60,000 hours of service last year to keep Grey Bears on track. "It turns out that volun- teering is just plain good for us," says Grey Bears Volunteer Coordinator, Rosie Otero-Foraker, "Volunteers meet friends, stay socially active, have a sense of accomplishment that they're making a difference in the lives of others, and feel healthier." Volunteer Kilda McKeever, who lists donated books on Grey Bears Amazon.com store, sums up her experience: "Having a resource like Grey Bears is wonderful. It's a fun place where we can come and volunteer, learn new skills, visit with friends, have lunch and take a bag of groceries home with us. And we all know how expensive food is." The COVID-19 cri- sis has crystallized the importance of Grey Bears Healthy Food program, which delivers weekly bags of produce and Grey Bears - where volunteering is at the heart of healthy aging By The Grey Bears staples to 4,500 seniors and families. Daily food distributions and healthy hot meals nourish thou- sands more. "Thank goodness for our volunteer drivers," says Office Manager, Sha- ron Gross, whose office volunteers have signed up 900 new participants since COVID. "We've added four new delivery routes to the now 111 routes our drivers conduct each week – including door-to- door deliveries to 1,400 isolated seniors. We make sure drivers know who has been added to their routes." As vaccinations increase and the long journey out of COVID inches forward, Grey Bears Thrift Stores are receiving more dona- tions than ever, including clothing, home goods, furniture, computers, audio-video and elec- tronics, medical supplies, hardware and much more. Store manager, Diane Rennie, is grateful for the donations. "The generosity of indi- viduals and businesses is amazing. We're doing our best to accept everything we can. We've expanded store hours; open every day 9am to 3:30pm. We feature many items at 50% off every day, and shoppers can fill a bag of clothes on Mondays and Saturdays, and bag of books every day for $10." Over four decades of service Grey Bears food delivery and resource con- servation programs, recy- cling and reuse operations, events, classes, senior support groups, and repair cafés make our communi- ty stronger, healthier and more sustainable. And at the heart of it all are volunteers. Grey Bears shows that our aging community is an asset, a natural re- source with a diversity of skills, talents and bound- less ways to contribute – and that the future should be something to look forward to, at every age. To donate, volunteer or sign up for the Grey Bears Healthy Food pro- gram visit greybears.org or call 831-479-1055. Valerie prepares items in Grey Bears thrift store home goods department. Grey Bears grocery assembly line volunteers on 3/6/20, one week before the lockdown. (photo credit: Poppy DeGarmo) Grey Bears volunteer driver, Bob Leonard, prepares to load up grocery bags for delivery in Watsonville.

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