Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) began a three-year pledge of $45,000 to support new Aiken Senior Life Services (ASLS) facility in 2022.
ASLS provides “Meals on Wheels,” transportation, and programs for Aiken County seniors and have supported seniors for over 50 years.
The ASLS Meals on Wheels program created 18 new meal routes across Aiken County in 2023. These new meal routes provided over 90,000 meals to those in need. ASLS also transported seniors to stores, jobs, and doctors’ appointments.
“By 2030, we will be reaching what some call the ‘Silver Tsunami,’ in which older people will actually outnumber children for the first time in history,” says ASLS Executive Director Aimee Hanna. “As baby boomers reach their senior years and longevity increases, there simply are not enough services to meet this growing demand.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, South Carolina’s senior population will double to an estimated 1.8 million by 2030. The prior facility had reached its capacity, causing the agency to not being able to expand services to all senior citizens.
“The lack of space made it difficult for our agency to expand its current program offerings,” Hanna said. “We knew we had to find a larger facility to protect our future missions.”
ASLS bought a 19,000-square-foot facility in March 2020. This facility could reach a larger population of senior citizens. They have raised over $550,000 of their $1.5 million goal towards building the Anne and Cot Campbell Center since July 2022.
“Our three-year pledge to support ASLS continues as they grow and expand their services,” says Martha Ruthven, SRNS community relations specialist. “SRNS is honored to contribute the funding needed to bring the new building to life, where it will serve an even greater number of seniors and bring awareness to this public health issue.”
The new facility has a dining room accommodated for 190 people, an event space in Hydrangea Hall, the Ryberg Fitness room, and the Kalmia Conference room. ASLS offers outreach programs such as nutrition and wellness, tech talks, visual arts, gardening and outdoors, history, fitness, and bus trips.
“This agency is now able to open its arms to the greater community, not just seniors, furthering its reach in Aiken and beyond,” says Ruthven. “SRNS will continue to be a key sponsor for this mission.”
